11 replies to this topic

[p8428wsp]

In the past 5 months I have had a series of Isolaz treatments and I thought I would post a review about it for those of you who are interested.

I've been dealing with moderate nodular acne since I was 13 (I am 19 now). After about 2 years of using unsuccessful OTC products, I saw a dermatologist who put me on Tazorac cream. It worked relatively well up until 7-8 months ago. So I went back to my dermatologist and was given prescriptions for doxycycline and clindamycin phosphate lotion. Neither of them helped me, and I was surprised the doxycycline didn't do anything because I had been on it twice previously and it did wonders! While I was at a follow-up appointment, I saw the brochure for Isolaz. I scheduled a consultation with the nurse who performs the treatment and I started doing some research about it on my own.

The nurse was extremely nice and explained everything to me and answered all of my questions. I decided to give it a try and I scheduled my first treatment.

I was really nervous because I thought it would hurt for some reason (even though it's advertised as being painless) and the nurse assured me it wouldn't hurt. I was completely wrong. It was actually very relaxing. I don't know if anyone has seen what the machine looks like or how it works, so I'll try to explain that too. The machine has a little handpiece which is placed on your skin. There are different sized pieces for the different areas being treated (for example, there's a really small handpiece for your nose, and then there's a bigger one for your cheeks). When it's placed on your skin, it lifts up the skin and the light flashes really quickly while the handpiece is on your skin. It reminded me of the flash on a camera. It was really quick and bright, and it was warm (but not hot). Then she would move the handpiece to the next spot on my face and do it again. The whole procedure took about 20 minutes for my whole face, but she did it twice, so it was about 45 minutes total. Afterwards she put on sunscreen/moisturizer and gave me a mirror to look in. My skin just had a reddish glow to it, like maybe I had been out in the sun for half an hour. There weren't any suction marks or anything else.

For acne, she told me it is recommended to get the first 3-5 treatments every 2-3 weeks, so I scheduled my next one. She also told me to not use any of my medication for 5 days, and only to use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer.

Right away my skin felt so much better. I could see/feel the acne drying out immediately. I had a ton of blackheads around my nose, and those were gone immediately from the suction of the treatment.
It also made my complexion a whole lot better. So even if I had a really small flare up, my skin looked great, it had a really nice glow to it, the pores were smaller, it was less oily, and it was very soft and smooth.
After 5 treatments my acne was almost completely gone. I still had a few really deep nodules, but they were improving every day.

I'm sure I missed a few things, so if anyone has any questions, please ask! I highly reccommend this for those who can afford it.

[kavik]

Thank you so much for posting your experience. I too was seeing diminishing results with each course of docycycline and was so excited when I heard about Isolaz. Reading your post made me feel a little more confident in my decision to spend so much money on such a new treatment (especially becuz I couldn't find much first-hand accounts of treatment results on the web).

I am having my second Isolaz treatment this afternoon. I was very pleased with the results of my first treatment.

I do have a question for you. Did your practitioner mention anything about follow-up treatments to maintain your results? I read on a derm's website that he recommended a follow-up treatment every 3-4 months to maintain results. I will be asking my practitioner about this today as well.

Thanks again!

[cheshiret75]

I am very curious about follow-up treatments as well...I am an esthetician, and we can't do laser treatments, but blue light treatments, microdermabrasion and chemical peels can accomplish the same thing and might be a good option for a less expensive maintenance program for you.

[p8428wsp]

She told me that follow up treatments ARE needed to continue seeing results. For more severe acne, it's recommended to have follow up treatments every 2-3 months, for mild acne it would be every 6 months or so. She also told me that if I could feel a breakout beginning, to call and schedule an appointment as soon as possible to help decrease the severity of it and to make it go away faster.

[gymrat7676]

Can I ask how expensive it was and how you went about finding a qualified doc? thanks

[p8428wsp]

On their website (isolaz.com) they have a list of places that offer the treatment.
My dermatologist's office offers the treatment -- that's actually how I found out about it.
The price probably varies depending on where you go. A treatment for the whole face cost $350. Sometimes if I'm having bad breakouts and I need "spot treatments" in between the whole face treatments, the price is less. My chin had some really deep acne, so that area required more treatments to clear it up. I've gone in for treatments just for my chin and jawline area and they won't charge me for my whole face. Just that area is $175. But I'm sure the prices vary depending on where you go.

[gymrat7676]

Thanks for your reply
I looked at the website and I found an MD near me and they have ppx which is almost the same thing as isolaz and then I called a place that was more of a spa/plastic surgery place and they told me that the laser was done by an esthetician instead of a doc. I made an appointment for a consult with both. The doc's consult was free so that was good.
what do you think of an esthetician vs. a doc? my gut says to go with the doc!

[gymrat7676]

Ok made an appointment for friday with a doc- can't wait to see what happens- hope this helps me

[p8428wsp]

Ok made an appointment for friday with a doc- can't wait to see what happens- hope this helps me

sorry it took me so long to reply! yes, if i was in your position i would definitely prefer the doctor. an RN does the treatment at the doctor's office that i go to.
please let us know how your treatment goes!

[ariellestar1234]

I am schelduling an appointment for the treatment as well!!

I dont care how much it will cost

I have read nothing but positive reviews about this treatment...I will not pass this up..!!

[LexieF]

First of all, thank you for your posting this information. Would you mind answering a few questions?

Did you have any hyperpigmentation? (Sun spots, old acne marks that are brown in color) If so, did it help? Lastly, what what the price paid?

[Ky123]

I've been getting the Isolaz treatments too... I believe I'm now on my 6th or 7th one. The specialist I go to recommends visits one week apart in the beginning.. then 2 weeks apart after the first 2 or 3 sessions. She doesn't do any peels, which I've heard some people do with it, but she does do extractions afterwards, and then applies the light only to those areas at the end. I have very very sensitive skin, so when I leave I look like I've been hit by a car. It's awful... but it fades within a day or 2 and my skin is a million times better... for awhile. The first week after treatments my face looks pretty good... but after the first week I start to see my old skin coming back. Something kind of weird thats happened the past 2 weeks is I have large areas on my chin where when I press down, I feel a million tiny little bumps like pimples waiting to come up. You can only see them when I stretch the skin there though.. they're not red yet or anything. She said that this is not surprising since they were probably ones that were deep under the skin that we've been pulling up. She said that most people actually do require more than 6 treatments to get the results they want, which kinda sucks. Overall, I'm happy with the Isolaz treatments, but I'm not 100% satisfied YET. I think I'm getting there. I still get the ocassional pimples. I just pray that those bumps dont turn into large acne covered areas. Guess I'll have to wait and see.