Concerns over the safety of acne treatments using Accutane or long-term antibiotic use have increased interest in newer light-based technologies.
Acne light treatment and/or laser therapy are both touted as effective acne treatments.
But are they an effective acne cure? Blue light acne therapy has recently been approved by the FDA to treat moderate to severe acne.
It offers great benefits to those who have not had any luck with other acne treatments.
It is also being used to reverse cases of severe acne.
Blue light is effective in killing the P.
acnes acne-causing bacteria.
Inflammatory acne vulgaris is also being treated using light therapy.
Topical treatments may also be used along with the blue light therapy to help reduce lesions, papules, and pustules.
One of the greatest benefits of blue light therapy is that there are minimal side affects accompanying the treatment.
Blue light treatment is very gentle and does not harm the surrounding tissues, as other treatments have done in the past.
Modern blue light products don't contain the UV (ultraviolet) rays that were responsible for causing skin damage in older therapies.
The main disadvantage is that the treatment is so new that there are still skeptics.
Some professionals in the medical field state that the light treatments are only going to age the skin faster.
A lot of the older acne light therapies did have side effects and were consequently pulled off the market.
More research is needed to determine the long-term effects of blue light acne therapy.
Presently, this treatment appears to be effective in improving inflammatory acne lesions and cases of acne vulgaris.
If you are considering acne light treatment, it is important to do all of your research before deciding which therapy to go with.
Consult with your dermatologist to explore all of your options and to determine the best course of treatment for your acne symptoms.
No one treatment is going to work for all of the different types of skin.
Make sure that your light treatment will be provided by a qualified professional if you decide to go that route.
Another thing to consider is the cost.
Acne light treatments can be expensive.
It may be prudent to explore other less expensive treatments before going the light therapy route.
Read reviews of others who have had the blue light treatment and evaluate their results.
By properly researching all of the options available, you will be confident that you are choosing an acne treatment that will work best for you in every way.