Study shows a gentle, painless laser treatment can reduce the amount of bacteria in burn wounds.
Wausau, WI (February 27, 2026) – Burn wound infection remains one of the most challenging complications in outpatient burn care, driving delayed healing, repeated hospital visits, and increased healthcare costs. In this prospective clinical study, the authors demonstrate that a single, brief photobiomodulation session reduced bacterial load by 64%, with 91% of wounds showing stable or improved microbial profiles; all delivered seamlessly within routine dressing appointments.
The study, led by Aude Perusseau-Lambert, MD, MSc, PGCert MedEd, MRCS(Ed), is titled, “Photobiomodulation Reduces the Microbial Load of Acute Burn Wounds in the Burns Outpatient Department.” The clinical report, published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (LSM), the official journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS), was selected as the February 2026 Editor’s Choice.
“Burn wounds are prone to infection, delayed healing, and scarring,” Perusseau-Lambert said. “Our study shows that photobiomodulation can safely reduce the bacterial load while stimulating and enhancing the body’s own repair mechanisms: offering a powerful, non-antibiotic advance in burn care.”
Importantly, this intervention required no additional clinic time, no change to established protocols, and no added burden to patients or staff. By combining antimicrobial effects with stimulation of tissue repair pathways, photobiomodulation introduces a practical, non-antibiotic strategy in an era of rising antimicrobial resistance. This study represents a significant step forward in translating light-based therapy into real-world burn care, providing a foundation for larger controlled studies to assess its impact on healing speed, infection rates, scarring, and cost-effectiveness.
Aude Perusseau-Lambert, MD, MSc, PGCert MedEd, MRCS(Ed) is a UK-based resident in Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery with a research focus on innovative burn care technologies, including photobiomodulation and artificial intelligence–assisted wound assessment. She is committed to multidisciplinary collaboration and advancing patient outcomes through research, surgical education, and quality improvement.
Editor’s Choice is an exclusive article published in LSM, the official journal of ASLMS. View the complete manuscript.