Acne : Gadgets, Business and Technology

Acne is a disease – characterized by skin pimples and blemishes – that affects almost everyone at some point in their life, and especially in their teens. Acne is also known to affect some adults, especially expectant mothers and those who have recently delivered.

The condition is known to have a strong correlation with changes in body hormone levels, the very kind of changes that take place during puberty, pregnancy and the post natal period.

Acne can be a very distressing condition, seeing that it tends to affect the face and other highly conspicuous parts of the body. For this reason, acne patients are known to go to great lengths in search of treatments for the condition.

Acne treatments vary in sophistication from the use of simple domestic substances (substances used around the home) which have been shown to be of some help in the treatment of acne, to the use of herbs and to the use of some medications that have shown efficacy in the treatment of the condition. Non substance acne treatments too, like phototherapy and laser treatment have been used in the treatment of the condition with considerable success, as have been indirect therapies (for instance psychotherapy and counseling) which are used to help the acne patient come to terms with the condition.

Now the idea of using psychotherapy in the treatment of acne can seem farfetched, until you come face to face with the worst forms of the condition, where it ends up affecting ones appearance significantly, and potentially affecting one’s self image – which is an important component of self esteem and happiness. But even the milder forms of the condition have been known to affect people’s happiness significantly, especially in the extremely common form of the condition (the form that affects teens), seeing that it strikes its victims when they are most sensitive about their looks and how others perceive them.

Common herbal treatments employed in the treatment of acne include tea tree oil (which has an anti-bacterial quality) and the versatile herb, aloe vera. Both tea tree oil and aloe vera have shown undisputable efficacy in the treatment of acne, though it is worth noting that acne treatment using both of these herbal cures takes some time, sometimes even up to a month, before the patient can experience noticeable changes.

Medications employed in the treatment of acne on the other hand include the whole range of antibiotics, from topical antibiotics (applied where the acne blemishes and pimples are) like triclosan to oral antibiotics – these being those that are ingested through the mouth but whose effects gradually manifest on the skin, common examples being minocycline and trimethoprim. Since acne has a hormonal root, hormonal treatments might also be (occasionally) employed in its treatment, especially for the more severe cases.

Non substance treatments for acne include phototherapy and laser treatments – and these too have shown good efficacy in the treatment of the condition. These come with the additional advantage of their fast working, seeing that the speed of treatment is one of the factors that acne patients tend to be very particular about.

Both phototherapy and laser treatments can, however, be significantly more expensive than the other acne treatments, with their cost often pushing them out of reach for a significant portion of patients. The equipment used in both of these treatment can also be scary or otherwise putting to some patients, though doctors say that both phototherapy and laser treatment are among the safest acne treatments.

The advancement of laser treatment and technology has brought therapy into the new century and is the suggested treatment for acne and acne scarring. Laser therapy is an appealing treatment for acne: no messy creams, no drugs and minimal risk of side effects. Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of pulsed dye laser therapy in the treatment of acne. More research is needed before this laser therapy may be recommended as an acne treatment. Although approved to treat acne scarring, Pulsed dye laser therapy is also being used for the treatment of active inflammatory acne vulgaris. More research is needed before this laser therapy may be recommended as an acne treatment.” Pulsed-dye laser treatment for inflammatory acne vulgarisOctober 2003.

Previous studies have indicated that light therapy and laser treatment can actually improve acne. This policy addresses treatment of acne vulgaris using pulsed dye laser or photodynamic therapy. The study authors concluded, “More research is needed before this laser therapy may be recommended as an acne treatment”. – Additional research is needed before laser therapy can be recommended as a treatment for acne, according to a study. Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of pulsed dye laser therapy in the treatment of acne.

The Er:YAG laser should be reserved for sculpting of individual scar edges and treatment of mild acne scars. Here you will find information about acne laser scar treatment. With laser acne scar treatment, the focus is on developing new collagen in the lower layer of skin. The laser treatment program for acne scar removal is somewhat different than acne laser treatment. Scar Treatment Another option for the use of acne laser treatment is that in which the acne scars can be removed. If you feel that your scars might need something more long term, then start saving for acne scar laser treatment. The only known treatment that has worked in acne scar removal is acne scar laser treatment. V-Beam (Pulsed Dye Laser) is commonly used for the treatment of red acne scars, stretch marks and keloids, which are thickened scar tissue. natural acne skin care treating acne acne cyst acne problems acne treatment for teenager acne scar laser treatment .

When an acne patient faces pitting, or deep holes, in the skin as a result of acne, there is a treatment called laser resurfacing. In acne laser treatment, a laser is used to remove areas of damaged skin, layer by layer. Skin care maintenance can also be prescribed to compliment the acne laser treatment. They might also apply the laser inconsistently, leaving your skin slightly uneven after the acne treatment with laser. Excellent waxing services (using a very high-grade, mint oil-infused stripless wax), top-notch laser hair removal, acne laser treatments and skin rejuvenation.

Most acne blemish laser treatment methods are painless and effective, but they also come at a noticeable price. A successful acne blemish laser treatment may include various types of laser exposure such as carbon dioxide lasers or nonablative lasers. The Carbon Dioxide laser is also known to produce higher levels of pigmentation during the acne blemish laser treatment . one of the best methods for acne blemish laser treatment.
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Before You Take Action on any Laser Treatment

You’ve lived with your acne scars long enough, and want to do something about them. But before you take any major action, such as laser treatment, read on to demystify the world of laser technology. There are many options available, but which ones are good? Or most importantly, which laser acne scar treatment suits you?

Fortunately with today’s laser technology, you can be sure that the entire laser procedure isn’t all pain and destruction. In fact, the healing time is faster, even though some procedures might require you to go back for further treatment or topical touch-ups. You do want to keep in mind, nevertheless, that the laser beam may still damage some skin pigments, so it’s best to understand the entire acne laser treatment itself, and leave the procedure up to certified doctors or dermatologists. Yes, check their credentials. And yes, that also means stay away from non-physicians performing the laser procedure in shopping malls or day spas. You also want to find out from the doctor or dermatologist what kind of laser technology he/she is using, and if the technology is not, say 10 years old.

Laser-zappin’ Acne Scar Treatments Available Today

In general, the laser treatments used to eliminate acne scars are essentially the same treatment for other skin problems also, using laser resurfacing technology. Laser resurfacing works by removing the scarred, top layer of the skin. By doing this, new skin – smoother skin – and collagen (main protein of connective tissue found in bone, cartilage, skin, and tendons) will grow in its place, and eventually smooth out the acne scar. Additionally, laser resurfacing is considered a safer, less invasive procedure than deep chemical peels or dermabrasion (described in non-laser acne scar treatment). Laser resurfacing is often combined with one or several other treatments for acne scars. This approach consistently gives better results when compared to other acne treatments.

There are basically two types of acne laser treatments today, non-ablative and ablative skin resurfacing treatments.

Non-ablative skin resurfacing (non-invasive, aka no skin cutting)

Ablate literally means to remove by melting, vaporization, erosion, etc. (Don’t mean to scare you, that’s just a literal translation.)

From the definition itself, you can probably figure out that non-ablative skin resurfacing is a gentler alternative to ablative laser treatments. Non-ablative treatments can accommodate almost all skin types and all skin colors with no complications, and patients will only have the “weekend” recovery down time.

This type of acne laser treatment uses the laser heat to penetrate into the skin to stimulate collagen production which corrects the wrinkles underneath the skin. So your skin remains intact. Remodeling of the collagen under the skin’s surface takes about 6 months or so. Generally, this type of treatment consists of 3-5 procedures, spread out from two to four weeks apart. Results should become apparent after the second treatment and should continue to improve thereafter.

Most commonly used laser technology for this treatment is the Fraxel (re:store) laser and Smoothbeam laser.

Ablative skin resurfacing (more invasive, aka skin removed)

Remember that to ablate literally means to remove by some sort of melting or vaporizing method.

So compared to the non-ablative skin resurfacing treatment, the ablative treatment is of course more invasive. The laser used in this treatment generates high energy beams that directly vaporize the damaged skin tissue without harming the surrounding areas. Because the skin has been ablated, new skin and collagen will produce to grow new skin and eventually smooth out the scar. Be aware though that ablative skin resurfacing may pose some side effects for some skin types and skin color. You should consult with your doctor or dermatologist first.

Due to the high laser beam used in ablative skin resurfacing, this kind of acne laser treatment generally requires only one visit. The down side though is that that the recovery time will be longer, generally taking 4-7 days or longer.

Variations of this type of treatment include the two household lasers known as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Er:YAG (Erbium). CO2 is the most aggressive, while Erbium is milder with shorter laser pulses and has less risky post recovery period. The newest technology that uses the CO2 method is called the Fraxle re:pair, not to be confused with the original non-ablative Fraxel re:store laser.

Alternatives to Laser Acne Scar Treatments

There are also various non-laser treatments to eliminate acne scars. Find out more details in non-laser acne scar treatment.

Best Acne Scar Treatment for You

You are now well-informed on the various types of laser acne scar treatments, and may have even taken a preference as to which one may suit you. Regardless, in the best interest of your health, you should discuss with a doctor or dermatologist the best possible acne treatment before proceeding. Remember, this is a serious consideration not to be taken lightly. And avoid non-certified laser centers in the mall. (At least remember this – Just stick to your shopping.) Good luck!