Should We Follow the Light? A Review of LED Devices in Acne Treatment

Original Article: At-Home LED Devices for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

What are the key takeaways of this article?

Recently, there has been growing interest in at-home light-emitting diode (LED) devices as a possible treatment option to add to the arsenal of acne therapies, which consists of topical and oral agents. It is thought that LED devices may target the Cutibacterium acnes bacteria and reduce inflammation through emitting red and/or blue light. The ability to use these devices at home is an added, and convenient, benefit. This study sought to synthesize the current available data on this topic.

Through the authors’ search, 6 studies met the inclusion criteria, which involved: any randomized clinical trial that assessed the efficacy of a portable or at-home red and/or blue LED device. Outcomes of included trials consisted of either absolute or percent change in lesion count or improvement in the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA). Blue light devices operated at wavelengths ranging from 414 to 445nm, while red light devices operated at wavelengths of 630 to 670nm. The studies ranged from 2 days to 12 weeks and included a total of 216 participants with mild to moderate acne. Control groups were either white light, no light, a sham device, or, in one study, the use of benzoyl peroxide.

Overall, compared to the controls, the use of LED devices resulted in a greater percent change in inflammatory (45.3%, n=5) and non-inflammatory lesions (47.7%, n=4), as well as IGA (45.7%, n=4). The red, blue, and combination wavelength devices were found to be effective with improvement generally noted after approximately 4-12 weeks of use. No significant side effects were reported, though some patients did experience mild dryness, erythema, or discomfort during treatment. One of the studies included in the analysis compared the LED device to topical 5% benzoyl peroxide cream and did find a greater reduction in inflammatory lesions with LED therapy.

Some limitations may be the lower number of studies included and the moderate to high heterogeneity between the studies, with differences in light source and treatment duration. Additionally, the results may not be generalizable due to the variety of devices on the market in addition to those used in the studies.

While additional studies must be done to assess the optimal treatment approach for acne with LED devices, the findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that at-home LED devices could be a viable treatment option for patients with mild to moderate acne who are looking for non-pharmacological options.

Publication Date: July 7, 2025

Reference: Ershadi S, Barbieri JS. At-Home LED Devices for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Dermatol. Published online March 5, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.0019

Summary By: Taylor Skinner