Cystic acne improved by photodynamic therapy with short-contact 5-aminolevulinic acid and sequential combination of intense pulsed light and blue light activation.

Photodynamic therapy with short-contact 5-aminolevulinic acid (Levulan Kerastick, Dusa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and activation by intense pulsed light in an initial treatment and blue light in 3 subsequent treatments has resulted in significant improvement in severity of acne, reduction in the number of lesions, improvement in skin texture, and smoothing of scar edges in an Asian patient with severe (class 4) facial cystic acne and scarring.