Andrei Metelitsa, R. Sonia Batra, Anne Chapas, Jeffrey Fromowitz, Emmy Graber
<p>The contact-cooled 1726 nm laser (Aviclear, Cutera Inc., Brisbane, CA) treats acne vulgaris by selective thermolysis of sebaceous glands [<span>1</span>]. The device has demonstrated efficacy and safety across a broad range of patients with mild to severe inflammatory acne in clinical trials [<span>2, 3</span>]. In the pivotal trial leading to FDA clearance, 104 subjects (103/104 were graded as moderate or severe at baseline) received three treatments at 2–5 week intervals [<span>3</span>]. A per-protocol analysis of the trial (Table 1) showed significant improvements in both inflammatory lesion count (ILC) and investigator global assessment (IGA) [<span>3, 4</span>]. While study findings are promising, guidance on effective translation of findings to real-world clinical practice and how to best approach patients who may already be on medications is needed.</p><p>Here, an expert consensus group of five dermatologists presents best-practice recommendations for patient selection, treatment optimization, adjunctive therapies, and management strategies. Panelists were selected based on having performed the highest number of contact-cooled 1726 nm treatments, to date, as well as recognized expertise in managing acne. A nominal group technique was used: individual participant best practices were first collected individually via 1-h phone interview and clarified via follow-up e-mail communications. Next, a series of two 1-h virtual discussions were held, where panelist approaches were shared and discussed and a consensus was developed on the guidance for clinical practice presented here. The recommendations presented herein have been approved by all panelists/authors. Agreement was discussion based and there was no formal voting or Delphi process. Recommendations are based on clinical experience in treating over 1600 patients, collectively.</p><p>Contact-cooled 1726 nm laser therapy represents an innovative and effective addition to the acne treatment armamentarium. Its targeted selectivity for sebaceous glands and sustained clinical results set it apart from earlier laser-based modalities. Achieving optimal outcomes requires careful patient selection, clear expectation-setting, thorough counseling regarding the potential for transient acne flares, and the judicious use of adjunctive medications and supportive therapies. As clinical experience and evidence continue to accumulate, treatment protocols will likely become increasingly individualized, further refining and enhancing the role of contact-cooled 1726 nm laser therapy in comprehensive acne management.</p><p>All of the Authors Listed Participated in the Development of Recommendations and Each Aided in the Development and Review of This Commentary.</p><p>The authors have nothing to report.</p><p>The patient featured provided written consent for use of their image.</p><p>All authors serve as consultants for Cutera Inc.</p><p>Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generate
{"title":"Consensus Panel Recommendations for Optimizing Use of a Contact-Cooled 1726 nm Laser for the Treatment of Acne","authors":"Andrei Metelitsa, R. Sonia Batra, Anne Chapas, Jeffrey Fromowitz, Emmy Graber","doi":"10.1111/jocd.70699","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jocd.70699","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The contact-cooled 1726 nm laser (Aviclear, Cutera Inc., Brisbane, CA) treats acne vulgaris by selective thermolysis of sebaceous glands [<span>1</span>]. The device has demonstrated efficacy and safety across a broad range of patients with mild to severe inflammatory acne in clinical trials [<span>2, 3</span>]. In the pivotal trial leading to FDA clearance, 104 subjects (103/104 were graded as moderate or severe at baseline) received three treatments at 2–5 week intervals [<span>3</span>]. A per-protocol analysis of the trial (Table 1) showed significant improvements in both inflammatory lesion count (ILC) and investigator global assessment (IGA) [<span>3, 4</span>]. While study findings are promising, guidance on effective translation of findings to real-world clinical practice and how to best approach patients who may already be on medications is needed.</p><p>Here, an expert consensus group of five dermatologists presents best-practice recommendations for patient selection, treatment optimization, adjunctive therapies, and management strategies. Panelists were selected based on having performed the highest number of contact-cooled 1726 nm treatments, to date, as well as recognized expertise in managing acne. A nominal group technique was used: individual participant best practices were first collected individually via 1-h phone interview and clarified via follow-up e-mail communications. Next, a series of two 1-h virtual discussions were held, where panelist approaches were shared and discussed and a consensus was developed on the guidance for clinical practice presented here. The recommendations presented herein have been approved by all panelists/authors. Agreement was discussion based and there was no formal voting or Delphi process. Recommendations are based on clinical experience in treating over 1600 patients, collectively.</p><p>Contact-cooled 1726 nm laser therapy represents an innovative and effective addition to the acne treatment armamentarium. Its targeted selectivity for sebaceous glands and sustained clinical results set it apart from earlier laser-based modalities. Achieving optimal outcomes requires careful patient selection, clear expectation-setting, thorough counseling regarding the potential for transient acne flares, and the judicious use of adjunctive medications and supportive therapies. As clinical experience and evidence continue to accumulate, treatment protocols will likely become increasingly individualized, further refining and enhancing the role of contact-cooled 1726 nm laser therapy in comprehensive acne management.</p><p>All of the Authors Listed Participated in the Development of Recommendations and Each Aided in the Development and Review of This Commentary.</p><p>The authors have nothing to report.</p><p>The patient featured provided written consent for use of their image.</p><p>All authors serve as consultants for Cutera Inc.</p><p>Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generate","PeriodicalId":15546,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology","volume":"25 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12856072/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146085728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}