HeaLED: Assessment of skin healing under light-emitting diode (LED) exposure-A randomized controlled study versus placebo

Background: Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the visible or near-infrared spectrum have been reported to promote wound healing. However, despite being frequently proposed in daily clinical practice, the efficacy of photobiomodulation treatment after a laser procedure relies on very limited clinical data. Objective: To compare the relative efficacy of LED versus placebo treatment in decreasing erythema and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) after a fractional CO2 session. Methods: We conducted an open prospective intraindividual randomized controlled study with 10 healthy volunteers. An ablative fractional laser was performed on the seven forearm areas. Three consecutive daily sessions of LED (590, 630, and 850 nm [two tested irradiances each] and placebo) were applied after randomization. Physical measures (colorimetry, TEWL), photography, and clinical evaluation were performed on Days 1, 2, 3, 7, and 21. The main criterion of evaluation was the variation of parameter a* (erythema) at 72 hours for each LED parameter compared to placebo treatment. Results: No significant differences in the variation of the parameter a* or any of the other studied parameters were found for the different LEDs compared to the placebo area. Conclusion: Photobiomodulation failed to improve healing after laser ablation compared to placebo.