Evaluation of the Efficacy of Plasma Shower and 585 Nm Q‐Switched Laser in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to comparatively evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety profiles, and effects on different clinical components of plasma shower and 585 nm Q-Switch laser in the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 47 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris were prospectively enrolled and allocated to either plasma shower (n = 24) or 585 nm Q-Switch laser (n = 23) treatment groups. Acne severity was assessed using the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) at three time points: Baseline, week 2, and week 4. Repeated measures ANOVA and independent samples t-test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: An average improvement of 42.5% in GAGS scores was observed in the plasma shower group at the fourth week, while this rate was 32.2% in the 585 nm Q-Switch laser group. This difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.007). Clinical observations revealed that the plasma shower provided faster and more pronounced regression in inflammatory papules and pustules, while the 585 nm Q-Switch laser was more effective on post-inflammatory erythema. Both methods were found to be safe and well-tolerated by patients. CONCLUSION: Plasma shower appears to be more effective than the 585 nm Q-Switch laser in the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris, particularly in reducing active inflammatory lesions. The 585 nm Q-Switch laser is a valuable treatment option for the removal of post-inflammatory erythema. Clinicians may choose between these modalities or develop combined protocols based on the predominant clinical component of acne.