Acne Laser Treatment Options

If all else has failed in your efforts to get rid of pimples, don't give up hope - the light at the end of the tunnel may very well be from a laser light!

Laser technology, in recent years, has been used to permanently remove hair, erase unwanted tattoos and rejuvenate aging skin. When it comes to acne, laser treatment offers a fast, safe and effective way of controlling stubborn acne. It is not the first therapy a dermatologist will choose as it is considered a more aggressive route. But once topical, systemic and hormonal methods have been exhausted, and you are still plagued by pimples, laser therapy can work to clear up your blemishes, prevent flare-ups and even refine the look of your skin.

Acne Laser Treatment

First of all, there is not just one type of laser therapy for treating acne. There are, in fact, many. Some work by killing the bacteria that cause acne, some by reducing the oiliness of the skin, some do both or target other pimple triggers. They can be used on the face, chest or back - wherever breakouts occur. A cooling gel is usually applied to the skin beforehand as a buffer against the energy of the laser light. You may experience some redness or mild swelling, but for the most part, you can go back to your normal day immediately following a session.

Blue-Light Acne Treatment

Light contains within it a rainbow of wavelengths. The blue wavelength has been found to turn on production of a substance that kills bacteria, a cause of acne. Blue light therapy is FDA approved to treat acne that refuses to respond to traditional approaches. This acne laser treatment is typically done in eight sessions spread out over four weeks. The sessions are short, approximately 15 minutes. Some mild side effects are swelling, dry skin, and changes in skin pigment, but these are temporary. Many patients who suffer from inflammatory acne see improvement with blue-light therapy.

LHE Acne Treatment

This is also a light therapy using pulsed light and heat energy to zap two zit-forming culprits - oily skin and bacteria. This time the light is in the green range, and the combination of the two actually shrinks the skin's oil-making sebaceous glands. The FDA has approved this therapy for case of mild to moderate acne issues. It is also prescribed for eight sessions done over four weeks.

Photodynamic Acne Treatment

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combines blue light along with a topical chemical, called ALA, in a two-step process. The ALA, aminolevulinic acid, is applied to the skin and left on for about 30 minutes, but that time can be reduced or increased depending on the severity of the patient's acne problem. The area treated with the ALA, which increases the skin's sensitivity to light and therefore the blemishes themselves, is then treated with the blue light. PDT requires that you stay out of the sun for 24 hours after treatment because the increased light sensitivity means you can get a severe sun burn if you're not careful.

Diode Laser Acne Treatment

More commonly used to treat back acne of the inflammatory kind, the diode laser therapy is gaining use for treating delicate facial skin. This high-energy laser basically sands off the top layer of skin and can cause discomfort.

Photopneumatic Acne Treatment

Photopneumatic therapy uses a suctioning device to vacuum up oil, while the acne-prone area is treated with a broadband light. It's FDA approved for the treatment of acne, but in some studies, patients who underwent this treatment complained of increased pore size.

If you're frustrated with your persistent acne, talk to your doctor about what laser acne treatment is right for you. But remember, as you already know from your battle with blemishes thus far, nothing works perfectly for everyone, and that is true of acne laser treatments as well. However, laser use in the treatment of acne is developing fast and new lasers are being given the green light almost every day. There are erbium lasers, carbon dioxide lasers, YAG laser, pulsed dye lasers, Nd:Yg lasers - all used to target an acne cause. And some even work well to improve acne scars or remove them altogether. These zit-zapping therapies can be expensive - $100 - $500 a session or more, depending on the type of laser - but they can help control severe acne for up to two years.

This is a clip from the popular afternoon TV show The Doctors. First you witness the dramatic results of photopneumatic therapy on a woman who had severe acne, then see a session in action.