Search

Background: Microcirculation is the flow of blood through the smallest vessels in the circulatory system. Capillaries respond to various pathologies much earlier than arteries and veins, the changes which indicate that the disease is already developing. Careful monitoring of the functioning of the capillary system often allows the detection of in vivo disorders at an early stage. Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the microcirculation within acne lesions. A noninvasive method of semi‐quantitative blood perfusion measurement based on laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) and a quantitative assessment of the acne severity using the hyperspectral imaging method supported by image analysis and processing methods were used. Patients/Method: The acne lesion perfusion was compared to the healthy skin perfusion of the control group. The reflectance in the range from 400 to 1000 nm was also compared for acne lesions and healthy skin. A dedicated version of the algorithm based on the gray‐level co‐occurrence matrix was used to compare differences between acne lesions and healthy skin. Results: Blood perfusion in acne lesions is on average 117% higher than in healthy skin. The reflectance of acne lesions was lower in the range of 400–600 nm compared to the healthy skin. A statistically significant decrease in the reflectance of acne lesions was demonstrated for wavelengths: 434, 549, and 588 nm. Conclusions: Increased blood perfusion in acne lesions compared to healthy skin suggests increased chemotaxis of inflammatory cells and wound healing. Decrease points in skin reflectance resemble the absorption peaks for hemoglobin and coproporphyrin III produced by Cutibacterium acnes. Thus, the proposed methods may serve not only for the early detection of acne lesions, before they manifest themselves clinically for the naked eye, but may also be a tool for quantifying the effectiveness of acne treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mechanism of intense pulsed light action on the skin is based on selective photothermolysis. The light delivered to the tissue is scattered and absorbed by chromophores that absorb a beam of radiation of a specific length. The skin reflectance changes depending on the physiological state of the tissue, as shown by the hyperspectral camera. The aim of the study was to assess the hyperspectral reflectance of acne skin before and after intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy and to compare it with the reflectance of healthy skin. Materials and methods: The study involved 27 volunteers with diagnosed moderate acne. The control group consisted of 20 people without acne lesions. All acne volunteers underwent a series of four treatments using IPL at weekly intervals. The volunteers with acne lesions were photographed before the series of treatments and a week after the 4th treatment. Results: Acne skin shows lower reflectance than healthy skin. Acne skin after IPL therapy is characterized by a higher reflectance compared to acne skin before the therapy and resembles the reflectance of the skin of the control group. A statistically significant difference was found between the acne skin before the treatments and the skin of the control group. Conclusions: The effect of IPL therapy on acne skin is the increase of its reflectance by reducing the number of chromophores, which brings it closer to the reflectance value of healthy skin. Hyperspectral imaging allows for: the evaluation of the treated skin at each stage, a precise selection of the light wavelength depending on the problem, and therefore, for optimizing the number of irradiations and increasing the safety of the therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patient compliance with care recommendations is closely related to the role of cosmetics in delaying or preventing the side effects of medications used to treat acne. Methods: A total of 33 volunteers with symptoms of acne vulgaris were qualified for the study. The skin parameters were measured before the experiment, after the 4 and at the 8 weeks of use. The measurements were subject to moisturizing the skin and secretion of sebum and skin color. A skin acoustic parameters using high‐frequency ultrasound (33 MHz) was also performed. The recorded images were used to determine the epidermal entrance echo thickness and echo density of dermis. Results: The results show a change in the value of skin parameters during the 8‐week application of a specific skin care procedure. The secretion of sebum did not change significantly, there was a decrease in hydration, and the level of melanin and hemoglobin remained at the same level. The thickness of the epidermis entrance echo in the ultrasound image was thinned. Conclusion: For many mild/moderate acne patients, cosmetics proven to be effective and well tested in clinical trials can offer a real benefit in reducing both inflammation, sebum production, melanin, and irritation, but should also be moisturizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the treatment of acne, skin parameters such as sebum secretion, hydration, and the content of hemoglobin and melanin are very important. The values of these parameters at the appropriate level show the maintenance of good functionality of the epidermal barrier and the impact of a given treatment procedure on the condition and physiology of the epidermis. Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of anti‐acne therapy with IPL by volunteers, as well as to quantify parameters such as sebum secretion, hydration level, and the content of melanin and hemoglobin in the skin. Patients/Methods: The study involved 27 volunteers with moderate acne. A series of 4 treatments was performed with intense pulse light at weekly intervals. The secretion of sebum, skin hydration, and the content of melanin and hemoglobin was measured. Results: A decrease in sebum secretion in the forehead area after light treatments was observed, the level of hydration remained the same in all areas examined, as did the levels of melanin and hemoglobin. The volunteers were asked about the satisfaction with the effects of the treatment: 100% answered that they were satisfied with the effects of the treatment to a degree of 7.8 ± 1.5. Conclusions: During anti‐acne therapy, therapists usually focus only on reducing acne lesions, forgetting that proper care has a large impact on the success of dermatological therapies. It is very important to know the influence of treatment procedures on the parameters of the skin in order to choose the right care for the best treatment effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topical and oral antibiotic therapy is also a popular method of treatment. The effectiveness of this method is limited by the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. Over the decades since the introduction of antibiotics to treat acne, the resistance levels of bacteria have changed. This defense mechanism is developed evolutionarily. Modifications of antibiotic receptor sites, alteration of drug influx/efflux, or enzymatic degradation are common mechanisms used by bacteria to initiate and strengthen internal antibiotic resistance. The basic chromophores used in light therapy are hemoglobin, melanin, water bound to proteins, and porphyrins. Hemoglobin absorbs light mainly at 580 nm, while melanin absorbs the entire visible spectral range (400–750 nm). Porphyrins are aromatic compounds, classified as photosensitizing substances, intensively absorbing blue light, and to a lesser extent in long visible bands, such as orange and red light. Using IPL makes it possible to cover the maximum light absorption of porphyrins and hemoglobin, therefore it can be an effective tool in the treatment of inflammatory lesions in acne vulgaris. In view of the effectiveness of light therapy and its effect even on antibiotic‐resistant bacteria, it is worth considering the possibility of using light therapy instead of antibiotic therapy. Due to the increasing resistance of bacteria to antimicrobials, they should be used with caution and as a last resort. The high‐energy light treatment act only locally (unlike with antibiotics taken orally) and on a chromophore, such as melanin, hemoglobin, or porphyrins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]