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| Cutting Edge Acne Treatments |
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The most common skin condition in the world has affected almost every person at one point or another during adolescence and early adulthood. Some people struggle with the effects of this disorder for their entire lives, with periodic breakouts and the self-consciousness that can accompany facial scarring. Of course, the condition in question is the bane of most teenagers' existence: common acne.
Acne occurs as a result of an accumulation of excessive amounts of the oily sebum secretions from the sebaceous glands and dead skin cells that solidify in hair follicles and form a soft plug that eventually cause the follicle wall to rupture. Acne treatments are generally concerned with the reduction of oil production, the removal of dead skin cells and growth of new ones, and fighting off any infections caused by bacteria that may be present in the affected area. Many of the best treatments attempt to accomplish a combination of these goals.
Along with the traditional lotions, creams, and astringents with which most acne sufferers are familiar, there are several cutting edge treatments that have appeared in recent years that are proving to be very effective in managing acne outbreaks - and have even offered new hope in the battle to reduce and even eliminate acne scarring. These treatments include such options as blue light and diode laser therapies, as well as combination treatments.
Blue light therapy involves the application of a low-intensity source of blue light in a procedure that typically requires several exposure sessions. Because these acnes multiply so quickly, blue light therapy needs to be used in an ongoing manner to control new acnes from forming. Further advances in this treatment technology continue to be made, with some evidence that using both blue light and red light may provide even greater benefits.
Diode laser treatment works by effectively destroying the sebaceous glands within the middle layer of skin - or dermis - and do no actual damage to the outer skin layer. While it is a more painful procedure than light based therapies, topical analgesics can provide relief from the pain. Pulsed light and heat energy treatments are also used to decrease oil production by destroying the acnes and reducing the size of the sebaceous glands that secrete the offending oils. Already approved by the Food and Drug Administration, this combination treatment has begun to prove itself as one of the more effective of the cutting edge acne treatment options.
To date, however, there has not been enough time to gather long-term data that might indicate unforeseen negative side effects from any of these treatments. In addition, these treatments are cost prohibitive for many people, and are often not covered by health insurance companies that are unfamiliar with the procedures. As more information comes to light from increased usage of the treatments, it is a safe bet that researchers will garner more data that will reveal what types of acnes are best targeted by these therapies, as well as the overall long-term safety prospects of their usage.
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