While most people think of Acne as affecting those in their teen years, Acne can also be a struggle for many adults with aging skin. Acne is the most common skin disorder in the United States.
For reasons no one completely understands, follicles, often called pores, overproduce cells and sometimes get blocked. Sebum (oil), which normally drains to the surface, gets blocked and bacteria begin to grow. It is this bacteria that is responsible for the formation of acne. This can often leave pitted scars after the acne heals.
Treatment for Acne includes the use of Acne Lasers as well as properly selected skin care products to maintain results.
Acne’s Various Types and Conditions
Acne can be different for everyone. Some acne is superficial red and white bumps; some is deep and cystic in nature. No matter what it is, acne can be distressing and annoyingly persistent. Hormones likely play a role in the development of acne, making the condition most common in teenagers.
But people of all ages can get acne. Many adults still struggle with intermittent but persistent acne breakouts due to hormonal changes associated with menstrual cycles. Adult acne can also be related to a condition called Rosacea.
This condition is associated with easy flushing or blushing and can progress to the appearance of visible capillaries on the face – usually around the nose and on the cheeks. The acne associated with “Acne Rosacea” appears as pimple-like, red bumps. Depending on its severity, acne can lead to scarring of the skin and cause emotional distress.
The good news is that effective treatments are available — and the earlier treatment is started, the lower your risk of lasting damage to the skin. Based on the depth and type of acne, different lasers or treatments can be used for the best outcome.
Listed below are the treatments that can be performed to assist in the resolution and improvement of the different forms of acne.
Superficial Acne
Topical medication can be prescribed by your doctor to improve superficial acne. These are usually antibiotics and should be limited in their long-term use due to the harmful effects on your gut biome.
Superficial Laser and Light-based treatments can be used to remove the bacteria that are causing acne outbreaks. A series of treatments may be needed to produce a 3-12 month result in acne clearance. The lasers used for this treatment are fractionated lasers and the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL or BBL/BroadBand Light) treatments.
Deep Cystic Acne
An oral medication called Accutane is reserved for this type of condition but has known side effects that limit its use. It is only prescribed by a dermatologist and its use is highly regulated and limited.
A viable long-term and safe treatment option are available at Lasting SkinSolutions®. It is a laser treatment called SkinTyte that sends heat to the depth of the sebaceous gland rendering the gland inactive. One to three treatments can be required.
Laser Treatment for Acne Scarring
Laser treatment for acne scars aims to minimize the appearance of scars from old acne breakouts. A substantial amount of people who have acne have some residual scarring, either as indentations or redness.
Laser treatments at Lasting SkinSolutions for acne scars focus laser energy towards the top layers of your skin, to break up the scar tissue with a Profractional type fractionated laser.
While this treatment doesn’t completely remove acne scars, it can reduce their appearance and also improve the overall appearance of the skin. Light-based treatments such as Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) can reduce the redness associated with acne scarring as
well.
Contact our Madison, WI laser acne treatment specialists today for clearer, smoother more beautiful skin.
