Phototherapy
Reviews
2.9
233 Reviews
Phototherapy
Efficacy
65%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Phototherapy
Side Effects
Medium-High
Phototherapy
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Laser therapy works by harming skin oil glands. That can lead to some improvement in acne, and perhaps even long-term relief of some acne symptoms. However, evolution gave us skin oil glands for a reason and what happens long term when you permanently disable them is still unknown. Proceed with caution.
Phototherapy
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this procedure done. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Read All About Lasers
Compare To Other Treatments
5
15%
4
22.3%
3
19.3%
2
21.5%
1
21.9%

Used Lasers? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
September 27, 2008

Pros:

NONE

Cons:

Where do i start? Very expensive. In-experienced members of staff. My skin actually got worse. The laser left a scar on my forehead. The machine kept breaking during one of my treatments. No after-care.

I wish I had never had this treatment.
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June 3, 2008

Pros:

one small spot diminished on nose

Cons:

acne worsened dramatically since treatment, new spots in places where i was clear before (cheek, side of face, jawline)

risky! it sounds like it works for other people, but it certainly made my skin worse.
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April 10, 2008

Pros:

reduced oiliness

Cons:

expensive

slightly painful, I only looked like a freak for one day afterward, I am not sure this helped my breakouts (I had 4 or 5 treatments), but when I wake up in the morning my face is not oily at all now!
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February 26, 2008

Pros:

I had the co2 laser done right after they finished my face lift. Deep wrinkles are gone but you can still see where the wrinkle line was.

Cons:

The redness and itching. One eye has the dark circle problem. My chin area looks very burned. I now at 3 weeks. They do have medication to apply to the area to bleach out the skin. I'm now trying that.

I would have requested the doctor to be less agressive. If the redness ever goes away or can be easily covered with make up then I would do it again. Or maybe first tried a wrinkle filler before doing the laser. The pictures that they show never look any thing like you end up looking!
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December 9, 2007
It was my second intensive treatment, the machine kept cutting out and I wonder if this was a factor or had the machine been put on the wrong frequency because a few days later I ended up with the most awful eruptions - I had never had acne this bad before - pustules upon painful pustules and I remained like this for three months of the summer of 2005 - working with a bandaged chin and no social life! Two years down the line I am now experiencing another bout of terrible eruptions in one of those very sites - I am on 2000mg of antibiotics presently, bandaged chin again. I know this laser damaged my skin and intend to get it checked out. If the pain and the unsightly looking afflicted area bad enough I have concerns that there could be more sinister effects of this treatment. Whatever you do - stay away from the N-light laser treatment - please!
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November 29, 2007

Pros:

got rid of ALL the acne on my back/ shoulders/ chest & face (except my chin..which has gotten worse, but ive been told its unrelated/strictly hormonal)

Cons:

so much $$$$$$$$$..painful, my eyes teared up every time..takes a while to see results.

as pissed off as i was with the $/pain/time to see results..i NEVER break out any of those places i got it done except my chin. it's expensive..seems like theres a lot of mixed results..but if it works, it really works. ALSO..after recieving 5 treatments and my chin wasnt cleared up, i can go back anytime i want and have him do another treatment free of charge. which is nice. if it eventually works on m hormonal acne.
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November 21, 2007

Pros:

None after first treatment. I also had some cortisone injections into the cystic acne, so perhaps they are slightly less inflamed.

Cons:

Skin is red and tender from treatment and some breakout. The emotional stress of cystic acne probably doesn't help the cure.

No acne treatment has ever worked for me longterm. I am now in my mid 30s and have had acne on and off for years. It is now worse than ever with cystic acne on my jawline. This was my last resort as I started a treatment of accutane and was half way through the course when I went to another Dr who said that I shouldn't be on the Accutane for at least 6 months prior to having a baby. Therefore, fingers crossed this works, but I am skeptical.
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October 19, 2007

Pros:

It calms that acne considerably!!!

Cons:

Depending on how bad your acne is it may take more sessions.

It is really good but it seems that some people are paying way over the odds for the N Lite laser. They do it in selfridges in London for about £400 for 3 sessions so i would recommend that. Don't get ripped off in Harley street.
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September 26, 2007

Pros:

I also found while I was on the treatments my skin looked great.

Cons:

doesn't last long

It's a very expensive way to temporarily treat acne. I can tell you that it did work for me at first in combination with photo therapy and v-beam treatments. My skin was the best it has been in years for about 3 months, but after about 5 months my skin was back to it's same old tricks. Unfortuneately another product that only worked for a period of time. I guess it was worth it for the short period of time that it worked. I don't know if I'd reccomend it.
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September 13, 2007

Pros:

Had one week of clear skin after first treatment. But that was all.

Cons:

Expensive
Has made my acne worse than when I began
Use up a lot of time and effort travelling to and from appointments and made me very low after false hopes were dashed as skin became worse than before.

Alas! The bottom line is that I wish that I had read these comments about Nlite before i started with it!I have had three Nlite appointments at the Private Clinic. Before I had mild to moderate acne that wasn't awful but got me down.I just wanted to get rid of it permanently.The Private clinic in London seemed to offer this.I had a free consultation where I was told it would work-Not true. The Nlite has not made my skin clear but made it much much worse.Acne where i never had acne before - such as redness on my nose and lots of small incredible stuborn spots on my forehead and hair line.For the expensive price tag and amount of effort it was a big let down. AlsoIam becoming very suspicious of their methods.They use ur insecurities to get money out of you!plus i think they post +ve reviews of themselves.Alot of reviews on here are the same as on there web page which r all positive.I put a -Ve review on their web site and it got deleted!they promote a false 'miracle cur
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.