Photobiomodulation and Photodynamic Therapy Using Red LED Light in Dermatology: A Narrative Review

This study aims to summarize the existing literature regarding the efficacy of red light-emitting diode (LED) therapy for the management of dermatological conditions. A review of the literature was performed in MEDLINE (Ovid) from inception to October 4, 2024, for articles pertaining to the use of photobiomodulation or photodynamic therapy with red LED light in dermatology. Fifty-nine studies were included in our final analysis, encompassing 1,882 total patients with a mean age of 43.5 years and a slight female predominance (51.3%). The most prevalent dermatological condition was acne vulgaris (23.7%), followed by multiple cancerous and pre-cancerous pathologies including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, actinic keratosis, and actinic cheilitis. The strongest evidence was found for acne, with additional data to support the efficacy of red-light therapy for cancerous lesions and chronic inflammatory conditions, while skin rejuvenation and anti-aging demonstrated variable success. Overall, the treatment was effective and well-tolerated with minimal long-term side effects. The limitations of this review include the lack of a formal bias assessment and reproducible search strategy, limited number of queried databases, and lack of meta-analysis. In addition, the data represents findings from both home-use and clinical settings rather than focusing only on patient-administered red-light therapy, largely due to insufficient data. Overall, the findings presented in this review support the use of phototherapy with red LED light in the management of various dermatological conditions. Future research should include randomized controlled trials and prospective studies specifically designed to assess the safety and efficacy of self-administration of red-light therapy.

Duke Scholars

Author Michelle Bernadette Pavlis Dermatology