Treating Your Acne with Light Therapy

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Even a skin care regimen packed with cleansers, exfoliants, serums, and moisturizers can let you down. If your acne is persistent, light therapy treatments might be the boost you need to clear up your complexion. Along with treating the issues causing your active acne, photofacials can also help fade away old scars.

At Associated Dermatologists, with locations in West Bloomfield, Commerce, Novi, and Berkley, Michigan, our team of expert skin care providers offers a variety of acne-focused treatments, including laser therapy that involves fractional or pulsed light treatments to restore a healthy glow and reduce the appearance of acne scars.

How light therapy works

Light therapy, commonly called a photofacial, is a resurfacing treatment that can tackle a number of imperfections at once. Melanin, scar tissue, and blood vessels are all affected by heat and light, and a photofacial can be used to treat all of them at once.

Using bursts of intense pulsed light (IPL), your dermatologist can fade freckles and sun spots, minimize signs of aging, and even reduce the appearance of scars. Along with treating more permanent blemishes, IPL therapy is also recommended for those experiencing persistent acne.

Light therapy for acne

Acne often feeds into a vicious cycle. Many people have problem areas that continue breaking out no matter what they do, leaving their skin rough and red with old scars and open sores.

Picking at your skin or touching your face can spread bacteria to the rest of your pores, while frequent exfoliating can leave you tender and open to infection. A skin care routine can help, but stripping your skin of essential oils can cause dryness or an overproduction of oil in response, only worsening the issue.

By killing bacteria and shrinking oil glands, IPL therapy sessions can put a stop to the cycle. While the intense light destroys any bacteria on the surface, the heat penetrates the second layer of your skin, targeting imperfections like scars, hyperpigmentation, and rosacea. This not only helps clear up existing breakouts, but fades evidence of previous ones as well.

Choosing the best acne treatments

If you’re struggling with acne, regular photofacials might be a great addition to your skin care routine. Light therapy can also be used alongside other solutions, including HydraFacials and spa treatments.

Acne requires daily care and a product lineup that fits your skin type, but the specialists at Associated Dermatologists can help you decide whether light therapy will provide the boost you need.

To consult with the team and decide what’s best for your skin, call the location closest to you. or request an appointment online.