Winning the Fight Against Acne: Which Facial Option Is Best?

With so many different types of facial treatments out there it is no surprise that I get asked this question often. The truth is that most facials will help with treating acne but we feel a combination of treatments is most effective.

First, we should understand what causes the acne in the first place. Acne is caused by a buildup of sebum – skin oils that are intended to keep your skin lubricated. When these oils build up and are combined with dead skin cells and bacteria you end up with a breakout which may include whiteheads, blackheads or pimples. Acne is most common among teenagers, though it affects people of all ages.

Knowing this we can see there are a few things we need to address in order to make acne breakouts a thing of your past. Clearly a treatment that combines cleansing and exfoliation is a must. It is important to clear away the natural build up of dead skin cells and cleans away any bacteria. This makes facial options such as our Hydrofacial a terrific option as it is one of the most effective ways to accomplish these goals especially on uneven skin. The Hydrofacial is noninvasive and can be repeated often. At Laser Skin Solutions in Portland we recommend getting a Hydrofacial 1-2 times a month. When combining this with a good at home skin care routine you should be able to keep the build up of oils and dead skin cells at bay. This addresses the surface level causes of acne…but there’s more you can do.

Next, we need to attack the bacteria that lives deep within your skin as well as the sources of the excess sebum that contributes to the causes of those breakouts. The treatment most recommended by Dermatologists is a Photofacial. A Photofacial is a term that refers to any use of light to treat skin conditions and is usually broken down into two different treatments, IPL (Intense Pulsating Light) or LED light therapy. The LED light therapy is a gentle treatment that can reduce bacteria on the skins surface. We recommend the more aggressive IPL treatment as it gets deeper into the skin yielding better results without negatively affecting the surface of our client’s skin.

The IPL treatment uses a broad spectrum of light sources making it an effective way to treat a variety of skin conditions including acne, age spots, rosacea, acne scars, and more. Different from a laser that utilizes a single light wavelength, the IPL technology uses different pulsed light wavelengths; red, blue and yellow. This energy is then absorbed by pigment cells and turns into heat working to prevent acne at its source. The blue light concentrates on killing the acne causing bacteria, while the yellow light addresses the swollen acne lesions. The red light then works to paralyze overactive oil glands. Working together, the three light wavelengths used in the IPL machine delivered beneath the skins surface will attack the issues that cause acne with improvements being seen with each treatment.

As you see, each treatment contributes to reducing acne. The hydrofacial will cleanse and exfoliate your skins surface while the IPL treats the cause of the acne below the skins surface. At Laser Skin Solutions in Portland we offer the addition of an IPL treatment that can be combined with all of our facial options, including the Hydrofacial, making this treatment combination the most effective way to treat acne whether it be on your face or body.

One of the great things about adding an IPL treatment to your facial is that it requires no down time and it won’t affect your day to day activities. After the treatment you may feel like you have a mild sunburn which typically subsides after a few hours. You will want to avoid direct unprotected sunlight following the treatment (always) for one week. Some experience minor pealing as the extra oils are being dried up but a mild moisturizer will take care of that and you should expect no other major side effects.

At Laser Skin Solutions we specialize in advanced Aesthetic treatments meaning we have the training, license, and technology to go beyond a typical facial treatment to address your acne concerns yielding results in a matter of weeks. Book with us today and start your journey toward clearer skin.