Acne vulgaris and light-based therapies.

Acne vulgaris is a common condition which remains challenging to treat in some cases. Laser and light-based therapies offer an alternative to medical therapies with the advantage of high compliance and relatively low side-effect profile. Light-based therapies in acne exert their effects through photochemical, photothermal, or a combination of both mechanisms. This article explains the mode of action for each light-based modality and examines the current evidence in this field.