Combination of surgery and photodynamic therapy for the treatment of cystic acne of the scalp

Abstract

Cystic acne of the scalp is relatively resistant to conventional treatment because of its thick wall and deep cavity. This study was conducted as a comparative analysis of clinical outcomes of single surgery and those of surgery combined with photodynamic therapy for cystic acne of the scalp. Ten patients were treated only with surgical incisions and drainage of pus and necrotic tissues, and another ten patients were treated with photodynamic therapy immediately after surgery, followed by two weekly cycles thereafter. The combination treatment group reported better outcomes than the single surgery group in terms of duration of wound healing, the number of dressing changes, pain score at the time of dressing change, and recurrence rate. Our study demonstrateds that the combination of surgery and photodynamic therapy may have pronounced effects on the treatment for cystic acne of the scalp.

Keywords: Cystic acne; Photodynamic therapy; Scalp; Surgical incisions and drainage.