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Chromophore gel-assisted phototherapy

A novel and promising photobiomodulation therapy for facial inflammatory skin diseases and skin aging

Chromophor-Gel-assistierte Phototherapie

Eine neuartige und vielversprechende Photobiomodulationstherapie bei entzündlichen Hauterkrankungen des Gesichts und Hautalterung

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Journal für Ästhetische Chirurgie Aims and scope

Abstract

Phototherapy has been a mainstay in dermatology for many years. The field has been accompanied by tremendous developments in both the type of light used and the method of how light is delivered to the skin. Chromophore gel-assisted phototherapy is a novel type of photobiomodulation therapy using low-energy light-emitting diode (LED) blue light in combination with a chromophore gel. Upon exposure to blue LED light, chromophore gel functions as a photoconverter and starts emitting fluorescent light penetrating from epidermal to dermal layers of the skin. So far this strategy has been used successfully and shown its anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect (against Propionibacterium acnes) for the treatment of moderate to severe acne and skin rejuvenation. However, the therapeutic benefit of this system is not restricted to these indications. The therapy is well tolerated and safe. Adverse events are mild and are restricted to transient erythema, and pruritus, skin hyperpigmentation, and hair color lightening, and happen in less than 5% of treated patients. Other inflammatory skin disorders such as rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, and wound healing are potential future fields warranting more studies.

Zusammenfassung

Die Phototherapie ist seit vielen Jahren eine der wesentlichen Stützen in der dermatologischen Therapie. In diesem Bereich gab es enorme Entwicklungen sowohl bei der Art des verwendeten Lichts als auch bei den Verfahren, wie das Licht auf die Haut appliziert wird. Die Chromophor-Gel-assistierte Phototherapie stellt eine neue Art der Photobiomodulationstherapie dar, bei der niederenergetisches blaues Licht aus einer Leuchtdiode („light emitting diode“, LED) in Kombination mit einem Chromophor-Gel verwendet wird. Bei Exposition gegenüber blauem LED-Licht funktioniert das Chromophor-Gel wie ein Photokonverter und beginnt, fluoreszierendes Licht zu emittieren, welches die Haut von den epidermalen bis zu den dermalen Schichten durchdringt. Diese Therapie hat sich bisher als erfolgreich herausgestellt und ihre antiinflammatorische sowie bakterizide Wirkung (gegen Propionebacterium acnes) bei der Behandlung von mittel- bis schwergradiger Akne und bei der Hautverjüngung erwiesen. Jedoch beschränkt sich der therapeutische Nutzen dieses Systems nicht auf die genannten Indikationen. Dabei ist die Therapie gut verträglich und sicher. Unerwünschte Nebenwirkungen sind gering und auf transientes Erythem, Pruritus, Hauthyperpigmentierung und Aufhellung der Haarfarbe begrenzt; sie treten bei weniger als 5% der behandelten Patienten auf. Andere entzündliche Hauterkrankungen wie Rosazea, seborrhoische Dermatitis und die Wundheilung sind potenzielle zukünftige Anwendungsbereiche, die weitere Studien rechtfertigen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Bürgenstock Medical Center, Bürgenstock 30, 6363, Obbürgen, Switzerland

    A. Jalili MD, PhD

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  1. A. Jalili MD, PhD
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Correspondence to A. Jalili MD, PhD.

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A. Jalili declares that he has no competing interests.

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Jalili, A. Chromophore gel-assisted phototherapy. J Ästhet Chir 12 (Suppl 1), 1–5 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12631-018-0121-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12631-018-0121-z

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