Treating Acne - Laser Acne Treatment 101

Acne is one of the most common problem teenagers are facing today. Adolescents are more prone to it because of the active hormonal changes present during the adolescent stage, this stimulates the oil glands to produce more sebum (oil produced by the adrenal glands to keep our skin moist) which gets trapped in our pores. With the presence of bacteria it creates the familiar swelling known as blackhead, whitehead or pimple. The good news is, for some cases acne disappear as you grow older.

The severity of infection varies from person to person, some worse than others. If not treated, acne will leave an ugly scar in your skins which are hard raised areas on the skin's surface or pits of different depths.

There are different methods of treating acne and one of the most effective and has immediate results is laser treatment.

Laser acne treatment usually starts out with a review of your medical history and your physician will ask for any medication that you're currently taking (this is important to determine if it is safe for you to undergo the treatment). The area needing attention will then be cleaned and a gel will be applied, your physician will then start the treatment by gliding the laser hand piece on the areas needing treatment. Depending on the size of the area that needs attention, each session could take up to 20 minutes.

How Does Laser Help Treat Acne?

An FDA approved laser system called Aura targets an organic compound produced by the Propionibacterium Acnes (p. acnes) bacteria called Porphyrin. This is done by delivering laser light impulses through the infected skin's surface. These Porphyrins generate singlet oxygen 102 when targeted by the light pulses; this kills the p. acnes bacteria causing the infection.

The number of treatments needed will vary depending on the severity of the infection but it usually starts with a twice a week session for two weeks. Future sessions will then be determined by your physician depending on the outcome of the initial treatment.

Most people get good results after two weeks of treatment and rarely had to undergo another session, some people are unlucky though that repeated treatments are needed to maintain the desired result. There is no question about the effectivity of this procedure, recent clinical study shows that patient's acne became 81% less severe following the treatments.

Is Laser Treatment Painful?

It will feel like a rubber band snapping against your skin but will be a bit more uncomfortable for severe conditions. A topical anesthetic may be advisable to make it easier. A normal swelling and redness on the treated areas will be noticeable after every session but it eventually fades out after a few days.

Costs associated with the procedure will vary depending on the physician or treatment centers that are offering the service. However the costs are usually outweighed by the benefits of undergoing a laser treatment. It provides a quick and noticeable result in as little as two weeks and if you follow your doctor's advice in preventing future infections, you will not see any reason for you undergoing another treatment.