Alternative Acne Solutions: Laser Therapy

Did you know that acne affects almost 100% of the population at any given point in time? No wonder billions of dollars are spent each year on acne treatments – nearly everyone has been faced with a stubborn pimple or zit that seems to crop up right when you least expect it. For some, acne can be an occasional inconvenience that is easily cleared up by a topical over-the-counter treatment; for others, however, it’s just not that easy to get rid of acne. If stubborn pimples have staked a claim on your skin and seem impossible to get rid of, you might feel discouraged by all the acne “solutions” that failed to live up to their promise to clear your skin after just a few days. Additionally, if you’re an adult who is still dealing with the same acne problems that you’ve had ever since you hit puberty, then you might be desperate to find a permanent solutions to your acne.

It might be time to consider another form of treatment that’s had great results with many sufferers of mild to moderate acne. Laser therapy is one of the most recent FDA-approved treatments for acne, and treatment is available through your dermatologist.

So what exactly happens if you opt to receive laser therapy for your acne? First, your dermatologist will walk you through the procedure. You and your dermatologist will choose a type of laser to help combat your acne, which is largely depend on the type of acne that you’re dealing with.

Treatment will usually occur over the course of four to six sessions, and can take up to a month of 15-minute appointments to administer. Side effects are mild and can include temporary pain, swelling, redness and pigment changes in patients with darker skin tones. If you’re concerned that your skin will be exposed to harmful UV rays, not to worry – these lasers are devoid of UV rays, so you won’t be increasing your skin cancer risk by undergoing this treatment for your acne.

If laser therapy interests you, then talk to your doctor or dermatologist to determine if this acne treatment is right for you. If you suffer from mild to moderate acne, then you might benefit from laser therapy, while those with severe nodular acne should talk with their dermatologist about more powerful acne solutions like Accutane.