According to the Mayo Clinic, acne results when dead skin and oil clog the hair follicles. As skin and oil collect within a pore, they can form a plug, which often becomes infected. This causes an inflammatory response in the follicle, resulting in the formation of a pustule or cyst. While proper skin care and medications can go a long way in treating acne, acne sufferers have other methods to choose from to help improve the appearance of their skin. One of these systems is known as ClearLight Photoclearing.
Function
ClearLight Photoclearing uses light from the blue and violet spectrums to treat acne. The American Academy of Dermatology maintains that the P. acnes bacterium responsible for this skin condition is photosensitive. When wavelengths of blue light are directed over areas of the skin with acne, molecules within the bacterium absorb the energy, elevating the internal temperature. This destroys the bacterium.
Benefits
Besides clearing acne at a faster rate than other treatments, ClearLight therapy is said to have other benefits. The Park Ridge Center for Plastic Surgery says ClearLight treatments also stimulate the body's immune response, helping to eliminate other bacterial agents that may later result in acne. A study performed at the State University of New York showed an improvement in the skin of 60 percent of patients who received twice-weekly ClearLight treatments over four weeks. These patients also experienced an improvement in their complexion for the next three months.
Effects
Though the Park Ridge Center maintains ClearLight therapy doesn't cause side effects, the Mayo Clinic suggests that this form of light therapy can prompt some redness and dryness to the skin. These effects are usually temporary, and not all people experience this type of reaction.
Time Frame
The length of each session depends on the severity of the acne, but an average session is 25 minutes, according to the Cosmetic Laser Centers of Pittsburgh. Sessions typically take place twice a week over a period of four or five weeks, for a total of 8 to 10 sessions.
Significance
The reason for such frequent and numerous sessions is that the P. acnes bacterium multiplies fairly rapidly, according to the Mayo Clinic. Not all bacteria are necessarily killed by the blue-to-violet light in one session, so subsequent treatments are needed.
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