Acne light therapy has led to several advances in dermatology, and we’re going to take a look at exactly what this treatment entails.  

Acne light therapy is when a blue light that has a high intensity bulb is passed over the top layer of the skin to fight acne. Although approved as a method for treating cancer, light therapy has not been proven by the Federal Drug Administration as an effective way of fighting acne.

This is a painless procedure, which may be the deciding factor for people who often ask “does it hurt?” before choosing a treatment.

Propionibacterium acnes is the bacteria most often associated with acne. Light therapy kills this bacteria, which results in less acne.

The sun can do the exact same thing as light therapy; however, since the sun can also cause cancer it’s an unsafe method for fighting acne.  The ultra violet light used for this type of therapy is not only painless, but it’s also safe to use.

Once the bacteria is killed from the top layer of skin, the new skin is able to grow.

This is one of the best treatments for somebody with mild to moderate acne. Most dermatologists will start by applying a topical application of Amino Levulinic Acid (ALA) and you will leave the acid on for approximately thirty minutes. Then you will have the ultra violet light put on the skin for ten to fifteen minutes.

On the downside, this is not a one-time treatment.  A dermatologist will determine how many visits are necessary for the desired results.  After your initial visit, you will normally make appointments to do the light therapy every two weeks.

In addition to determining the duration of your therapy, the dermatologist will decide if you will need to do additional treatment methods such as antibiotics with the acne light therapy.