Narrow Band Ultraviolet B Versus Red Light Emitting Diodes in The Treatment of Facial Acne Vulgaris: A randomized Controlled Trial

Background: One of the most common dermatological conditions affecting most teenagers is acne. Phototherapy was described as a therapeutic modality with low-side effects of acne vulgaris (AV). Hence, we examined the effects of narrow band ultraviolet B (NBUVB) versus red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on facial AV.
Methods: Forty-five subjects suffering from facial AV mild to a moderate degree were randomly assigned into three groups, 15 subjects within every group. Group A was equipped to NBUVB with 311–313 nm and an initial dose of 250 mJ/cm2, thrice a week for 8 weeks, Group B was equipped red LED with wavelengths 633 ± 6 nm and power density of 80 mW/cm2, thrice a week for 8 weeks, whereas group C had received the only erythromycin as a control group. Outcome measures included measurement of acne lesion count and degree of severity. Measures at three-time intervals were assessed: baseline, 4 weeks (post I), and 8 weeks (post II).
Results: Acne numeral findings revealed a significant variance among groups A, B, and C in favor of group A (p < 0.001). Notable improvements were observed across all three groups (p < 0.001). The degree of adjustment effects indicated a greater increase in group A in comparison with group B (p < 0.01), whereas no statistical variance was detected between group B and group C (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Both NBUVB and red LED were effective in acne treatment; NBUVB, however, revealed a highly efficient treatment than red LED in decreasing the acne lesions count and the improved degree of AV severity as measured by the global investigator's assessment scale.