Acne is the most common skin condition known to dermatologists -- each year, approximately 40 million to 50 million Americans, most of them teens or young adults, have acne, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). And treatments for the disorder abound -- acne sufferers try over-the-counter lotions and creams, prescription ointments, and even diets and supplements in an effort to clear their skin.
In fact, most mild and some moderate cases of acne resolve on their own with proper skin care and perhaps an over-the-counter remedy. But those people with particularly severe cases, which often involve deep infection and inflammation, probably should seek treatment from a dermatologist to avoid acne scars.
Dermatologists have a range of prescription medications for acne, but more and more often are recommending laser skin treatment -- either on its own or in combination with medication -- for moderate and severe cases of acne.
Laser Therapy Targets Bacteria, Oil Glands
Acne is caused by four factors: overproduction of oil in the sebaceous glands of the skin, overgrowth of a common skin bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes (p. acnes), inflammation, and clogging of the pores. The four are interrelated; for example, overproduction of skin oil can cause clogged pores, and infection from P. acnes can cause inflammation. Hormones also are thought to play a role.
Laser treatment for acne targets several of the factors related directly to the skin, according to the AAD. The laser emits a particular wavelength of light that can be absorbed by the water in the skin, and this works to create heat in and around the sebaceous glands The heat then helps to soothe the inflammation in the sebaceous glands, shrinking them and causing them to produce less oil.
In addition to reducing the oversized sebaceous glands, the laser treatment kills some of the P. acnes bacteria, reducing the infection and helping to clear the skin. And, laser treatment is effective in preventing the "pock mark" scarring that can result from severe acne.
Treatment Fast, Mostly Painless
Different types of lasers are used in skin treatment for acne, but the ones used are almost always the non-ablative type, which are far gentler than ablative lasers. Dermatologists rarely if ever would use ablative lasers to treat acne, although they can be used to treat severe acne scars.
Laser treatments for acne generally take about 20 minutes or less, depending on the size of the patch of skin being treated. Patients usually feel stinging as the laser hits their skin, and pre-treatment anesthetic ointments are available that will dull this sensation. Mild skin redness and swelling can occur after the laser treatment, and dermatologists recommend using ice to cool the skin if pain persists.
It usually takes a few treatment sessions for patients to really notice a difference in their skin, according to the AAD. Generally, dermatologists recommend three to five laser treatments, with three or four weeks in between, in order to clear acne. The skin then should remain clear for up to six months.
Cost for the treatment can be substantial. Dermatologists who specialize in using lasers to treat skin disorders, including acne and acne scars, charge $300 to $500 or more for one treatment, which means three to five laser treatment sessions could cost upwards of $2,000.
But many patients say the cost is worth it if they can keep their acne at bay without other medications for months, and if they can treat areas such as the back that can be difficult to reach to cleanse properly or apply creams. Laser treatment also may be a suitable alternative for patients who cannot use prescription medications to treat their acne.
Studies Show Short-Term Effectiveness
The AAD notes that laser treatment for acne most often is used in combination with another therapy, often a prescription skin ointment. These ointments can include antibiotics or synthetic derivatives of vitamin A, known as retinoids.
And, the dermatologist academy reminds patients that long-term effectiveness hasn't been proven for laser acne treatment. Many people report that their acne returns, in some cases as bad as ever or worse, after six months or so.
However, medical studies do show that laser treatment is effective in the short-term in reducing acne lesions and skin inflammation. In one study, published in 2009 in the Journal of Cosmetic Laser Therapy, clinicians looked at a particular type of laser called the pulsed dye laser in acne treatment and compared laser treatment with both chemical peels and topical prescription ointments.
Patients in the group treated with the laser had treatments every two weeks for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, each treatment group had similar clearing of their skin, but acne lesions stayed away the longest in the laser-treated group, the study concluded.
Jane Anderson - Jane M. Anderson spends as much time as possible on the water, working and sailing on boats. She grew up sailing Sunfish and Rhodes 19s on ...
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