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.
Used Lasers? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
March 6, 2008
Cons:
Expensive, time consuming, kind of painful. gives false hope.
I had one treatment and acc. to THE PRIVATE CLINIC and other reasearch by tony chu online, the first one should've helped. It did nothing for me.
The nurse tries to brainwash u by telling you how others have benefited and the theory behind it and by being extra nice. NO IT DOESNT WORK
if you have super-spare money try 3-6 and see if it works.
February 14, 2008
Ok, I've had acne since grade school and at the ripe age of 48 only get a pimple from time to time. My present condition is some pretty severe scarring. I made the plunge and had my first SB procedure yesterday. Had the numbing cream applied before the procedure and incurred only mild pain. Procedure took about 15-20 minutes. Used some ice afterwards but only mild reddness was seen and went away within an hour or so. I know it will take time to see any real improvement in my scarring but I'm hopefull. Have my second procedure in 4 weeks and I'm planning on doing at least 5. I will reeport on my progress or lack off after each procedure. My goal is to see a 50-75% improvement. I hope that is not reaching for the stars. Hope everyone finds success in whatever procedure they choose and say a good prayer for me. Best of luck to all, I know how painfull acne can be.
February 10, 2008
Pros:
After just two treatments my skin cleared up for almost a year. It also firmed up my skin and softened fine lines so I looked a bit younger, so I was told. My skin looked and felt great.
Cons:
Expensive! I paid $300 a treatment at a high end Santa Monica Derm. Office. I should have continued with the treatments because now I have to start all over again. My skin has become excessively oily again and the break outs are flaring up.
It works better than any of the other treatments that I have tried, but I will probably have to have treatments every so often for the rest of my life to maintain clear skin. I don't think that it cures acne, but is a very effective temporary treatment. If the price were to come down a bit I probably would be treated more often in spite of the pain.
January 30, 2008
Pros:
None
Cons:
Definitely the cost,raised hopes, travelling to clinic
Having suffered with acne for 30 + years,and tried everything there is to try,I truly believed this would end the years of torment.The operator came across with all this medical spiel and told me that this would DEFINITELY work, paid my £1200 for 6 sessions and was full of hope for an acne free future. 1st 3 sessions, came away with nothing but very red skin followed by huge cystic breakouts, told this was to be expected. 4th,5th treatment, no better, was told I should have glyclocic peels once a week .then it would work, hand over more hard earned money.At the end of all this, my acne is no better, probably worse, its cystic now, and I am still paying back the credit card bills. So very,very dissapointed.Since found out that it only works for about 40% of people, wish theyd told me that before I handed over the cash!
December 22, 2007
Pros:
My skins is in really nice and fairly wrinkle free for someone 62. It could possibly be from the different treatments I had done, ie photo rejuv (did remove most brown spot, yag, and 2 fraxel treatments. But my skin was nice to begin with.
Cons:
Yag a waste of money. Fraxel disappointed in results with fine lines around eyes and mouth. Recovery longer and more painful than advertised
It seems to make more sense to do one tratment with a heavy duty laser like the co2and do one recovery than 5 treatments and 5 recoveries.
December 11, 2007
Pros:
Um.....Um......nope
Cons:
The cost. The dashed hopes!
I can't speak for everyone but I think as with any acne treatment some things work for some people and not for others. I had to travel 2 hours each way to my nearest provider of NLite. It cost £150.00 a session. (A non refundable cost is also the £25.00 pre consultation - at your 1st session)
The 'nurses' at the place I went to in Exeter were not particularly friendly either.
Any way I had 1 treatment and was told to expect a breakout followed by improvement at 2 weeks. I had a breakout but no improvement. My 2nd session was at that 2 week mark. I was treated by a different girl who told me after the 2nd I could REALLY start to see improvement...my 3rd session was booked in for 4 weeks later. 3 days before, I cancelled as my skin had only become progressively worse! As I say I think for some it probably does work. I wasn't one of the luck ones though....NEXT? P.S. That 2nd treatment was about 2 months ago.
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.
October 26, 2007
I had my first Nlite treatment today and am slightly alarmed. I was advised that the treatment would take 15 mins, but I was actually only on the table for 3 mins, at most! That seems like a very short period of time for a payment of £200! I questioned this and was told that the 15 mins they inform people about, actually inclues the chat they have with your prior to laying you down and putting the goggles on. Has anybody else, has good results, for such a short duration of time?! My next session is in 2 weeks time and I have to say that I am very dubious now! I will let you know how I get on.
August 13, 2007
Pros:
when i was actually on the treatment, it seemed to work and there was no down time at all.
Cons:
now, about 5 months later, my acne's back like nothing ever happened.
my doctor probably wasn't the best, and i'm pretty sure i got ripped off bigtime. sit down if you're not already - the way my doctor charged me was 1,000 dollars per treatment ("as part of the procedure, i always do a microdermabrasion before") and i was charged for a numbing cream that i had to use or he wouldn't do the treatment on me. after my fifth of six treatments, he finally "remembered" to say "sometimes, when people don't get as many treatments as they need, it comes back" and apparently that was the case for me. make your doctor isn't a conniving piece of crap before you commit to this.
July 14, 2007
Pros:
reduced the look of some scars
Cons:
MADE MY ACNE WORSE BIG TIME!
smoothbeam did, in fact, make my acne much worse than what is was pre-smoothbeam. i've had three total smoothbeams done by an excellent, well-known dermatologist in my area. very disappointed. i am now looking forward to starting accutane and seeing some real results. my advice, if you want to get rid of active acne, is to go straight to accutane and ditch the smoothbeam, which is an experimental piece of crap. also, i wouldn't have another treatment done if they paid me to have one.
Pros:
Gives you hope that it will work