To answer this question let us briefly recapitulate what acne really is. Acne is simply the term used to describe the clogged pores (pimples, whiteheads, blackheads or lesions) that occur on your face or on other parts of your body. The cause of acne comes from a disorder of the skin's oil glands. These oil glands produce a substance called sebum, which is constantly secreting through openings in the skin.
In some cases cells that are too close to the openings of these oil glands actually end up in the way and block the opening. As a result, oil builds up underneath the skin and provides a wonderful feeding ground for the nasty bacteria that simply multiply and cause acne.
What the blue light does is trigger the proliferation of photo sensitizers (so called porphyrins) in the acne causing bacteria. This creates a toxic environment, which destroys the acne bacteria themselves, thereby eliminating a major culprit in the process of producing acne.
What happens during a treatment session?
Blue-light therapy typically requires 16 minutes per treatment session. Patients sit in a chair while the therapeutic light is applied. Apart from an occasional, slight warming sensation, BLU-U light treatments are described as easy, even relaxing.
Typically, blue-light treatments are given twice a week for four weeks, then once a week for four weeks. Experts in photodynamic therapy generally recommend that patients do not miss any treatment appointments in order to see maximum results. BLU-U effectively clears 70% of moderate, inflammatory acne in 4-8 weeks, and best results are achieved when used with conventional treatments, such as topical creams and oral antibiotics.
BLU-U is FDA approved and is considered one of the safest acne treatments available. It has no known side effects. Some health care professionals like to say that teenagers can expect results to last for a year, while many grown-ups can expect them to last a life time. However, varying results should be expected from one person to the next and your skin type will play an important role in determining the results of blue-light treatments.
Can blue light cure severe acne as well?
In most cases of moderate to severe cystic acne the blue light itself is not enough to treat the condition. In those cases a prescription solution of a photosensitizing agent called Levulan (5-aminolevulinic acid) is applied to the affected skin. After the solution has been allowed time to absorb into the skin (it typically takes from 1-2 hours) the patient sits under a Blu-U light which activates the Levulan. The result is a reduction of acne lesions and oiliness and in turn produces skin rejuvenation.
This sounds exciting, and it is. However, do not forget to be critical. First of all, according to the FDA, a Levulan/BLU-U treatment does have some potential side effects. These include, but are not limited to: a tingling, stinging, prickling, or burning feeling of the treated areas. These feelings should improve at the end of the blue light treatment and should end within 24 hours.
Following blue light treatment, the surrounding skin, will redden. Swelling may also occur. These changes should reach a maximum the day after BLU-U treatment. However, these changes are temporary, should improve markedly by the end of the first week, and should be completely gone by 4 weeks after treatment. Other side effects at the treatment sites may include: scaling, itching, and changes in skin color.
Second, ask critical questions when you talk to your health care provider about Levulan/BLU-U. For example, the treatment regimen dramatically decreases the production of sebum, but is this really good for your skin overall? It may help relieve acne, but what if sebum is important for your skin in other respects? Does sebum help keep the skins elasticity? Does it play an integral role in the anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties of the skin? Does it prevent your skin from becoming to dry? Does it help protect your skin from the sun? Ask questions, and expect thorough answers. After all, it's your skin on the line.
An addition to the arsenal
Blue-light therapy, both by itself and in combination with Levulan, is a very exciting new approach to treating acne. Regardless of skin type or lifestyle, approximately 80% of the population will suffer from acne at some point in their lives. Acne is common in both teens and adults, and effective treatment solutions are in great demand.
BLU-U/Levulan is an exciting addition to the arsenal of those who battle acne regularly. At this point, however, it should not be considered the be all and end all of acne treatment, and both medical and alternative treatments should be considered as well.
Acne is a condition that many people suffer from, teenagers tend to be the group most people associate with acne however people suffer from it well into their forties. Acne can be acutely embarrassing, and can also leave you with severe scarring. There has been extensive research done and as a result there are more and more ways of treating acne successfully. One of the more promising forms of treatment is light therapy; in order to understand how this works, we need to understand what causes acne.
What is acne?
Acne usually occurs on the face neck or sometimes even the body. Everyone has glands just below the surface of their skin called sebaceous glands; these glands secrete oils onto the skin through the hair follicle tubes found on the skins surface.
The hair follicle tubes can easily become clogged as the glands continue to produce oil, however as there is no exit for the oil it results in a pimple forming. For some, it can just stop there but for others the problem continues when a bacteria known as Propionibacterium, becomes involved. This bacteria is commonly found on the skin, but it uses sebaceous to grow and it known that people with acne have an overabundance of Propionibacterium. Since bacteria is involved, white blood cells are attracted and cause a breakdown on the skin, which results in the red blotchy inflamed skin associated with acne.
How Does light therapy It Work?
Recently light therapy has shown to be a promising break through. It works by utilizing a blue or a red light wave and the FDA has approved this process for mild to moderate acne. Light therapy for acne involves exposing the skin to the light for about 20 to 30 minutes and uses a blue ray to destroy the bacteria Propionibacterium. The red light used i helps to reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by the white blood cells; some patients do have some mild pain after using light therapy.
Light therapy for acne and treatments are often offered through a dermatologist center and usually takes the form of monthly treatments as acne is an ongoing problem for many. There are now hand held devices available that can be purchased for the home, however it is recommended that it is discussed with a doctor to see which would work the best for the type and severity of acne you are suffering from
Although approved by the FDA, there have been no long term studies as to any damage caused by light therapy but for many, the benefits brought about by light therapy for acne are a testament to the success of the process.
Use these tips to make dealing with acne a lot easier. If you follow the basics you could eliminate your problem acne quickly.
Both Martin Hansen & Arnold Hexden are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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Arnold Hexden has sinced written about articles on various topics from Scooter, Acne Treatment and Home. Arnold Hexden is known for his interesting articles on many subjects.You can read more about acne treatments on his website: The Acne Report which is at