If you ever had acne or are currently suffering through it, you should understand how frustrating it can be. Whether it is only a small area or your whole face that is inflamed and red, it can impact your confidence.
There are many treatment methods for acne, and the one that is gaining more popularity is laser acne treatment. But, how does it work, and can you use it to get rid of acne permanently? Read on to find out.
There is a wide range of laser therapies that can be used for treating acne. However, no single light or laser treatment can treat pimples, acne cysts, acne nodules, blackheads, and whiteheads. That is why acne is treated using different types of light and laser therapies. Here are the different lasers and what they can treat:
- Blue, red, and blue + red light devices – Also known as visible light because of the colors that you can see, these devices can be used for treating pimples. However, they are not effective against acne cysts, acne nodules, blackheads, or whiteheads.
- At-home device – These are a few visible-light LED devices that the FDA has approved for at-home use. These devices are like the less powerful version of the visible light laser used by dermatologists and can be used for treating only pimples. With these devices, there is no way to be sure of whether you will see results or not. In case you want to try this, you have to use it twice a day. You will have to use them for about 30 to 60 minutes two times a day for about a month for some devices.
- Infrared light – The FDA has approved this type of light to treat pimples, including those that develop on your back. However, it cannot be used for treating cysts, nodules, whiteheads, or blackheads.
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) – In this, a solution capable of making your skin more light-sensitive will be applied to your acne-prone skin. Depending on your case, the doctor will let the solution sit on your skin for somewhere between 15 minutes to 3 hours. After this, they will use a light device or a laser for treating the skin. This treatment method has shown great promise in treating severe acne. In some cases, patients who received PDT got rid of their acne cysts, and their skin had remained clear for years.
- Photopneumatic therapy – In this treatment, an intense pulsed light (IPL) laser is used along with a gentle vacuum. Through this, the dermatologist removes dead skin cells and excess oil from your clogged pores. Approved by FDA, this light therapy can be used for treating pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads.
Some studies have shown that light and laser treatments can reduce acne. However, in order to get the best results, the dermatologist might recommend combining this method with other acne treatments like topical creams. And, even with that, the results will vary from person to person.
There is no way of knowing for sure whether you will have clearer skin and, if you do, how much clearer it will get. In order to ensure that you have better results, you will have to undergo a series of treatments. Also, you will see that the results appear weeks after your treatment.
But, the one thing that is known for sure is that the results will be long-lasting. So, if you have been dealing with acne for a long time and want to get rid of it, talk to your dermatologists about possible laser acne treatment.