Lasers
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Side Effects

Laser therapy is thought to work by inhibiting the activity of skin oil (sebaceous) glands, killing acne bacteria, and reducing inflammation.

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Laser therapy is thought to work by inhibiting the activity of skin oil (sebaceous) glands, killing acne bacteria, and reducing inflammation.

It is usually performed about 5 times in 2 to 4-week intervals.

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2.9
229
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Compare To Other Treatments
5
15.3%
4
21%
3
19.7%
2
21.8%
1
22.3%

Used Lasers? Rate It:

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March 29, 2007

Pros:

I have not noticed many pros but then I may be too early to judge as I have only had two so far. Not that painful and no downtime.

Cons:

It is very expensive. It has also exasperated my acne. I am getting more cystic acne now.

I am a bit frustrated with the procedure. I have spent so much money on procedures over my life time to try to "cure" my acne and nothing has worked. I am 38 years old and still break out! I am hoping after the third or fourth time, I will notice a difference in oiliness, and cystic break outs. I will definately write back after my third treatment and update my opinion.
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March 26, 2007

Pros:

can't think of any

Cons:

ruined my skin

I had a treatment done at the Laser Treatment Clinic 1in London, 1 Harley. The people you speak to are not qualified and do not check your skin. They mention the only side effect are some red marks that stay for 15 minutes. One hour after the laser treatment, I had some massive red marks all over my face. After 2 hours it died down but was left with very deep red marks. After 4 days the red marks turned into purpura and started having small buttons with white heads. I was so scared, I went to a skin specialist who gave me some cream with antibiotics. This helped to heal and I was left after 2 weeks with some marks that turned pink. After 4 weeks I still had some light pink marks and 6 months later, we can still see where the laser went. It left some marks and I now have some holes in my beard. This treatment did nothing for me. I still have the same level of acne but I now have marks for ever. So please don't go to these private clinic. They just want your money and are not qualified
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January 26, 2007

Pros:

My skin felt and looked better for a while.
I had breakouts after N-lite, but they went away faster, they sort of dried up. Plus the pimples and papules were much smaller.
At least it didn't make my skin worse.

Cons:

The results were quite good, but they didn't last as long as I was promised (6 months or longer) - my skin stayed quite clear only about two weeks and then I started having breakouts again after every treatment.

Altogether I took three treatments, because that's what the staff recommended. After the third treatment they wanted me to have another one. I'm still wondering what to do. I'm not sure if N-Lite is the best option, if you think about how much it costs and the poor results that you get from spending so much money. At times the clinic staff seemed to only care about money and they knew how desperate I was. After the first appointment they promised that next time will be cheaper, but they lied. I could not refuse to pay, because I had had the treatment done already and I was too nervous to say anything. But maybe I should take the fourth treatment to see if the results would last, before saying N-lite is all lies. Yet another BUT, when I first mett the staff "the magic word" was three. They promised that after three treatments my skin will be clear but now the number has changed to four and I bett after that it will be five and so on...
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December 31, 2006

Pros:

Initally seemed to improve my skin

Cons:

Very expensive
Made my skin worse
Staff at The Private Clinic Harley Street very rude

Total waste of money. I had four sessions in all and it initally helped my skin but follow up sessions are needed at £200 at time. The nurses are so clueless on the results avalible from the treatment and just told me I needed to visit every 3-4 weeks until I got the results I wanted!! Like i'm made of money. In the end it upset my skin so much I am now 2 and a half months in on my first course of roaccutane.
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December 30, 2006

Pros:

No down time, quick recovery. Procedure is very quick.

Cons:

Can take months to see if there is a benefit, after you have spent quite a bit of money. It's a gamble, an expensive and emotional one as well.

I have just had my third treatment. The first time the technician used the cooling jets and I felt absolutely no pain at all. However, for my 2nd treatment, I was informed they were no longer allowed to use the cooler as it decrease the efficacy of the laser. This 2nd visit was beyond painful, literally I cried; & I have a very high pain tolerance! Third time, I applied tons of numbing cream earlier so that it was on for a little more than an hour and took 3 advil an hour before. This made a HUGE difference; it was completely tolerable this time. I have NOT seen any improvement in my acne, in fact I experience a flare-up along my jawline following treatment, this is very frustrating. You really want to see an improvement, but none visible as of yet. The tech says it usually take 5 or 6 visits before you see a difference. I am hoping so, nothing else has worked so far. I have always had nice skin, my doc says it is hormones. I am a 37 yr.old female. I'll re-post after 6th visit.
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November 20, 2006

Pros:

I've had two of five treatments, and things are looking good

Cons:

It's still a little slow, especially when you just want to have your face back from acne

I'm 26 and going through hormonal changes, which triggered the worst acne of my life (by far) I tried everything, from prescriptions and TV promises, to acne fighting yoga, and acne psyco-analysis/hypnotics. I finally turned to laser treatments, and am thrilled. First treatment, they determined the sensitivity of my skin (not too sensitive from the beating I'd given it with topical solutions), so no real change. Second one, my scars glowed for about 24 hr, but were dramatically reduced the next day. I was also a little chapped around the mouth, but that cleared up within a day too. It's been three days, and I haven't gotten a new pimple since the second treatment (which is about 7 less than I usually get) And the best part, my little town is charging $35 a treatment. Yes, I made them repeat the price three times to me when I first made the appointment, considering that I had been quoted $375 a treatment in Calgary (nearby city). So, hooray for the small town!
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November 19, 2006

Pros:

i tried it and im brown skinned and it s bloody wicked

Cons:

few white spots that go

do it
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September 11, 2018
Temporary moderate results
I suffer from cystic acne and have sensitive, but oily skin. After receiving 4 smoothbeam treatments, I didn't notice any results at first. However, after a month or so after my final treatment, once the acne I had started to clear, I experienced a noticeable reduction in new cysts, specifically on my forehead (where I am oiliest). I also suffer from pretty severe hormonal acne along my jawline, which I don't believe the treatments helped much. It has been ~5-6 months since my last laser and I was getting quite oily again in my t-zone and suddenly got a cystic breakout on my forehead (about 2-3 cysts, which is still much less than I would experience prior to laser treatments). I knew that my aesthetician mentioned maintenance treatment after about 6 months, so last week I went in for another smoothbeam treatment. Already, my skin is much less oily and my forehead breakout has cleared up. I want to emphasize that I do not think smoothbeam is a cure-all but it may be a solution for a very specific skin-type and type of acne.
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May 10, 2015
Pleased with results
I have had 2 of my 3 Nlite laser treatments and am rea and pleased with the results!! I had awful cystic acne and have suffered with adult acne for a long time so my skin was in a right state when I had my first appointment. I would say week 1 was less active then my acne continued to be fairly active until week 4-5 when new ones slowed and it started to heal. I am now 4 weeks after my second treatment and although I still have a couple of active pimples my skin has improved remarkably! I have not suffered any big cystic ones since the first couple of weeks after treatment. I still have a way to go in terms of the marks fading and some scaring but I finally feel like my acne is under control and is healing faster than new ones are coming. I would definitely reccomend this. Even though this is expensive I wish I had done it years ago abd naybe could have prevented some of the damage caused by cystic acne. I have had the Nlite in combination with a 40% glycolic acid peel before each Nlite lasted treatment. And using a milder glycolic acid face wash twice daily.
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April 3, 2009

Pros:

It really tightened my skin and it looks much younger.

Cons:

It made my pores shrink at first then I got many bumps and clogged pores and white heads and now my skin is very rough and bumpy and my pores are back. I had co2 lasering 6 weeks ago.

I would do it again because my wrinkles are gone in most places but I wish I would have known about the acne before I did it.
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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.
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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.
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