Light Therapy for Acne

People affected with acne start looking for other options, when conventional treatment proves to be ineffective in curing their skin disorder. Also, many times moderate to severe forms of acne do not respond to application of topical ointments. In such circumstances, light therapy often works to restore healthy looking skin. Overgrowth of bacteria and excess production of sebum are the main culprits behind occurrence of acne.

As light therapy targets the root cause of acne, it has been extremely successful in getting rid of this skin problem. Depending upon the wavelength and frequency of light source, this form of acne treatment is available in different variations:

Blue Light Therapy
In this method, a low intensity blue light is targeted on the affected area. The rays from the blue light source destroy the bacteria responsible for causing acne. The blue light passes through the outer layer of the skin to wipe out the bacteria that trigger acne. Most importantly, blue light therapy is backed by clinical studies and also approved by FDA. Studies have shown that blue spectrum of light in the range of 405-420 nm is useful to combat acne successfully. The good news is that blue light therapy can also conducted at home. The equipment that emits blue acne light is affordable and very simple to operate. All you have to do is focus the light head of the source on the acne affected skin. Also, make sure the distance between the equipment and the skin is around 7 inches. The skin should be exposed 5-6 times every week for approximately 20 minutes. Within a fortnight of treatment, there will be a drastic improvement in the overall appearance of the skin.

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Therapy
In this procedure, high intensity light is targeted on the acne affected area to get rid of skin problems. Intense pulse light is not the same as laser as each pulse of IPL produces multiple wavelengths of light. The intense pulse light is delivered from flash lamps attached with capacitors. Capacitors are electrical devices that generate heat, which also helps to remove acne from the skin. Thus, when intense pulse light comes in contact with the acne prone skin, it not only destroys the bacteria as well as reduces the size of the sebaceous gland. This in turn reduces the production of sebum, thereby allowing acne to heal naturally.

Diode Laser
This is yet another acne laser treatment proved beneficial in eliminating the blemishes. Limited studies have shown that inflammatory acne vulgaris responds quite well to diode laser. Light beams emitted from a laser diode have been successful to treat acne as revealed through various small studies. The 1450-nm diode laser brings down the production of sebum, by damaging the sebaceous glands. In other words, the heat generated from diode laser alters the way, sebaceous gland function. you may also refer to infrared light therapy.

Acne Scars

Scars that destroy the beauty of the skin after acne heals can also be eliminated with carbon dioxide (CO2) laser treatment. This form of laser surgery has also been effective to remove depressed facial scars. In this type of procedure, the laser pulses are allowed to penetrate through a chamber filled with carbon dioxide gas before hitting the skin. The laser takes out the uppermost layer of the skin, which helps in acne scar removal. The skin upon exposure to CO2 laser produces more collagen. This in turn tightens the skin, thereby improving the texture of the skin. During the course of carbon dioxide laser acne scar removal treatment, the doctor may also prescribe topical creams to speed up healing. On the whole, the process of healing is slightly time-consuming and may take more than a year for complete recovery.

Side Effects

A point to note that attending just one or two sessions of light therapy is not enough to eliminate severe acne. Generally, 5-6 sessions and sometimes even 8 sessions are required to get a clear skin free from acne. As far as side effects are concerned, in most cases, the area bombarded with light rays appears red and dry for a short while.

So, if you are tired of using expensive topical creams it is high time that you switch to blue light therapy. It is a reliable method that work to clear away acne within a few weeks. Although, blue light therapy does not provide immediate results, substantial skin improvement is guaranteed within a stipulated period of time.