The July 2026 pilot studied 36 patients with moderate-to-severe inflammatory acne, meaning red, tender bumps and pus-filled spots. It did not study adults with mild, comedonal-only, scar-only, or non-inflammatory acne. Persistent acne means breakouts that continue from the teen years past age 25. That distinction matters because the trial grouped patients by severity and inflammation, not by adult-acne subtype, according to the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology education material.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What did the 36-patient trial test?
- Did one device work better?
- Who was studied, and who was not?
- What should you ask your dermatologist?
What did the 36-patient trial test?
The study randomly assigned patients to intense pulsed light, pulsed dye laser, or Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser. Each approach delivers light energy to calm inflamed acne lesions.
The report appeared as an open-access three-arm randomized controlled trial in Lasers in Medical Science, as listed by Springer Nature Link open-access listing. The design compared the three devices head-to-head for inflammatory acne.
Did one device work better?
Lesion counts and severity scores showed no significant differences among the three groups at treatment sessions. The U.S. National Library of Medicine record reports P-values from 0.06 to 0.92 U.S.
National Library of Medicine record. Disability did improve. Cardiff Acne Disability Index scores fell significantly from baseline to two weeks after the final treatment across the studied patients. That change reflects how acne affected daily life, not proof that one device was superior.
Who was studied, and who was not?
The affected group was people with moderate-to-severe inflammatory lesions. People outside that group were not directly described by the results.
That leaves several common adult cases uncovered: The trial also did not separate persistent acne continuing from adolescence from late-onset adult acne. Adults should therefore treat their age pattern as untested in this pilot.
- mild breakouts with few inflamed spots
- blackheads and whiteheads without inflammation
- acne scars without active inflamed lesions
- persistent acne defined by age pattern rather than severity
What should you ask your dermatologist?
Do not pick a device based on superiority claims from this trial. No arm beat the others on lesions or severity, and follow-up was short.
The American Academy of Dermatology advises reviewing age, severity, skin type, and alternatives with a dermatologist, described in its updated guidelines report. Bring this checklist to the visit:.
- your acne pattern: inflammatory, comedonal, scarring, or mixed
- how long breakouts have persisted and prior treatments
- skin type, scarring tendency, and pigment-change history
- treatment goals, cost, downtime, and alternatives beyond devices
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