Curcumin-mediated photodynamic therapy for mild to moderate Acne: A self-controlled split-face randomized study

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Curcumin-mediated Photodynamic Therapy (CurcuminPDT) in the treatment of mild to moderate acne. Methods: In this randomized split-face controlled study, 11 patients with mild to moderate acne were randomly divided into two groups. One side received a single 445 nm LED light exposure of 36 J/cm2, while the other side received Curcumin-PDT. The process of Curcumin-PDT involves the application of a mask containing 1 % curcumin for 20 min, followed by exposure to 445 nm LED light at 36 J/cm2. The treatment consists of sessions spaced every 3 days, with a total of 2 treatments per week, administered continuously for 2 weeks. Efficacy assessment and comparison were conducted on both groups of patients before treatment and 2 weeks after the last treatment, and adverse reactions were observed and recorded. Results: At the 2-week follow-up after the last treatment, the total lesion clearance rates for Curcumin-PDT and monotherapy light were 54.7 +/- 21.5 % and 28.1 +/- 19.9 %, respectively (P = 0.001). The clearance rates for noninflammatory lesions were 32.3 +/- 25.7 % and 21.9 +/- 14.0 % for Curcumin-PDT and monotherapy light sides (P = 0.252), while for inflammatory lesions, the clearance rates were 59.3 +/- 28.2 % and 36.5 +/- 21.6 % (P = 0.013). Both groups experienced mild erythema after treatment, which subsided within 1-2 h. Two patients developed mild localized pigmentation, which self-resolved after 1 month of follow-up. Both groups did not exhibit edema, crust formation, scaling, pigment reduction, or scarring. Conclusion: Curcumin-PDT can be considered a safe and effective method for the treatment of mild to moderate acne.