Acne is an eruptive skin disease that affects more than 85% of all teenagers. It is basically a disease of the sebaceous glands in the skin and develops on the face, neck, shoulders and back. The sebum of the follicles gets trapped and along dust and dirt and the surrounding area become red and inflamed. If the opening gets completely blocked, the accumulated sebum may get infected by bacteria and develop into a cyst.
Acne in teenage develops because of hormonal changes occurring in the body. These stimulate excessive sebum secretion. Acne outbreaks cannot be stopped by controlling diet and are not a caused due to lack of hygiene. However, good hygiene should be maintained to prevent other skin infections. Severe acne in adults older than 25 years may be indicative of endocrine/hormone disorders.
There are many treatments for preventing and curing acne. Some of these are antibacterial and antibiotic creams and lotions, hormonal therapy, phototherapy and laser treatment. Treatment using lasers is comparatively new and has not yet gained popularity.
Laser treatment is commonly used to remove scars left behind by acne/pimples. However, in recent years, methods are also being investigated to use laser to prevent acne vulgaris. Laser light is very intense and can be directed with great accuracy. Cosmetic lasers are produced by using a laser diode and used to treat other skin conditions as well.
The laser used in the treatment caused one of the following effects:
–> Kills the bacteria that cause acne (Propionibacterium acnes) by producing oxygen which oxidizes the bacteria cells
–> Completely destroys the sebaceous glands which secrete the oils
–> Completely burns away the follicular sacs from hairs grows
Laser treatment is can have serious unwanted effects. It may cause hyper pigmentation (excessive melanin leading to dark patches) in the area under treatment. In addition, it can also cause long term dryness of the skin. Because of these reasons, laser treatment is generally recommended for acne treatment.
In the USA, laser treatment has been approved as a treatment option for acne by the FDA. Some companies such as Candela Corp. have obtained approval from the FDA. However, studies conducted to estimate the effectiveness of laser to treat acne have yielded contradictory results. In addition, laser treatment is still in nascent stages and so proper protocols have not yet been established and are subject to revision. Laser treatment may also be very expensive when compared with other treatment options.
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