The light revival: does phototherapy promote wound healing? A review

Abstract

Background: Throughout history, light has been recognised as a potential source of healing. The introduction of lasers made it possible to modify and control light for optimum therapeutic use.

Aim: This paper reviews recent clinical trials that test phototherapy on human models in order to assess the value of phototherapy in routine wound care.

Method: A literature search was undertaken using a variety of sources including online databases.

Results: The results of numerous in vitro and animal investigations suggest that phototherapy may stimulate cell activity and promote tissue repair. Reports of human clinical trials are relatively few. There is inconsistency of selected treatment parameters amongst studies testing the effect of phototherapy on wound healing. Clinical trials using human models do not provide sufficient evidence to establish the usefulness of phototherapy as an effective tool in wound care regimes.

Conclusion: Further well designed research trials are required to determine the true value of phototherapy in routine wound care.