Light therapy is a great blessing to those that have extreme cases of acne, as they are very successful in treating the condition without costly medications. The improvement of the treatment of chronic acne can change a person's life for the better. Self-esteem is raised and general well being is increased. Depression is lessened as confidence soars with the clearing of the acne infected area.
Light wave therapy uses a high intensity blue light. This light kills the bacteria causing the acne and may help dry up the excess oil that is a large part of the acne problem. It doesn't damage the skin as ultraviolet light can. Laser light waves target two factors that cause acne.
1 - They use heat to damage the oil glands that pour out excessive oil
2 - They work on the bacteria that is present in the pores that cause pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads. These treatments cause a minimum of pain and discomfort and promote regeneration of new skin, which is useful to treat scarring.
Light therapy for acne is effective to reduce scarring and to treat the active acne as well. Light laser therapy is a localized treatment, safe, and has no adverse side affects. It's been shown to be as effective on acne problems that other medications and treatment have not done.
A sample study of 30 patients was made who suffered moderate to mild acne. They were placed in a clinical trial and within three months, they had significant decrease in their acne outbreaks.
The treatment consists of the affected area to short bursts of light called pulse dye laser therapy. Initially used to combat wrinkles it stimulated the production of collagen. It also was used to combat scars from severe cases of acne. Doctors were brought in to look at the clinical evidence and agreed that light treatment was successful in treating live acne. A study that was recently published states that a single session of five minutes can have an effect on acne for up to twelve months.
Patients that took part in the study lost over 70 percent of their acne. One patient's spots disappeared completely. The treatment is being widely used in private clinics and started out to be costly. As with all new technologies, the price has come down and more professionals are using light therapy in treatments for their patients.
One patient stated the treatments only take about five minutes, and with each treatment her acne was much less visible. Another benefit of using laser light therapy is that is doesn't cause any discoloration of the patient's skin. Treatment sessions can last from 5 to 20 and the patient experiences a slight stinging sensation while undergoing treatment. A topical anesthetic can be applied before the treatment and the application of ice was used after the treatment.
Light therapy is still in its infancy and has only been used in the last few years. More work is needed to re-confirm any clinical benefits. Imagine the impact on those individuals in economical terms. Instead of continuing drug treatment, occasional light therapy treatments can be a big help who have moderate cases of acne.
If you or someone you love were afflicted with moderate to severe cases of acne, it would be worthwhile to look into light treatment. It's non-invasive and works in a shorter time than topical ointments and antibiotics. This may be the best thing to happen for acne sufferers in a long time!
