Acne Treatments
Anyone who has lived through puberty has experienced at least the dread of acne, and this scourge of the skin can affect people not just physically but also emotionally, during their vulnerable teenage years and beyond. The vicious acne cycle is started by the sudden surge in hormones that usually occurs during puberty. The hormones signal the skin’s oil glands to go into overdrive, spreading more sebum (oil) than usual all over the nearby skin cells. Oil on the skin, like oil anywhere, tends to gunk up, collecting debris on its surface, and the resulting sticky mass often plugs up the pores that are secreting the oil. That’s where the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria come in, breeding in the closed, airless space under the blocked pore, causing the infamous inflammation and pus that we call a “zit.”
Though it’s possible to treat the hormone issue with birth control pills, the bacteria with antibiotics, and the oil glands with medical creams, this medical regimen can become overbearing and expensive, not to mention potentially dangerous for those who don’t react well to these different medications. Long-term treatment with antibiotics is also a questionable practice, sometimes creating strains of drug-resistant bacteria.
True MD, however, has taken advantage of FDA-approved medical breakthroughs in pulsed light treatment to offer a safe, effective, and convenient solution to the acne problem. Using the Palomar LuxV IPL system, our physicians apply a short burst of filtered, laser-like light to the target area of the skin, killing the P. acnes bacteria and reducing the function of the overactive oil glands. In about ten minutes of treatment, the two main causes of the acne problem are cleaned up and the patient can do away with expensive and time-consuming pills and creams. Patients report only a brief tingling, or snapping, sensation during the treatment and a slight red tint to the skin that goes away within an hour or so. Multiple treatments may be needed, but in only three ten-minute sessions, most of our patients walk away with an almost 100% reduction in their acne coverage.
These remarkable results promise not just a clearer face but also a stronger sense of self-esteem and overall emotional health. Teenagers, especially, often lack the perspective and coping skills needed to effectively deal with severe cases of acne and the social problems such cases can cause. Several clinical studies have led psychiatrists to recommend that parents treat their teenagers’ acne as a step toward better emotional health, fending off depression and even suicidal thoughts. However, even fairly well-adjusted teens appreciate having a face clear of the zits and the scarring that can sometimes result from profound acne.
True MD also treats the cosmetic damage done by past acne through microdermabrasion, fractionated laser treatments, and filler injections. Talk to one of our physicians for details.
If you or your loved one are being plagued, scarred, and depressed by acne, True MD can help. Give us a few minutes in our advanced light treatment, and your clear-skinned smile will still be shining in the mirror for months afterward.
Acne Treatments
Anyone who has lived through puberty has experienced at least the dread of acne, and this scourge of the skin can affect people not just physically but also emotionally, during their vulnerable teenage years and beyond. The vicious acne cycle is started by the sudden surge in hormones that usually occurs during puberty. The hormones signal the skin’s oil glands to go into overdrive, spreading more sebum (oil) than usual all over the nearby skin cells. Oil on the skin, like oil anywhere, tends to gunk up, collecting debris on its surface, and the resulting sticky mass often plugs up the pores that are secreting the oil. That’s where the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria come in, breeding in the closed, airless space under the blocked pore, causing the infamous inflammation and pus that we call a “zit.”
Though it’s possible to treat the hormone issue with birth control pills, the bacteria with antibiotics, and the oil glands with medical creams, this medical regimen can become overbearing and expensive, not to mention potentially dangerous for those who don’t react well to these different medications. Long-term treatment with antibiotics is also a questionable practice, sometimes creating strains of drug-resistant bacteria.
True MD, however, has taken advantage of FDA-approved medical breakthroughs in pulsed light treatment to offer a safe, effective, and convenient solution to the acne problem. Using the Palomar LuxV IPL system, our physicians apply a short burst of filtered, laser-like light to the target area of the skin, killing the P. acnes bacteria and reducing the function of the overactive oil glands. In about ten minutes of treatment, the two main causes of the acne problem are cleaned up and the patient can do away with expensive and time-consuming pills and creams. Patients report only a brief tingling, or snapping, sensation during the treatment and a slight red tint to the skin that goes away within an hour or so. Multiple treatments may be needed, but in only three ten-minute sessions, most of our patients walk away with an almost 100% reduction in their acne coverage.
These remarkable results promise not just a clearer face but also a stronger sense of self-esteem and overall emotional health. Teenagers, especially, often lack the perspective and coping skills needed to effectively deal with severe cases of acne and the social problems such cases can cause. Several clinical studies have led psychiatrists to recommend that parents treat their teenagers’ acne as a step toward better emotional health, fending off depression and even suicidal thoughts. However, even fairly well-adjusted teens appreciate having a face clear of the zits and the scarring that can sometimes result from profound acne.
True MD also treats the cosmetic damage done by past acne through microdermabrasion, fractionated laser treatments, and filler injections. Talk to one of our physicians for details.
If you or your loved one are being plagued, scarred, and depressed by acne, True MD can help. Give us a few minutes in our advanced light treatment, and your clear-skinned smile will still be shining in the mirror for months afterward.