Abstract Background Acne is a common dermatological disease characterized by the presence of comedones, papules, pustules, or purulent cysts on seborrheic areas. Probiotics is a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms, conferring a health benefit, and has been demonstrated as an effective treatment for dermatological disorders. However, the effects of probiotics on acne remain unclear. Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the therapeautic difference (disease severity grading and number of lesions) between oral probiotics and control (placebo) in patients with acne. Methods A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for randomized trials published before February 2025. comparing probiotics with other interventions, including pharmacological treatments or placebo, in patients with acne. Results We identified a total of 632 articles initially, and nine studies involving 623 patients were included in the systematic review. Seven studies were further included in quantitative analysis. After the 4-week intervention, slight differences were observed in the number of inflammatory or noninflammatory lesions between the probiotics and control groups. However, probiotics significantly alleviated disease severity grading standard mean difference (SMD) = −1.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −2.69 to −0.08; decreased the number of total lesions mean difference (MD) = −10.35, 95% CI = −16.20 to −4.51, number of inflammatory lesions, and number of noninflammatory lesions; and improved skin hydration and sebum content after the 12-week intervention compared with the control. Moreover, no major adverse effects of probiotics were reported. Conclusion Probiotics may exert therapeutic effects in patients with acne.
Lin et al. (Wed,) studied this question.