Treatment of Herpes Labialis Virus by Low-Level Laser Therapy in Comparison with Acyclovir Cream

Abstract Background: Acyclovir is one of many medications that might help with reducing symptoms and promoting healing of labial herpes. However, only low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been shown to have an impact on the duration of the recurrence phase. It is beneficial for the field of oral medicine to be able to perform chair-side treatment for oral soft tissue using lasers due to their small area coverage. Objectives: In this work, we aim to evaluate the effects of LLLT on the healing and recurrence of labial herpes simplex infections in patients. Materials and Methods: The study included 60 patients, who were divided into two groups: one group was treated with acyclovir cream, and the second group received LLLT at an intensity of 60 mW/cm 2 , a wavelength of 830 nm, and a dose of 4.8 J/cm 2 . Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for the first day ( P = 0.886), but a statistically significant difference was observed during the course of the treatment. The virus counts in both groups significantly decreased on the fourth day ( P < 0.0001), with a significantly greater reduction in the LLLT-treated group. Conclusions: LLLT is a safe, noninvasive, and successful treatment for labial herpes infection, with no negative effects reported. By using a low-intensity laser device, we were able to show that a total of four daily irradiations considerably reduced the effectiveness of herpes virus infection. The underlying mechanisms and the potential function of the therapy will be the main topics of future research. Larger studies are additionally required to assess the impact of the HSV type (HSV-1 against HSV-2) and various irradiation methods on the effects of laser therapy in herpes virus infection, as well as follow-up for each patient after laser treatment to determine if recurrent infection occurs.