Laser Treatment for Acne

Laser Surgery and Acne

Researchers have discovered that the use of laser to treat several common skin problems such as wrinkles; scars and acne appear to be safe. The benefits of laser technology in the treatment of acne are significant. This is primarily because the treatments are non invasive meaning it does not involve puncturing acne lesions, the taking of antibiotics or other hormonal therapies.

Currently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have classified the laser and light therapy as procedure oriented. This means that long term studies for approval testing and drug approval is not applicable. The result of this is that more studies are needed to determine long-term effects this type of treatment; however, data from many recent studies shows that laser and light therapies are the way of the future.

The FDA has approved blue-light therapy for treating acne. Blue light treatment is essentially a narrow-band high intensity light, which works by killing the acne-causing bacteria. It is being used mostly to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris, which has never responded to other therapies. What is great about blue-light is that it does not contain “UV light which can be damaging to the skin.

Typically you would receive blue-light therapy in increments, usually eight secessions over a period of four weeks with each session lasting about 15 minutes. The side effects notices are temporary pigment changes, swelling and dryness. Results have shown that many patients see noticeable improvement with approximately 50% clearance.

Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness. As the results from the following studies show, many patients — but not all — see noticeable improvement with about 55% clearance:

Pulsed light and heat energy (LHE) therapy. This treatment combines pulses of light and heat, which researchers believe target two causes of acne. It is known that LHE destroys P. acnes, the acne-causing bacteria. LHE also may decrease sebum (oily substance) production by shrinking the sebaceous glands. A system that combines pulses of green light and heat has been approved by the FDA for treating mild to moderate acne. Here’s what a recent study showed:

ALA + light therapy. Studies are investigating the effectiveness of this therapy in treating acne. Patients receiving this treatment undergo a two-step process. First, a solution of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is applied to the skin to be treated. ALA is a medication that increases sensitivity to light. When used to treat acne, the ALA is kept on the skin for a period of time ranging from 15 to 60 minutes. The length of time depends on the severity of the acne. Step two involves removing the ALA and treating the skin with light therapy. Since ALA makes the skin more light sensitive, patients are instructed to use sun protection for 48 hours after treatment. Findings from research studies indicate that treatment with blue or red light after the application of ALA is effective. However, as the following shows, red light may produce some undesirable side effects:

A recent study that looked at using ALA followed by blue light concludes that this therapy may be suitable for acne treatment. (Israel)⁷ Diode laser. A few studies have looked at the possibility of treating acne with the 1450-nm diode laser. One study found that the 1450-nm diode laser effectively treats inflammatory acne on the back. Recently, a study looked at using this laser to treat facial acne:

Still Not Routinely Prescribed While the results from these studies are promising, the use of lasers and light therapies to treat acne is still in the investigational stage and may not be the first choice for treating acne. If you are considering a laser or light therapy to treat acne, you should know the following: More research is needed. Controlled studies with large number of patients are needed to:

1. Know which therapy is best for which patient. To date, it appears that laser and light therapies are more effective on adults. However, the profile of a good candidate for each type of treatment still needs to be developed.

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of each therapy. To date, consistent results have not been obtained in the research studies.

3. Determine if there are long-term side effects.

4. Find out if the results last after the treatments are discontinued.

Studies that can provide long-term data are in the planning stages. Many patients require multi-targeted approach. Acne develops when one or more of the following occurs: excess sebum production, rapid production of P. acnes, skin cells shed too quickly, and release of inflammatory substances. For treatment to work it must interfere with what is causing the acne. This is why the acne treatment prescribed by a dermatologist often requires patients to use more than one medication. Since some of the laser and light therapies target only one cause, a patient’s acne may not resolve. For example, blue-light therapy targets only P. acnes, so acne will resolve only when this is the sole cause. If other factors are present, blue-light therapy will not clear the acne. Insurance may not cover. Most insurance plans classify the light and laser treatments used to treat acne as “emerging technologies.” Insurance generally does not cover treatments classified as “emerging technologies.” A patient who opts for the FDA-approved blue-light therapy can expect to pay about $100 to $200 per treatment session. Since eight sessions are typically needed, the average out-of-pocket cost is $800 to $1,600 over the recommended four-week period. With time, research, and experience, laser and light therapies may eventually be light years ahead of traditional acne therapies. Studies indicate that these treatments offer a promising non-invasive alternative. Until more is known, laser and light therapies offer an alternative for individuals whose acne has not responded to traditional acne therapies

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