Why Blue Light Acne Treatment Helps Get Rid of Acne

One of the more effective ways to get rid of acne is with blue light acne treatment. Here is the reason blue light is successful in treating acne.

Many adults and around 85% of adolescents have suffered acne outbreaks. Pimples and other sores result from pores that become blocked up with a mass of skin oil (sebum) and dead skin cells. Once a pore becomes blocked up the bacteria trapped in the pore start multiplying and infect adjoining tissue. The irritated areas are visibly red and feel sore and become the pimples we associate with acne.

There are several popular treatments associated with acne prevention.

Eliminating surplus oils from the skin stands out as the most important step. You should use a non-alkaline cleanser such as Cetaphil Cleanser. Bacteria on the skin is next killed with a mild anti-bacterial cream or gel like benzoyl peroxide. Finally, a mild exfoliant cream or gel like salicylic acid is used to help loosen dead skin cells so they can be washed away.

By reducing the three components required for acne (excess oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells) the vast majority of acne will be prevented.

Once pores become blocked up they form blackheads or whiteheads. The location of the blockage is the main difference between a blackhead and a whitehead. With a blackhead, the blockage is near the surface where it will become oxidized and darken. When the clog descends a short distance into the pore, the top of the pore can close over the plug and the plug continues to be light colored and forms a whitehead.

Cells adjoining the pore become red, irritated and constitute a pimple because the bacteria within the plugged up pore start multiplying. The infected area can grow and the size and magnitude of the blemish can expand away from the cells belonging to the pore. For instance, pressure over a pimple may force infected oil deeper to reach the sebaceous gland and even into deeper skin layers and form a cyst.

One key to managing active acne is to eliminate the bacteria at the site of the pimple. With the bacteria eliminated, the cells will no longer be irritated and can start to mend. Though some anit-biotic prescription medicines are prescribed for severe acne, most people can benefit greatly from more localized treatments.

Blue Light Acne Treatment

Blue light acne treatment is one such localized therapy. While sunlight has always been know to help acne, scientists examined precise colors in the spectrum to determine more particularly the range of colors that are actually helpful. One of the first groups to research this subject established that light within the violet range activated an organic compound, a porphyrin, within the acne causing bacteria,  Propionibacterium acnes. This porphyrin releases a signlet oxygen that eventually kills the bacteria.

Since acne bacteria multiply rapidly, three treatments on consecutive days are often necessary to kill all the bacteria in a blemish. After the bacteria are eliminated, the swelling decreases and the cells start to heal.

Obviously, the blue light acne treatment could be delivered by full spectrum sunlight. But now dedicated lasers, fluorescent lamps, as well as LEDs (light emitting diodes) are employed to provide the exact wavelength of light which is most effective. Numerous dermatologists use the Dusa Blue Light which is just like an array of fluorescent lights that emit light at a 400nm wavelength. Often your dermatologist will apply aminolevulinic acid (brand name Levulan) to affected areas prior to the blue light therapy. The Levulan is photosensitive and under blue light helps damage particular skin cells.

A single blue light acne treatment session in a dermatologists office may cost $200 or more. But, you can find a variety of devices you can purchase for use right at home that many people find helpful. Competition is keeping the purchase price for many of the devices in an affordable range from around $40 to $300 or so.

Keep in mind that blue light acne treatment is not going to produce immediate results as the skin has to heal. But, in comparison to treatments like benzoyl peroxide, lots of people have found blue light acne treatment to be less irritating to the skin and more effective at helping get rid of acne.

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