Acne Laser Treatment for Acne and ScarsAcne laser treatment is also known as phototherapy or light therapy. Light exposure has long been used as a short term treatment for acne. Most people with acne have noticed some improvement after spending some time in the sun; however, sunbathing to cure improve acne is not practical and comes with the risk of skin cancer and aging of the skin. Using light to target the acne without damaging the skin would be a dream come true. Right now these therapies have shown promise but are still generally used in conjunction with acne medications. They can be beneficial in reducing the amount of medications you need which in the case of oral antibiotics can help reduce the side-effects. The downside is these lasers are not usually covered by insurance and the treatments can be expensive. There are two basic types acne laser treatments:
Blue-light therapy. The FDA approved narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne. Now widely advertised, this is probably the best-known light therapy for acne treatment. Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which was a staple of former light therapy used to treat acne. UV light can damage skin and is no longer used to treat acne. Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness. As the results from the following studies show, many patients — but not all — see noticeable improvement with about 55% clearance.
Smoothbeam 1450 nm diode laser is designed improve acne by targeting the oil glands and shrink them so they produce less oil. Studies have shown that results can continue for 2 years and more in some people. A series of 4 – 6 treatments is recommended for long lasting improvement. Photodynamic therapy – blue light therapy in conjuction with Levulan (photosensitizer medication) that intensifies the IPL treatment so that fewer treatments yield greater results. This treatment can help severe or chronic acne that has not responded to traditional treatments. Treatment is not painful and a numbing cream is applied first. The first 48 hours after treatment it is important to use sunblock and avoid the sun as much as possible because your skin will be extremely sensitive to sunlight. This treatment will also improve any discoloration you have from previous breakouts, sunspots or broken capillaries.
Isolaz – this is a newcomer to the acne laser arsenal which shows some promise. This laser was actually created for laser hair removal and was popular because it was basically painless, however it didn’t prove to be very effective for hair removal. Now it is being used to treat stubborn, chronic acne that has not responded to other treatments. Related Articles...Skin Lasers for Acne ScarsHow to Treat Cystic Acne Acne Products That Work Return Home from Acne Laser Treatment
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