Topical aminolevulinic acid-photodynamic therapy for the treatment of acne vulgaris
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorRichard Rox Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Light treatments of sebaceous gland disorders with 5-aminolevulinic acid and photodynamic therapy are disclosed. A preferred treatment includes topical application of 5-aminolevulinic acid to the skin followed by light exposures with repeated treatment at various intervals. At low doses of ALA and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in single or multiple treatments, improvement in the sebaceous gland disorder, e.g., acne, provides the discovery that diminishment in sebum secretion and the eradication of bacteria occurs. At high doses of ALA and a single high energy PDT treatment, permanent changes to the sebaceous gland and sebum secretion have been discovered.
Claims13
A method for treating at least one of acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia comprising the steps of:
- a) topically applying 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) at a low dose in a range between about 0.10 and 1.0 percent by weight to a section of skin afflicted with at least one of acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia, wherein the ALA is compounded for delivery, to sebaceous glands and is converted into a photosensitizing agent actuable by energy that penetrates outer layers of epidermis;
- and
- b) exposing the infiltrated section of skin to energy to cause the photosensitizing agent to become photodynamically activated to kill bacteria and thereby treat at least one of acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia without modifying the sebaceous gland.
A method for the treatment or prevention of at least one of acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia, comprising the steps of:
- a) topically applying 5-amino levulinic acid (ALA) to skin and a substance which absorbs UV radiation in the UVA or UVB range, wherein the ALA is converted into a photosensitizing agent that is activated by energy which penetrates outer layers of epidermis;
- b) causing a sufficient amount of ALA to infiltrate the pilosebaceous unit;
- and
- c) exposing the infiltrated section of skin to sunlight in the range of about 1 to about 50 J/cm2 to cause the photosensitizing agent to become photodynamically activated eradicating the bacteria associated with at least one of acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.