Skin Care Decoded!

There are many types of treatments for acne and from prescription creams to antibiotics to laser therapy. However, before proceeding to the much newer treatments, you should understand the different types of treatment options, its processes, pros and cons. So, the big question comes to mind, what is the best acne treatment for you? The below are just further reference to what sort of treatments are available but you should always seek the advise from expert dermatologist before proceeding further. Another thing you would want to consider is also the cost involved in the available treatments as some of the treatments may be costly and are not covered by insurance.
One option is the laser and light therapy. There are several laser and light therapies available currently and while most laser and light based therapies reach into deeper layers of skin without harming the skins surface, some are thought to damage the sebaceous glands causing oil production problems. Most of these laser and light treatments target the Propionibacterium acnes which causes acne to inflame. The different types of laser and light treatments include blue light therapy. This therapy uses a low intensity blue light which destroys the acne. However, this treatment is usually done through a few series of sessions. Possible side effects include temporary redness and dryness at affected areas.

The pulsed light and heat energy therapy is also another type of laser and light treatment. This type of therapy uses pulsed light and heat energy to destroy the acne and help shrink the sebaceous gland. Possible side effects include temporary redness at affected areas. The diode laser therapy uses the diode lasers to destroy the sebaceous glands in the dermis without harming the outer layer of the skin. This laser treatment may be painful and it is not unusual for analgesics applied on skin before treatment. Side effects include temporary redness and swelling at affected area. Photopnuematic treatment uses vacuum suction to remove oil and dead skin cells within the sebaceous glands. This treatment usually follows with the blue and red light therapy to destroy the acne and reduce inflammation. The last laser and light type of treatment is the photo dynamic therapy. This therapy is a combination of topical medications and light based therapies. During treatment, a type of medication is applied to your skin to increase the effectiveness of the light therapy. This is then followed with the blue, red, pulsed light therapy. Side effect includes redness, swelling, crusting and acne flare ups.

Another option of acne treatment is steroid injections. Steroid injections are often used on nodules and cysts. These two types of acne can cause large and painful lumps on the surface of the skin and can take weeks to recover on their own. Steroid injection helps to reduce the acne lesion and can recover within two to four days. Complications of using steroid injection include thinning of skin, appearance of small blood vessels on skin surface and skin tone may turn lighter than normal. Steroid injections are commonly used as a temporary solution for stubborn acne lesions and are not used to treat widespread acne. This method is however, not popular due to the potential complications and also the need to frequently visit the doctor.

Other types of treatments used to control acne include chemical peels and microdermabrasion. These cosmetic treatments are more commonly used for fine lines, minor facial scares and sun damage. Chemical peels uses chemicals such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid to remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, remove whiteheads and blackheads. This treatment is usually used together with acne creams for more effective results. Side effect includes temporary redness, scaling, crusting, scaring, blisters, infection and abnormal skin coloring. Microdermabrasion is a treatment that uses a hand held device that blows crystals onto the skin. These crystals will then gently abrade the skin’s surface. In other words, this treatment is similar to exfoliating and unclogging pores.