Blue light therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for acne, particularly for mild to moderate inflammatory acne. The blue light targets the bacteria that contribute to acne breakouts, called Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), and helps reduce the inflammation that can lead to acne lesions.
Several studies have found that blue light therapy can be effective in reducing the severity of acne. For example, a 2016 review of clinical studies found that blue light therapy was effective in reducing inflammatory acne lesions by an average of 50% to 60% after four to eight weeks of treatment.
Blue light therapy can be administered in a variety of ways, including through specialized light-emitting devices and as an add-on treatment to other acne treatments, such as topical retinoids or benzoyl peroxide.