Acne can be kept under control, with the right treatment. But many people would ask “what is the best acne treatment for me?” There are many options available, including prescription creams and antibiotics, which target the various causes of acne. But even with the wide range of products and treatment, chronic breakouts may still be harder to treat.

Promising new acne treatments –  such as diode therapy, blue light therapy or combination treatments – may be and effective remedy for acne when combined with other traditional treatments.

Acne Remedies Target Causes

Each hair follicle is connected to sebaceous glands, which secrete an oily substance called sebum which lubricates the hair and skin. Sebum travels up along the hair shaft and then out the opening of your hair follicle onto the surface of your skin.

When the skin produces an excess amount of sebum and dead skin cells, the two can accumulate in the hair follicle and form as a soft plug. As the plug grows, the follicle wall ruptures, allowing more oil and skin cells to accumulate. This is the underlying cause of acne. Bacteria can trigger additional inflammation and infection resulting in the complications of acne.

Acne remedies usually work by reducing oil production, speeding up the growth of new skin cells and the removal of dead skin cells, or fighting bacterial infection. Some acne treatments, especially the combination therapies work by doing two or three of these.

Acne Laser Treatment and Light Therapy

Laser and light based therapies reach the deeper layers of the 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 also have the additional benefit of improving skin texture and lessen the appearance of scars, so they may be good acne solution for people with both active acne and acne scars.

The following laser and light therapies show promise in acne treatment, including:

• Blue Light Therapy: Exposing the skin to a low intensity blue light is said to destroy the P. acnes. This painless procedure is done through a series of sessions. P. acne multiplies at a rapid rate, however, so ongoing treatment is needed for the best results. Possible side effects of the blue light therapy include temporary redness and dryness in the treated areas.
• Pulsed Light and Heat Energy Therapy: Pulsed light and heat energy, when used together, is said to destroy P. acne and shrink the sebaceous glands, which decreases oil production. The FDA approved an acne therapy that combines pulses of green-yellow light and heat to treat mild to moderate acne, including inflammatory acne. Side effects of this therapy include temporary redness in the treated areas.
• Diode Laser Treatment: Diode lasers can destroy sebaceous glands in the dermis, the thick middle layer of the skin, without harming the outer layer of the skin. Laser treatments may be painful but the pain can be controlled with analgesics to the skin before any treatment for acne. Side effects of diode laser treatment include temporary redness and swelling of the treated areas.

What is still unknown is who would benefit the most from laser and light therapies, the effectiveness of these acne treatment options, and what the long-term risks and benefits would be. Furthermore, laser and light acne treatments can be expensive and may not be covered by your insurance company.