Laser Therapy for Acne Treatment

Having a severe case of acne can be one of the most humiliating and socially devastating things to happen to a person as they are growing up. Teenagers struggle with the little red monsters year in and year out with no true cure in sight. At best, sufferers can hope to find some topical ointment that will help treat existing pimples but often even these treatments fail to even make a dent against a severe case of acne.

So far, people suffering from acne have four basic treatment options available to them. Externally, topical ointments can be applied to the surface of acne. These ointments contain an anti-bacterial agent that kills the bacteria responsible for creating havoc in the clogged pores of the skin.

The second most common acne treatment is oral medication. Oral medication is best used to treat body acne and very, very severe cases of acne affecting the face. These oral medications have antibiotics in them that are fairly effective in reducing some of the more severe cases of acne.

The third common treatment for acne is hormone therapy, which is not very commonly used. In this treatment the doctor injects cortisones directly into lesions. However, there are many other treatment options available with hormone therapy, such as using inhibitors to prevent hormones like androgen from causing further outbreaks.

In recent years, laser therapy has become an effective treatment option for acne. In this treatment, highly concentrated beams of light are aimed directly at the affected regions. The intense heat from the laser literally vaporizes the bacteria that cause acne. However, this cannot be done in a day. Usually, patients have to take several sessions with the laser before the results become visible.

The other advantage of laser therapy is that it can help reduce the scarring caused by acute cases of acne. Laser burns away the dead skin and makes the scars less noticeable. For maximum effectiveness especially in severe cases, the treatments and scar therapy may have to be staged over several months.

Frankly, laser treatment for acne is not a cheap treatment option and unfortunately it is not commonly covered in most insurance plans. Due the high costs of the specialized equipment and facilities, laser treatment will remain an expensive option for many years to come. Although there are some risks involved when undergoing the procedure, they are actually no greater than those associated with taking oral medication or hormone therapy for your acne.

Some of us can escape the curse of acne with maybe just an occasional blemish here or there. For the rest of us who get hit hard, it is a cruel and brutal part of our teenage years. While mild acne can be treated fairly effectively with topical ointments, but these ointments can do little to treat the underlying cause and are thus powerless against severe cases. If you suffer from acute acne, do consult your dermatologist or doctor to figure out if laser treatment can be a treatment option for you.

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Peter Carson is the owner of F laser, a fantastic resource for information about laser. For questions or comments about this article why not visit: www.fdalaser.com/articles
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