Acne Laser Treatment

Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms. Acne affects most teenagers to some extent. However, it is not restricted to any age group; adults in their 20s – even into their 40s – can get acne. While not a life threatening condition, acne can be depressing and disfiguring. When severe, acne can lead to serious and permanent scarring.

There are a multitude of treatment options for acne, some of which are only available by prescription, which is why it is important to see a doctor and one of the benefits of attending the Chiltern Medical Clinic.

Before prescribing treatment, we will consider several factors, including the severity of the acne, types of lesions present, co-existing conditions, as well as your age, skin type, lifestyle and motivation.

The knowledge gained from this information allows us to create effective individualised therapy that will resolve your acne over time and prevent new lesions from forming.

We will inform you about the products and treatments that we consider would be of most benefit to you. These might be a mixture of a home-care regime and in-clinic procedures, such as skin peels, microdermabrasion, EDS Regenerate and KTP laser treatment.
Acne responds especially well to early treatment. We recommend that acne be treated early to maximise effectiveness, as well as help prevent scarring. Of course, you should not despair if your acne is well-established as we will still be able to support and treat you.

We use the Aura KTP laser to treat some cases of acne. This is a revolutionary approach for adult and teen acne sufferers, which is safe and particularly effective for acne on the face, chest and back. The Aura 532nm green laser is FDA cleared for facial acne, though it can be used anywhere acne is normally present.

Using this laser, we are able to deliver light pulses through the skin’s surface, targeting an organic compound generated by the Propionibacterium acnes (p. acne) bacteria called porphyrin. These porphyrins are photosensitive and when targeted by light, generate singlet oxygen, which kill the p. acne bacteria that cause inflammation.

Treatment times will vary depending on the size of the treatment area, though a full face will typically take about 20 minutes.

Acne laser treatments frequently start with a four-treatment course, 2 per week for 2 weeks. More treatments may be needed if you have more severe acne.

Clinical data suggests that most patients find their acne improves after 2 weeks of twice-weekly treatments. While many patients continue to improve over the months following treatment, some patients experience a plateau in their improvement. Repeated treatments may be necessary to maintain results.

In studies conducted at Wellman Labs in Massachusetts and at a private facility in California, 91% of patients saw their acne improve by an average of 66%. In the most recent clinical study, patients saw their acne become 81% less severe.

After discussing your medical history, including any drugs you are currently taking, we will clean the treatment area and apply a thin layer of clear gel. Our practitioner will glide the laser handpiece over the treatment area in a brushing motion as the laser light is pulsed safely through your skin. Most patients compare this sensation to a rubber band snapping against the skin. Treatments over active lesions may be more uncomfortable, in which case we can apply a topical anaesthetic to minimise any discomfort.

Immediately following the procedure, you may experience mild to moderate redness and swelling that will fade in as little as a couple hours to as much as a few days. You can apply make-up afterwards. It is extremely important to apply a moisturiser with SPF30 sunblock and avoid sun exposure on a daily basis to prevent sun damage.

As mentioned above, we may suggest a combination of treatments. Some of the most effective treatments for acne are skin peels, microdermabrasion and EDS Rejuvenate. Each of these treatments has a dedicated page where we reply to frequently asked questions.

The cost of your acne treatment will depend on the size of the area to be treated and the treatment modalities we recommend. You are very welcome to book a consultation so that we can find out more about your acne and devise an individualised treatment plan. At this point, we will be able to give you a breakdown of the likely costs.