Blue Light Treatments

One of the most promising advances in recent years for the treatment of acne is pain and side effect free, yet still effective: the Blue Light Laser for teenagers or adults with moderate inflammatory acne vulgaris.  Repeated exposure to the Blue Light (over a course of five or six sessions, usually scheduled a week apart) has proven to control acne (like the common cold, acne has long resisted anything so definitive as a cure).  In the past, treatment for moderate to severe acne has ranged from topical creams and cleansers to medications like Accutane, which is not always safely tolerated and must be monitored closely by the doctor.  Other acne remedies can involve frequent dosing and complicated routines that make them almost as annoying as the condition itself.  Conversely, the Blue Light laser is pleasant and painless, and each session can be accomplished in fifteen minutes at the dermatologist’s office.

NYDG Flash Facts

• Acne results when the tiny glands beneath the skin surface (called sebaceous glands) become clogged with an oily substance (called sebum), causing bacteria to grow and swelling and blemishes to appear on the skin surface. The bacteria can be controlled with Blue Light laser.

• Once the bacteria are controlled, sebaceous glands de-clog and begin to function normally. Swelling and pimpling subside and the surface skin appears clear.

• The dermatologist determines the number of Blue Light sessions recommended for effective control of the patient’s condition.