For thousands of years, teenagers and adults with acne have applied messy lotions to their faces in an effort to eradicate the pimples. While medicated topical treatments such as benzoyl peroxide still represent the standard of care in modern acne treatment, many sufferers are looking to new at-home light-based therapies such as Omnilux Clear-U phototherapy to treat their pimples without having to apply medication to their faces each day.
Acne Causes
Pimples appear in most teenagers as their skin matures, causing it to become more oily, according to MayoClinic.com. The oil, which dermatologists call sebum, can help to clog and irritate hair follicles. The clogs create whiteheads and blackheads, which can turn into swollen pimples if bacteria builds up in the hair follicles. Bad bacterial infection can turn a simple case of acne into severe acne that can cause scars.
Function
Photo Therapeutics Inc. developed Omnilux Clear-U phototherapy devices from a medical device used by dermatologists to clear up acne. Phototherapy treatment uses specific wavelengths of light to kill the bacteria that causes bad acne. The hand-held devices also potentially can decrease inflammation in acne, according to Photo Therapeutics. The devices, which you can purchase directly, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in January 2009.
Treatment
You should use the Omnilux Clear-U device at the first sign of an acne breakout, according to Photo Therapeutics. You should give yourself two treatments a week for four minutes, holding the device to your face for 20 minutes during each treatment. For the first treatment, you should use the blue light setting, and then you should use the red light setting for the second treatment, continuing to alternate until you have completed eight treatments, the company says. Side effects can include skin reddening after the first couple of treatments.
Results
Cornell University dermatologist Dr. Neil Sadick, who performed the medical study for Photo Therapeutics that earned the Omnilux Clear-U device FDA approval, said the device offers good results. However, Sadick noted that physician-administered light treatments offer better results than at-home treatment devices such as the Omnilux Clear-U. Generally, he said, you can expect to clear up seven out of every 10 acne lesions within 12 weeks of treatment by using the Clear-U device.
Considerations
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, light therapies such as Omnilux Clear-U can supplement the medications used in conventional acne treatment, but cannot replace conventional therapy because they only treat one cause of acne, bacterial proliferation. However, patients might be drawn to the treatment because it doesn't involve messy skin ointments and because it can be administered at home. Omnilux Clear-U sells for about $150 to $200 at many online retailers.
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