Objective To analyze the effect of standardized nursing pathway intervention on symptom improvement time in the treatment of facial acne vulgaris with traditional Chinese medicine mask combined with red light therapy. Methods A total of 60 patients with facial acne vulgaris who received traditional Chinese medicine mask combined with red light therapy at Xinyi Center for Disease Control and Prevention from January 2024 to June 2025 were selected, and they were divided into the control group and the observation group by the random number table method, with 30 patients in each group. The control group received conventional nursing, and the observation group received standardized nursing pathway intervention. The symptom improvement time, TCM syndrome scores, negative emotions and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results The symptom improvement time of the observation group was shorter than that of the control group (P<0.05). At 4 weeks after intervention, the TCM syndrome scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). At 4 weeks after intervention, the negative emotion scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion The application of standardized nursing pathway intervention in patients with facial acne vulgaris undergoing traditional Chinese medicine mask and red light therapy can shorten the symptom improvement time, improve negative emotions, reduce TCM syndrome scores, and does not increase the incidence of adverse reactions.