Smoothbeam Laser Acne Treatment Reviews

I am 25. I've had moderate to severe acne since age 15. Like many who suffer from persistant acne, I've tried several treatments; topicals, pills, peels, etc.. I recently heard about Candela's Smoothbeam Laser & hoped for the best, of course. Well, I have undergone 3 of 4 treatments so far, 4 weeks apart. After each treatment, my face seems to break out even worse about two weeks after each treatment. It breaks out horribly, like a bubbling cauldren, it hurts. And it is depresses the hopes I had for the treatment. I don't know if the treatment is helping to extract the acne from beneath the skin or if it's just worsening. I'm not sure if this treatment is good or bad yet. So far, it has been a horrible experience. I just hope so much that the pain of the procedure, the pain of the cost, the emotional pain and pain of the horrible breakouts is all worth it.. If not, I will have to go back to tanning, that seemed to keep it under control pretty good. Or maybe try Accutane, which I was hoping to avoid ;-( Good luck to all. Will keep you posted, for sure.

Note to people thinking about posting here: If you have questions, use the message boards! This area is for REVIEWS from people who have actually used the product.

I had my second Smoothbeam treatment a couple weeks ago and the results are great! The laser seems to bring a few comedones to the surface, but once I extract them my skin heals quickly. The best part is that I have had NO new cystic/nodular acne in more than a month! I'm going to hold off final judgement until I see how long the effects last after I stop getting regular treatments, but so far so good!

I've previously posted a comment here, and feel I should update on my change in opinion. I had 5 smoothbeam/vbeam treatments, and responded very well to it. It was by no means completely clear but it improved alot. However, this occured in the fall and winter, and when summer rolled around again I found myself breaking out again just as bad as before (sometimes worse!). Because it worked so well for me, I went back for a second round of treatments, which worked very moderately. I personally felt like I was spending an obscene amount of money for in effect a band-aid solution. This was not the key to beating my acne. I am presently on accutane and it is working 100%. I'm very against harmful manufactured drugs, so believe me when I say that this was my last resort, and that I felt totally and completely let down by smooth beam. I reccomend this treatement only if your acne is minor and merely an irritant.

I hope you found this useful.
cheers

I recently tried the V-beam, it costed me $400 and my doctor said I will need two more treatment, and depending on the result, I will also have to do 3 sessions of the smoothbeam. I don't really see any result from my first treatment. I didn't get any side effect from it, except that my face was really red right after the procedure, either than that I didn't get any blister or anything like that. However, I am kinda not sure if I want to do another session, because I am afraid my scars might get worse and what if it doesn't work.

I have had one Smoothbeam treatment and have been pleased with the results so far, although I'm hoping that more treatments will bring a greater effect! I had no side effects except for greater-than-usual pain if I picked at my skin (I know, I shouldn't), and the procedure itself hurt pretty bad. Since then, there has been a significant, but not total, decrease in my cystic/nodular acne. It's been a month and I'll go in for the next treatment this week. Of course it's expensive (I paid $1000 for six treatments) but hopefully worth it!

I had REALLY deep scarring due to breakouts and weight loss combined after high school. I did 3 or 4 treatments two years ago and got 50% improvement. Money was hard to come by and now that I have saved again, I started treatment again. This passed week was my second treatment and although they use a high energy and I have "superficial blisters" for a day (sometimes two), I immediately notice my breakouts clear & my skin is less oily. The scarring improvement takes time and from my last experience, I will not notice for a couple more months. For those of you who pay a lot per session, talk to your DR. If you explain that you want your skin to improve and try this treatment, they will sometimes give you a discount. I only pay $275 per treatment now, which allows me to get a few sessions and "try" it out before giving up at one or two. If you have constant breakouts and/or scarring, this is definitely the way to go. The only downside is you have to be patient when looking for results. It's gradual, but recovery time is slim to none.

I've just had my first smoothbeam treatment and haven't seen much change yet. I don't appear to be burned or blistered, but I look about the same. The pain was irritating but not really bad. I'd say about a 4 to 5 on a 10 point scale. Can anyone say how long the smoothbeam took before they improved?

I have tried the ARAMIS laser which did not work for me. I have had over 8 treatments, and I'm still not clear. I feel it actually made me worse. I now break out in areas I never broke out before. Once, I got a large blister on my nose that left a significant pitted scar. I was not too happy about that. The acne scars have filled in a little, but nothing dramatic. I can't tell if it was the laser or just the course of TIME that helped lessen the appearance of the pits. A friend of mine is on her 4th Smoothbeam/Vbeam combo and is doing really well. Unfortunately, I can't afford to start that since I have spent over 3K on the ARAMIS. The ARAMIS was a waste of my money.

Smoothbeam is a waste of money and hope.

I have very mild acne, only on my cheeks (really just one cheek). I am scheduled for my first Smoothbeam treatment on this Wednesday. Is this procedure too harsh for sensitive skin? I usually only get a pimple or two at a time, but they always leave scars. Somebody please let me know if Smoothbeam will be worth the $350. If not, what else will offer a "quick-fix" with long-term results?