Monday, November 24, 2008

Is Laser Treatment For Acne Painful?

Laser treatment for acne 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 laser acne treatment.

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 laser treatment for acne and rarely have to undergo another session. Some people are unlucky enough, though, that repeated treatments are needed to maintain the desired result. There is no question about the effectiveness of this procedure; recent clinical study shows that patient’s acne became 81% less severe following the laser acne treatments.

Laser Treatment For Acne

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.

What Is Laser Treatment For Acne?

Laser treatment for acne is a procedure in which a small laser is placed directly on the skin, particularly in places on the face, chest, neck, or back that are prone to acne. Your dermatologist or laser surgeon will most likely prep the skin with a special topical gel or cream the procedure, so that your skin will not be damaged by the laser treatment.

The treatment itself effectively gets rid of acne scars as well as blemishes, particularly when you have been applying other skin care creams that have not been working. After your first treatment, you will need use a gentle cleanser for your face so that you will not dry out your skin out or create more breakouts.

Laser treatments for acne will usually be done in a series, so after about a week you will have to go back to the dermatologist for more treatments.

Laser Treatment For Acne Factors To Consider

There are several factors to consider before deciding whether or not to undergo laser treatment for acne. The first is skin color. Generally, those with darker skin don’t do as well with laser acne treatment as those with lighter skin. In any event, to ensure that no possible discoloration happens, or at least only a minimum occurs, one should discuss this with the dermatologist before any treatment options are decided upon.

Another factor to consider is the qualifications of the laser surgeon. Obviously, it is very important that the doctor be qualified to perform such a procedure. It is important to keep in mind that the laser is not a cure but a treatment, and therefore should be treated with patience and with appropriate expectations, like other forms of treatment. If one's doctor is an experienced and licensed laser practitioner, there are minimum risks for patients.