Acne.org Products
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
April 13, 2009
Cons:
None, other than staying away from the sun
I just had my first YAG laser treatment about 2 weeks ago (followed by a mild TCA peel last week) and I am already noticing an improvement in my skin. I like the fact that my doctor is using mild peels and a "gentle" laser procedure so that I don't have to have a long recovery period. Takes a long time but I can tell it's going to be worth it.
December 30, 2008
Pros:
Leaves your face really smooth for a couple of days.
Cons:
Even with the numbing cream, it hurts like hell, especially where you have a pimple. I also didn't notice it getting rid of any pimples. Your face is really red afterwards and, if you don't wear sunscreen, you can get brown marks.
This procedure is too expensive for what you get. I had about 6 or 7 treatments. I like the way my face feels afterwards - smooth and soft but, it didn't do anything for my acne (my face only had 1 or 2 small pimples at that time), didn't prevent new acne from forming and did not decrease the size of my pores, which is why I tried the procedure in the first place. Bottom line - at a cost of $400 each time, totally not worth it.
June 7, 2008
Pros:
quick, and painless
Cons:
NO improvement seen at all after 6 treatments. HAlfway throgh treatments at #3 was told I need microdermabrasion which I did and still NOTHING, my face is still the same and all broken out. Not happy at all and deffenately not cheap.
Dont do it unless you want to waste alot of your money. Its a huge disappointment!
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.
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.
August 1, 2007
Pros:
None. Had it done in 2003 and no improvement whatsoever.
Cons:
I developed severe cystic acne afterwards. Then the doctor injected too strong a solution of cortisone in a giant cyst near my mouth, and as a result, ended up with a permanent dent. Downtown is about one month. No improvement, skin looks worse.
Improvement is little or none. Expensive procedure and devastating once you see no improvement like I did. My skin now has an orange peel texture and scars are more noticeable than before. If you wear glasses/contacts, you will need somebody to help you for the first couple weeks with the change of bandages, etc because you can't wear them. At the time I did this, I could not find testimonials like now. Had I been able to, I would have NOT had this procedure done. I look so bad that the doctor never even took my "after" photo.
March 6, 2007
Pros:
I love this laser!!! I udnerstand it does not work for some people, but I am about a week and a half out from my first treatment and my acne has dramatically diminshed just during that time period.....as my sebaceous glands were apparantley very wel
Cons:
Very Expensive(I am paying $850 w/numbing agents for 4 rounds), buut really not that painful at all, more annoying, with the numbing cream.
This is a fantastic system that worked really well for me in the first treatment alone. I am so exicted about the next ttreatment. i experienced 0 discoloration, pain or discomfort, just some reddening for about 2 hours afer the procedure. it was easy, fast, and effective!!!
December 4, 2006
I had my second treatment of SB 3 days ago. After my first treatment I noticed a difference in my acne and acne scarring although it was only a slight difference. This is my 7th laser treatment overall. I had 5 treatments with a diff. kind of laser before I did the SB. I have noticed that with both types that the days after treatment my face was much clearer. This last SB treatment that I had actually resulted in what looks like small oval blisters which seem to have turned into scabs. I also developed small whiteheads around my lower lip. I had my treatment on Friday afternoon and live 2 hours from where I get my treatments at so as a result I am unable to contact my dermatoligist in regards to this matter since it is the weekend. As far as pain goes my derm puts a topical pain reliever on my skin 1 hour before treatment and also offers patients the option of oral pain relievers. So I find the pain very tolerable.
October 16, 2014
waste of money
I tried this treatment in West London, I found it expensive and completely useless.
Pros:
Seems to be working already