Using laser light therapy to treat acne and acne scars has been used in the United States for several years now. This non-invasive procedure has become wildly popular as an alternative to more abrasive treatments, such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion treatments.
Popular Laser Light Therapy Treatments
Two popular methods of laser light therapy are the Candela SmoothBeam laser light treatment for acne and the Lumenis One IPL plus ALA treatment. Both of these procedures have been shown to help patients with active acne and acne scars have a significant improvement with the first treatment.
Several 15 minutes sessions over the course of about a month have shown an average of 70% improvement of not only the appearance of acne scars, but also the improvement of skin texture, as well as eradication of active acne on the face, back, or other areas where acne is present.
Candela SmoothBeam Laser Light Procedure
This laser light treatment for acne has been on the market for several years now and has proven to be an excellent choice for acne sufferers who have tried hygienically to rid their acne (and even tried acne fighting medications with no success). This laser light treatment is well accepted for most, and the side effects are minimal; redness and tenderness to the treated areas usually fades away within 4 to 6 hours after treatment.
The SmoothBeam laser light treatment for acne is performed by a dermatologist. You and the dermatologist will each have to wear protective eye equipment during the session. The dermatologist will use the 1450 nm diode laser across the active acne areas of the skin.
The laser light works by providing a balance of controlled cooling of the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, which contains the 3 sub-layers called the stratum corneum, squamous cells and the basal layer.
The cooling of the epidermis, coupled with the heating up of the dermis, work together to specifically target acne causing sebaceous glands in the dermis. The heating of the upper dermis causes the sebaceous gland (oil glands) to shrink or become damaged, thus making them ill equipped to cause inflammatory acne.
Most patients who receive this type of acne fighting laser light therapy have a quick downtime and can see marked results in just the first session. The improvements will be residually occurring in between each treatment, and by the third treatment, most patients report at least a 70% decrease in acne.
Lumenius One IPL and ALA Acne Treatment
IPL (Intense Pulse Light) and ALA (AminoLevulinic Acid) are used together in this form of laser light treatment to work more effectively than just using IPL on its own. The ALA is activated by the laser light during the procedure.
You will be required to apply a numbing cream to the area to be treated by the laser light about an hour and a half before the procedure begins. Lumenin One IPL + ALA laser light procedure also has a good record of successfully treating patients with active acne and acne scars. The effects of redness and swelling generally last about 1 to 2 days after the procedure is performed.
These two laser light therapy treatments for acne are some of the most popular methods of its kind to treat not only acne, but also acne scars. Most patients also report a more even skin tone and texture after receiving the full benefits of laser light treatments for acne.
