Case Study Highlights Possible Role for Minimal Dose Radiotherapy in Severe Acne Keloidalis Nuchae

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.

Minimal dose radiotherapy may offer new hope for severe acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN), according to research in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Case Reports.

The study found that a minimal dose of radiation is required to treat AKN. 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, according to study author Dr. Sanusi Umar, a dermatologist and hair transplant specialist at Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Since AKN lesions exist in inflamed areas, a low dose of radiation can be used to eliminate AKN in qualified cases.

Radiation therapy may be considered when other methods — such as medications, laser or surgery — are unfeasible or ineffective, the study suggests.

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.