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Acne Laser Treatments
Some form of acne is a problem for the vast
majority of people between the ages of 10
and 29, and for many it can continue on through
middle age. It can affect the face, neck,
chest, and back. Although most cases of acne
are successfully treated with special ointments
or bacterial cleansers, some acne will need
more powerful oral medications that can have
undesirable side effects. Those who are unwilling
to chance these risks may prefer to treat
their acne with lasers instead.
If you are thinking of undergoing
laser treatments
for your acne, consider the following:
- Laser treatments take only about 10 to 20
minutes per session but in order to be effective
you must have four to eight treatments spaced
about three to four weeks apart. If you are
also using creams as part of the treatment,
they will need to be applied about an hour
before the session.
- Laser treatments can be uncomfortable even
when anesthetic cream is used to lessen the
pain. There are two types of laser treatments:
yellow light lasers and infrared types; yellow
light lasers tend to be less painful than
infrared.
- Infrared lasers target the sebaceous glands
that cause acne when they over secrete the
oily sebum that clogs the pores of the skin.
Side effects from this type of laser treatment
can include temporary skin redness and swelling.
- Other types of lasers emit a yellow light
believed to destroy the bacteria
that causes
acne. These are often used
in combination
with a cream containing aminolevunlinic
acid,
which causes a chemical reaction
that alters
the sebaceous glands. Side
effects from this
type of treatment can include
not only swelling
and redness but also skin peeling.
Those considering laser treatments
for their
acne should be aware that there
are no definitive
scientific proofs of their effectiveness.
In rare cases lasers have resulted
in scarring
and skin discoloration. |
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