Acne Treatment

What is Acne?

Acne is a condition in which the skin becomes inflamed due to the blockage of the hair follicles with oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells. The areas of the body most prone to acne are the face, neck, back, and shoulders. Acne cannot be cured, it can only be controlled with treatment.

Blue Light Therapy

Blue light therapy is an excellent acne treatment for many people. The blue light penetrates deep within the skin to destroy acne-causing bacteria, clearing the acne, and helping prevent future breakouts. Blue light is gentle to use (painless) and reveals a clear and healthy complexion.

Procedure of Blue light Therapy

This procedure involves the application of a photosensitizer cream to the skin to make it more sensitive to light. Once the cream is dried, you will be placed under the blue light. The optimal light depends on the ideal wavelength for the particular cream (drug) used, and the target tissue. The treated area will be washed after completion of the treatment. You will need to protect the skin with a sunscreen lotion. An ideal treatment with blue light requires many sessions to achieve the desired results.

The common side effects include redness and swelling of the treated areas, skin dryness, and pigment changes.

Skin Care Products or Facial Peels

A facial peel is a skin-resurfacing procedure that involves the application of a chemical solution to the damaged facial areas (acne). The procedure is meant to peel away the superficial layers of the skin (exfoliation) giving you a youthful and unblemished complexion. Facial peels are a very popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure.

Facial peels vary according to their specific ingredients and their strength. The peeling action depends on the duration the solution remained on the skin and the depth of application. Superficial/light, medium or deep are the various depths at which the solution can be applied to achieve the desired appearance.

The superficial or light peel solution is composed of alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic, lactic, and salicylic or fruit acids.
Medium depth peels use trichloroacetic acid (TCA), which remains on the skin for a longer time than the light peels.
Deep facial peels are typically performed with phenol-based solutions.
You will be prescribed with antibiotics or antiviral drugs to prepare the skin for the peel and hasten the healing process.

Procedure of Facial Peels for Acne

Facial peels are usually done as an outpatient procedure. The first step involves a thorough cleansing of your face. Your surgeon will select the solution that best suits the treatment of your damaged skin. A deep chemical peel may require sedation (local anaesthesia) to numb the areas of treatment.

Using a cotton pad or a brush, the chemical is applied to the areas to be treated. While the chemical remains on the skin, you might feel a burning or stinging sensation for a few minutes. Cool saline compresses will be used to ease the sensation. A deep peel wound requires a surgical dressing.

The complications of facial peels include redness, scarring, infection, cold sores, and darkening of the skin.