Acne can be a devastating condition, especially for adults who still suffer from breakouts. Chronic breakouts can leave your skin pitted, scarred, and permanently damaged. Breakthroughs in the use of cosmetic laser treatments may be the solution to your acne woes.
How Laser Treatment for Acne Works
The bacteria that accumulates on your skin and causes breakouts contains a chemical called porphyrin. When a licensed dermatologist targets areas of your face with the laser, the compound is activated and causes the destruction of the bacteria that leads to acne.
This treatment has been proven to work on multiple types of acne, including whiteheads, blackheads, and even painful cystic acne. It evens works to reduce oils on the facial skin. This oil, called sebum, contributes to the formation of acne.
The lasers used for active breakout treatments also help to treat excessive pigmentation and discoloration caused by past breakouts.
Who is an Ideal Candidate for Treatment?
As with many laser treatments, such as hair removal, results are more significant on those with lighter skin tones. Darker skin tones tend to absorb more of the light, which doesn’t allow it to pass through to the necessary depth for treatment. This does not mean that it won’t work for you. It merely means that it may require higher laser strength or more procedures to fully take effect.
What are the Side Effects?
Dependent upon the strength of laser used, the number of treatments received, and the time between treatments, side effects can vary. In general, they’re very mild.
Some patients report feeling slight pain or burning during the treatments. Those with lighter skin are more prone to light peeling or blistering, as with a sunburn. Patients with a darker pigmentation have reported temporary darkening of the skin, particularly if they were exposed to the sun before treatments.
If you’re interested in laser treatments for your acne prone skin, speak with your dermatologist or contact the Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Institute. We’re your partners for comprehensive skin care and offer years of expertise in and passion for helping every patient love their skin.
