Minimal Dose Radiotherapy May Offer New Hope for Severe Acne Keloidalis Nuchae

News provided by

Dec 28, 2021, 21:40 ET

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Sanusi Umar, a dermatologist and hair transplant specialist at Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic in Manhattan Beach, Calif., recently published a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Case Reports that outlines the role of radiation as a therapeutic tool in acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN).

The study found that a minimal dose of radiation is required to treat AKN. According to Dr. Umar, the "amount of radiation required to permanently eliminate the diseased tissues and hair follicles in an inflamed milieu is less than that required in uninflamed tissues." Since AKN lesions exist in inflamed areas, a low dose of radiation can be used to eliminate AKN in qualified cases.

According to the report, radiation therapy may be considered when other methods — such as medications, laser or surgery — are unfeasible or ineffective.

The reported patient's history of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and the widespread nature of the disease precluded a surgical solution. Furthermore, laser therapy was considered an ineffectual approach.

In the reported case, the radiotherapy procedure successfully resolved all inflammation while eliminating symptoms of pain, swelling and pus discharge. Additionally, the patient underwent surgical resection of residual lesions in the radiation-treated area with complete healing and absence of sequelae. Thus, low-dose radiation did not interfere with wound healing.

Contact: Sarah Han, [email protected], (310) 318-1500

SOURCE Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic