Lactobacillus acne treatments showed no clear reduction in lesion counts
Across a small group of randomized trials, oral or topical Lactobacillus-based approaches did not significantly reduce acne lesions compared with placebo or benzoyl peroxide.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The pooled trials did not demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in inflammatory, non-inflammatory, or total acne lesions. That leaves the benefit of these Lactobacillus-based treatments uncertain in the studied patients. The findings do not prove that the treatments have no effect or work equivalently to placebo or benzoyl peroxide.
This abstract-based account lacks treatment durations and results separated by product, delivery route, or comparator. It cannot show whether particular formulations performed differently.
What researchers found
Inflammatory lesion count: pooled mean difference
Lactobacillus-based interventions versus placebo or benzoyl peroxide; assessment timing is not reported. The pooled difference was not statistically significant.
What was measured
The review combined randomized trials of treatments taken by mouth or applied to skin. Its main outcome was the change in inflammatory lesion counts; other lesion categories were secondary outcomes.
Reading the uncertainty
The confidence interval for inflammatory lesions included differences in either direction. The other lesion-count results were also statistically inconclusive, so the abstract supports uncertainty about benefit rather than a firm claim of ineffectiveness.
The original publication
Lactobacillus-Based Microbiome Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A GRADE Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Abedin ZU, Shah A, Mazhar S et al.
J Cosmet Dermatol · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41853869
- Record checked
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