Laser and Light For Acne Treatment

Laser and light therapies offer an alternative approach to treat acne without the associated side effects present in Accutane and oral antibiotic and also to acne sufferers who can't find a traditional treatment that can get rid of acne on their skin.

Working on the surface of the skin, light and laser treatments not only bring improvement to imflammatory acne but also to acne scars as well.

The wonder of laser in being able to shrink the sebaceous glands (causing them to produce less sebum) and kill acne causing bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) without causing damages to the skin surface lies in the adjustment and focus of the laser beam used in treating acne. Bear in mind that overactive sebaceous glands and P. acnes bacteria are the two main causes of acne and by tackling these two factors, we can effectively treat or maybe "cure" acne.

Imagine a glass souvenir crafted with bubble images of words and images in the center with no damages to its outer surface. This is exactly what happens when we target the sebaceous glands and P. acnes bacteria which lie in the deeper layer of the skin. Both of these outcome are made possible by the application of controlled laser beam.

By inhibiting the growth of acne causing bacteria and also shrinking the overactive sebaceous glands that secrete sebum, we would be able to curb potential future acne breakout on our skin.

When using a high intensity visible blue light in treating inflammatory acne, a photosensitizing agent is first applied and left for 15 to 60 minutes on the skin to let it accumulated in the sebaceous glands. Therefore, when the intense blue light is applied to the skin, the chemical reaction with the photosensitizing agent in about 10 minutes will generate heat and kill the P. acnes bacteria.

After such a treatment, you have to keep yourself away from directly exposed to the strong sunlight. Remember to use a sunscreen to protect your skin to avoid sunburn and peeling. You will also experience temporary pigment changes, redness and dryness of the treated area.

Multiple treatments are necessary to produce satisfactory result as the P. acnes bacteria killed in this light acne treatment process will be replaced rapidly.

To treat acne effectively, it seemed that we need to destroy sebaceous glands as well as the bacteria. Hence, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) which consists of a multitude of different light wavelengths are used to penetrate targets that lies in the various depth of the skin.

In pulsed light and heat energy therapy (LHE), light and heat are used to kill P. acnes bacteria and shrink sebaceous glands, and leads to a decrease in sebum production.

Diode laser uses invisible infra red frequencies which are longer in wavelength to not only treat acne but also in minimizing the acne scars appearance. It destroys the sebaceous glands in the inner part of the skin without causing any harm to the outer skin layer. As this type of treatment is painful, analgesics is applied before treatment.

In general, light and laser treatments side effects will include redness, dryness or swelling of the treated area. Other drawbacks include its high cost, time consuming and not covered under most insurance plans. Darker skin acne sufferers are also not advised not to go for laser treatment for their acne.

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Dermabrasion For Acne Scar Removal

Dermabrasion has been around for decades in its usage to remove superficial acne scars. Would you be shocked if I told you that initially sandpaper was used to remove a thin layer of our unsightly skin and then the skin is left to grow by itself to replace the removed skin ?

Luckily, nowadays, electrical machines that have a rapidly rotating wire brush wheels are used in placed on the sandpaper. Dermabrasion is particularly suitable to minimize the appearance of small and shallow acne scars.

If it is used on ice-pick scars and deeply depressed scars, the end result after the dermabrasion process might make your skin look worse as it exposes the deeper part of the acne scars which may be more wide in scar formation.Therefore, dermabrasion won't be used on hypertrophic scars.

Dermabrasion process is initiated by a qualified dermatologist with anesthetizing the acne sufferer's skin with a spray to make it numb. A sedative may also be used to make one drowsy so as to make the scar tissue removal process less painful.

In contrast to dermabrasion, aluminium oxide crystals are being used instead of a rapidly spinning brush in microdermabrasion. These aluminium oxide crystals are blasted to the scarred skin and then vacuumed away together with the scar tissues .

However, microdermabrasion is only effective in removing fine lines and age spots and not effective at all for even very mild acne scar spots as a very mild exfoliation process takes place here.

For darker skin acne sufferers who suffer mild acne scar condition, you might run the risk of suffering big changes in your skin pigmentation color. Due to this reason, it is wiser to opt for laser scar removal process even though it might be more expensive to do so. We surely don't want our skin to look worse than before the scar removal process, do we?

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Go For Accutane Only As The Last Resort!

If you are an acne sufferer, I guess you will have heard of the name Accutane. Accutane is actually a brand name for isotretinoin which in turn is a powerful oral acne medication.

Why do I say "powerful"? Well, many severe acne sufferers who take Accutane experience significant improvement in their acne condition even though they only take one course of isotretinoin treatment.

By now, you might ask, " If it is so effective, why don't all dermatologists recommend it straight away to treat one's acne? ". For one, it has very extreme and serious side effects. Headaches, temporary hearing loss , nosebleeds, joints pain, dry skin or lips are just a few of the negative symptoms resulting from taking Accutane.

In addition to that, if a pregnant woman takes Accutane, it could cause severe birth defects. Therefore, a woman must ensure that she does not get pregnant while she is on the prescribed medication. Effective birth control method should be adhered one month before you start the Accutane treatment and shall be terminated only 1 month after you stop the treatment.

Why does a woman still have to use birth control method after stopping the prescribed isotretinoin for one month? Because this drug will stay in her body for quite some time! And surely she wouldn't want to run the high risk of having a baby with any birth defect.

For a guy, he is luckier as so far no evidence show that isotretinoin has any serious implication on his sperms.

Isotretinoin, derived from Vitamin A, when taken orally, is classified as a tetratogen which simply means that it can cause defects to one's baby.

By focusing on the root of acne causes, isotretinoin is very effective in putting acne at bay. As acne are caused by excessive oil (sebum) production coupled with dirt and dead cells that clogged the follicle openings (pores), the curbing of excessive sebum production in the sebaceous glands by isotretinoin will lead to the reduction of P. acnes bacteria that play a big role in acne development. These curbings of sebum also causes your skin to be dried after taking isotretinoin.

In addition to the reduction of sebum excreted, isotretinoin also regulates the dead skin cells shedding process. Less dead skin cells would mean that the tendency for a clogged pore is less and hence one would experience significant reduction in one's acne as the treatment is continued.

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Benzoyl Peroxide Benefits On Acne

Glancing through your local drugstore, the term benzoyl peroxide will show up very often as the active ingredient on the label of the acne medications there.

By now, you must be wondering what makes benzoyl peroxide so widely used and whether it is really so effective in fighting acne.

Aside from being a very potent anti bacterial agent that kills P. acnes ( the bacteria that causes acne), benzoyl peroxide drying effect does a great deal on clearing your acne . It dries and peels the skin and also removes dead skin cells. By clearing the blocked follicles your skin, P. acnes bacteria won't have a chance to multiply and thus the further development of your acne is being stopped. That means comedones which are blackheads and whiteheads won't have a chance to develop on your skin.

Unlike antibiotic, prolonged usage of benzoyl peroxide for months, or even years, won't make your acne become resistant to it. Up to date, there is no known dangerous long term side effects and it is even safe to be used even if you are pregnant.

Bear in mind that benzoyl peroxide that comes in creams, lotions and pads are more effective than those in the form of soaps, scrubs and washes. You probably won't need those high concentration of benzoyl peroxide that is available as a prescription as it is wise to go for the lowest strength of benzoyl peroxide available. So far, Neutrogena-On-The-Spot contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide which is the lowest concentration of benzoyl peroxide that one can get in the market.

It is a misconception that most acne sufferers have in thinking that a higher percentage of any active acne formula ingredient will treat their acne successfully and at the shortest time possible. In contrast, the higher concentration will only irritate your acne prone skin and cause excessive dryness to your skin. It is also due to this perception that makes acne sufferers can't find a suitable acne medication that works for their acne.

Start with using the lowest available concentration of benzoyl peroxide and use it sparingly. As your skin is the best feedback on the result of the application, observe and take note of its appearance. You will get more acne initially after you start to apply the medication as the medication is working to bring the existing acne from "underneath your skin" to the surface.

You can increase the application frequencies gradually if you don't developed extreme dryness on your skin.

Use to treat existing as well as preventing new acne from developing, benzoyl peroxide should be continued to be applied on your acne prone face and skin even if your acne has cleared to maintain an acne free skin.

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What Are The Type Of Oral Antibiotics Available?

The most common antibiotics are tetracyline,doxycycline, minocyline, erythromycin and cotrimoxazole. Oral antibiotic can change the normal bacterial flora of women vagina which leads to an overgrowth of the superficial fungus Candida. Women in this condition will discharge a white vaginal fluid for several days to weeks after starting the therapy.

Tetracyline has been proven safe and effective in treating inflammatory acne. The initial dosage prescribed is usually 500 mg for twice a day.This dosage will be maintained for about six weeks by which a significant improvement can be seen. Thereafter a lower dosage is prescribed. As tetracyline absorption is affected by the presence of food and dairy products, it must be taken on an empty stomach or at least one hour before meals.

The side effects of taking tetracyline includes mild gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and vomitting. It can also cause discolouration of teeth in children and should not be used during pregnancy.

Doxycyline can be taken with meals as its absorption is not affected by the presence of food. The initial dosage is usually 100 mg for twice a day, taken after meals with water to reduce gastric problem. It also causes a photosensitive rash that is worsen by sun exposure.

Minocycline is a newer version of tetracycline that can be taken together with food. The initial dosage is 50 mg for twice a day. Its side efffects includes dizziness,nausea and a bluish pigmentation of the skin.

Erythromycin is an alternative to acne sufferers who are allergy to tetracycline and for pregnant women. It is as effective as tetracycline. The initial prescribed dosage is usually 500 mg for twice a day. Its side effects include gastrointestinal problem, diarrhea, vomiting and farting. If you are taking carbamazepine to treat epilepsy or theophylline for asthma, you should inform your doctor as these medications might react with erythromycin.

When the above oral antibiotics cannot be taken, it is time to try cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim / sulphamethoxazole). However, cotrimoxazole can cause severe skin rashes. The usual dosage is two tablets for twice a day. Look out for skin rashes or mouth ulcers when you take cotrimoxazole for the first few weeks.

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My Acne Medication Doesn't Work Anymore!

Is it possible? Could acne medication that worked in the past stops working ? You have been expecting the acne spots to be cleared but instead they grow larger as each day passes by.

As with anti dandruff shampoo, acne medication can fail to clear our acne lesions one day even if it worked so well in the past. Our acne can become resistant to the medication being used over time. However, once you find an acne treatment that worked in clearing your acne lesions, you should stick to it till it fails in its job. By then, you should seek another acne medication that is suitable for you. You can also try using the acne medication that you have not used for quite some time but was effective in clearing your acne spots in the past.

Taking oral antibiotics for your acne indefinitely will surely make your acne resistants to the medications. So what you should do is to take the oral antibiotics for 3 to 4 months and then stop. At the same time, you should also apply a topical treatment that contain benzoyl peroxide such as Neutrogena-On-The-Spot for your acne. Doing so can minimize the resistance of the acne to both medications. You can also use retinoids in conjunction with oral antibiotics but most of us will find that our skin will become more irritated.

People use oral antibiotics in order to get a quick result in treating their acne. When the oral antibiotics treatment is stopped, continuing application of a topical medication will maintain an acne free skin . As topical medications have to be applied gradually in terms of frequency as well as quantity over time, applying oral antibiotics can assure the result we seek in clearing our skin to materialize quickly.


As our skin is the best source of feedback on the acne medication that we applied on our skin, always observe the reaction we get from our skin after application. If after application, we feel that our skin is dry and irritated, use less of the topical medication. On the other hand, when our acne breakouts increases or when our skin is oiler especially during the hot summer, we should use the medication more often.

In short, we have to continue experimenting to find out the right amount and frequency of acne medication that we should use for our skin.

Most people fail in finding a acne medication that works for them as they give up too soon and applying too much of the medication in the initial stage. We should only apply

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Could facial treatment clear your acne?

Some of us have a habit to go to salons and spas to give ourselves a luxury treat. Our facial treatment at these places could include cleansing, massaging, heat wrapping and blackheads extraction.

Even though extraction of blackheads is a relatively simple process, when it is being done by a beautician at the salon who usually uses a tissue paper or a blackhead extractor to extract the blackhead content, it might do more harm rather than good. After a typical session, the face will appear red and swollen. Furthermore, the pores will be clogged again in a the next few days.

In addition to that, some of us might have skin that are easily irritated by the creams or lotions that are applied in these salons. This will only lead to more acne and blackheads!

As the skill of a beautician or aesthetician can vary tremendously, it is recommended that one should ask a dermatologist or a friend for a reference when she decides to go for such a course. To lessen the chance of getting your sensitive skin irritated by the lotions or creams used in a new salon that you are visiting, try them one at a time.

Your skin is your best feedback indicator and if it doesn't show any sign of irritation after usage, you can safely assume that the cream that you have tried doesn't have any adverse effect to your skin.

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