Open AccessInnovative Use of Negative Air Ions As an Alternative Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A Report of Three Cases
Author(s) -
Hye Sung Han,
Guk Jin Jeong,
Hae Woong Lee,
Joo Hyun Shim,
Seong Jun Seo,
Kui Young Park
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
annals of dermatology/annals of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.385
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 2005-3894
pISSN - 1013-9087
DOI - 10.5021/ad.2022.34.3.216
Subject(s) - acne , medicine , dermatology , acne treatment , intensive care medicine
Acne vulgaris is a universal skin disease with multifactorial pathogenesis. Although an extensive range of treatment options exist for acne, a substantial number of patients are still struggling for an optimal treatment option due to the side effects or contraindications to the conventional acne treatment. Negative air ions (NAIs) are electrically charged molecules that naturally exist in the atmosphere. Since they are natural component of air, there are no known side effects and contraindications to their application. Furthermore, among the identified benefits of NAIs, certain mechanisms are related to acne pathogenesis, allowing them to be attractive candidates for acne treatment. Here, we describe three patients with acne who showed considerable clinical improvement after NAI therapy. All of the patients had failed to tolerate traditional acne treatment options. In all three cases, considerable improvement was observed in acne severity and the number of total lesions. Based on the three cases and a review of literature underlying the effects of NAIs, we suggest that NAIs may be a safe and effective alternative therapeutic option for acne vulgaris.