Skin Peeling Treatments and Blue Light

Acne (Acne Vulgaris) is an extremely common condition, especially among teenagers, with 75% - 95% experiencing acne issues. For adults, 12% of women still face acne issues until age 44, while only 3% of men experience acne at the same age.

Acne occurs due to various factors like hormones and genetics, but there are three main causes:

Sebaceous Gland Hyperactivity: The sebaceous glands are controlled by the sex hormone testosterone, which is especially high during adolescence. When the oil produced by these glands doesn't flow out symmetrically, it can easily clog the pores.
Follicular Hyperkeratinization: People with acne often have skin cells that clump together. When these cells are shed, they remain inside the hair follicle, contributing to the clogging of the pores or comedones.
The bacterium Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) causes inflammation due to nodules of skin cells mixed with oil, providing a rich source of food for P. acnes bacteria. This process results in inflammation, leading to acne.

Acne can be classified into two types of comedones: whiteheads (closed) and blackheads (open). Acne Vulgaris can have various characteristics based on the severity of inflammation, ranging from papules (painful red bumps) to pustules, nodules, and cystic acne, which can cause permanent scarring.

Effective acne treatment requires addressing multiple factors simultaneously: reducing oil production from the sebaceous glands, minimizing the clogging of cell debris and sebum in the pores, and eliminating the bacteria causing inflammation. This multi-pronged approach can lead to improved and quicker treatment results, helping to prevent scarring as well.

Treatments include:

• Topical medications such as vitamin A acid, benzoyl peroxide (BP), antibiotics, salicylic acid, azelaic acid.

• Oral medications like antibiotics and vitamin A acid drugs.

• Exfoliation treatments to accelerate the removal of blockages, like AHA Peel, Silk Peel, Diamond Peel, OxyJet Peel. • Blue light treatment to kill P. acnes bacteria, offering an alternative to antibiotics.

• Laser treatments, such as CoolTouch 1320 Laser or Smoothbeam 1450 Laser, to reduce severe acne inflammation and decrease the activity of the sebaceous glands. V-Beam 595 Laser reduces inflammation and redness from acne scars. Fraxel Laser model re:store is effective for treating pitted or raised scars caused by acne. Ellipse I2PL helps reduce dark spots from acne.

• Other treatments, like mild steroid injections, can reduce the swelling and inflammation of large pimples or cysts, but they should not be the first line of treatment nor should they be repeatedly used.