Assessment of efficacy of ultrapulse carbon dioxide laser combined with ALA- PDT in the treatment of nodular and cystic acne

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of combination of ultrapulse carbon dioxide laser and ALA- PDT in the treatment of nodular and cystic acne. Methods: Sixty- eight patients with IV acne were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group,34 patients in each group. The patients in the treatment group were treated with ultrapulse carbon dioxide laser combined with ALA- PDT and those in the control group were treated with ALA- PDT group only,once every week for 3 times. Results: The cure rate and effective rate were 70. 5% and 85. 3% in the treatment group,which was higher than those in the control group( 44. 1% and 61. 8%),with significant differences( P 0. 05). Conclusion: Ultrapulse carbon dioxide laser combined with ALA- PDT is more effective than ALP- PDT alone in the treatment of nodular and cystic acne.