Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Over-the-counter acne products: What works and why
Treatments and drugs (3)
- Acne treatments: Emerging therapies for clearer skin
- Combination birth control pills
- Laser resurfacing
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Acne treatments: Emerging therapies for clearer skin
Up-and-coming acne treatments may help clear stubborn acne. Learn more about new acne treatments and what they can and can't do for you.
By Mayo Clinic staffWith the right treatment, you can keep acne under control. But what's the best acne treatment for you? Many options are available, including prescription creams and antibiotics, which target the various causes of acne. But even with the wide range of acne treatments, chronic breakouts may still be difficult to treat.
New acne treatments — such as blue light therapy or diode laser therapy — may be an effective option but are often reserved for people who don't respond to more traditional therapy.
Laser and light therapy
Most laser- and light-based therapies reach the deeper layers of skin without harming the skin's surface. Some laser systems are thought to damage the oil (sebaceous) glands, causing them to produce less oil. Other laser and light therapies target Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), the bacterium that causes acne inflammation. These therapies can also improve skin texture and lessen the appearance of scars, so they may be good treatment choices for people with both active acne and acne scars.
Several types of laser and light therapies exist:
- Blue light therapy. Exposing the skin to a low-intensity blue light source is believed to destroy P. acnes. This painless procedure is usually done through a series of sessions. P. acnes multiplies rapidly, however, so ongoing treatment is necessary for best results. Possible side effects of blue light therapy include temporary redness and dryness in the treated areas. A newer type of light therapy that includes a combination of blue and red light may be more effective than blue light alone.
- Pulsed light and heat energy therapy. Together, pulsed light and heat energy is thought to destroy P. acnes and shrink sebaceous glands, which decreases oil production. Side effects of this therapy include temporary redness in the treated areas.
- Diode laser therapy. Diode lasers can destroy sebaceous glands in the dermis, the thick middle layer of skin, without harming the outer layer of skin. Laser treatment may be painful, but the pain can be controlled with analgesics applied to the skin before treatment. Side effects of diode laser therapy include temporary redness and swelling of the treated areas.
- Photodynamic therapy. This therapy combines topical medications and light-based therapies. During treatment, a medication, called a photosensitizing agent, is applied to your skin to enhance the effects of light therapy. This is followed by blue, red, pulsed light or another type of light therapy. Side effects can include redness, swelling, crusting and acne flare-ups.
- Photopneumatic therapy. This therapy uses vacuum suction to remove the oil and dead skin cells from within the sebaceous glands. The targeted area is then treated with blue and red light therapy to destroy P. acnes and reduce inflammation.
Still unknown is who would benefit the most from laser and light therapies, the effectiveness of these treatment options, and what the long-term risks or benefits might be. Furthermore, laser and light therapy acne treatments can be expensive and may not be covered by your insurance company.
Steroid injections
Steroid injections are most often used for nodules and cysts — two types of acne that cause large, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin. These types of acne can take weeks to resolve on their own. After a steroid injection, the acne lesion flattens, and symptoms resolve within two to four days. Though effective, complications can include:
- Thinning of the skin (atrophy)
- Appearance of small blood vessels on the surface of the skin (telangiectasia)
- Skin tone that turns lighter than normal (hypopigmentation)
Steroid injections are typically used as a temporary or occasional fix for stubborn acne lesions. They aren't used to treat widespread acne because of potential complications and the need for frequent doctor visits.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Thiboutot D, et al. New insights into the management of acne: An update from the Global Alliance to Improve Outcomes in Acne Group. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2009;60:S1.
- Ofori AO. Light-based, adjunctive, and other therapies for acne vulgaris. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
- Haedersdal M, et al. Evidence-based review of lasers, light sources and photodynamic therapy in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2008;22:267.
- Taub AF. Procedural treatments for acne vulgaris. Dermatology Surgery. 2007;33:1005.
- Shamban AT, et al. Multimodal treatment of acne, acne scars and pigmentation. Dermatologic Clinics. 2009;27:459.
- Munavalli GS, et al. Combination light therapies for the treatment of acne: An overview and introduction to photopneumatic therapy. Medical Laser Application. 2008;23:141.
- Acne. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_acne.html. Accessed Jan. 26, 2010.
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