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Phototherapy: The Right Way To Fight Acne |
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Laser and light therapies have always been one of the most preffered
choice of acne sufferers. Phototherapy or laser and light therapies work by
reaching the deeper layers of skin without harming the skin's surface.
Laser treatment damages the oil-producing sebaceous glands, causing them
to produce less oil. On the other hand, light therapy aims at destroying
P. acnes, the inflammation causing bacterium. Moreover, these therapies
also improve the texture of the skin and lessen the appearance of the
scars thereby giving a clearer skin surface. There are various types of
laser and light therapies which you can opt from:
Blue light therapy
In blue light
therapy, the skin is exposed to a low-intensity blue light source which
is believed to destroy P. acnes. It is a painless procedure which
requires a series of sessions, of almost 15 minutes each. Since P. acnes
multiplies rapidly, this therapy is able to provide the best results.
However, the side-effects of Blue Light Therapy extend to swelling in
treated areas, dryness and pigment changes.
Pulsed
light and heat energy therapy
Pulsed light and heat energy
therapy works on the same principle as the blue light therapy. It's just
that, it makes use of pulsed light and heat energy to destroy P. acnes
as well as to shrink the oil producing sebaceous glands, to decrease the
oil production. A combination of green-yellow light and heat is very
effective in treating mild to moderate types of acne. However, the side
effects of this therapy may include temporary redness of the treated
area.
Diode laser treatment
In Diode
laser treatment, diode lasers are used to destroy the sebaceous glands
in the middle layer of the skin, without harming the outer layer of the
skin. It can be a painful procedure, but the pain can be controlled by
using analgesics. However, the side-effects may comprise of temporary
swelling and redness of the treated area.
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