Volume 16, Issue 4 e202200293
REVIEW

Positive effects of low-dose photodynamic therapy with aminolevulinic acid or its methyl ester in skin rejuvenation and wound healing: An update

YuWei Zhang

YuWei Zhang

The Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China

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Wei Liu

Corresponding Author

Wei Liu

The Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China

Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China

Correspondence

Wei Liu and Qian Wang, Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, No. 32, Western 2nd Section, 1st Ring Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610072, China.

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

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Qian Wang

Corresponding Author

Qian Wang

The Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China

Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China

Correspondence

Wei Liu and Qian Wang, Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, No. 32, Western 2nd Section, 1st Ring Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610072, China.

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

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First published: 05 January 2023
Citations: 2

Abstract

In dermatology, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is widely used in skin tumors, infections, etc., because of the killing effect triggered by toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the ROS concentration is determined by various photosensitizer concentrations and formulations, as well as various irradiation parameters. Low-dose PDT leads to sufficiently low ROS level, which results in biological effects that are the exact opposite of the killing potency. Therefore, in recent years, low-dose PDT has been exploited in improving aging and wound. Low-dose ALA/MAL PDT might improve aging through promoting the proliferation of fibroblasts, blocking DNA damage, counteracting oxidative stress, inhibiting melanogenesis, and remodeling lymphatic vessels in aged skin. Promoting fibroblasts and epidermal stem cells proliferation and migration, promoting granulation tissue formation and angiogenesis and regulating the inflammatory process might be the mechanisms of low-dose ALA/MAL PDT in wound healing. Nevertheless, the positive effects of low-dose PDT have not been thoroughly investigated in dermatology, and high-quality studies are still needed to fill the relevant vacancy.image

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

No data are available.

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