Acne
Maine Laser Clinic in Portland Maine offers the newest technology for laser therapy in treating Acne Vulgaris. The highly powerful yet gentle laser pulses superheat the sebaceous gland and its surroundings, where the p. acnes bacteria congregate. The treatment is fast and hygienic as nothing touches the skin except a beam of laser light. With our laser, the practitioner can now effectively and safely treat both pediatric and adult acne patients, regardless of skin type (Caucasian, Asian, Indian or African, Hispanic etc.) and reduce the use of antibiotics.
What happens after laser treatment for acne?
Right after treatment with the laser, most patients report less irritation and drier skin in the treated areas. The treated skin has a calmer appearance with less redness. The net result is the visible clearance of active acne even after a single treatment, although 4 to 6 treatments are recommended for profound long term improvement of acne.
What other benefits are seen from treating acne with a laser?
In addition to promoting acne clearance, clinical research has also shown that treatments with the Neo also help to visibly reduce acne scars – which often appear in the same treatment areas as active acne. Clinical research also shows that laser treatments will reduce the PIH (Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation) which often occurs in darker skin as a result of acne.
What type of laser is used to treat acne?
The unique ability of high-power, long-wavelength 1064nm laser energy to penetrate deeper as compared to any other laser/light modality. This allows the energy to effectively reach sebaceous glands located in the dermis for maximum heating and bacterial destruction. Other light-based devices, including IPL and diode lasers which do not possess such deep heating power, often apply ‘sucking mechanisms’ to the skin in order to bring the targeted sebaceous glands closer to the skin surface, in an attempt to compensate for their limited power. Our laser is uniquely able to treat acne without touching the skin at all. Those other systems that contact the skin make the procedure messy and less hygienic as they may spread the p. acnes bacteria from affected to unaffected skin sites.
What happens after laser treatment for acne?
Our 1064nm laser modality; which selectively targets water, melanin, and hemoglobin – all three of which represent the main components of the sebaceous gland including its supporting vasculature and the sebum. In contrast, sub-infrared diode lasers and IPL modalities are not sufficiently absorbed in water and thus are less efficient for acne treatment.
What does the laser do to the hair follicle?
The deep-penetrating laser energy also affects the hair shaft and follicle, eliminating the presence of hairs and reducing the probability that sebum will block the pores.
How does the LightPod Neo differ from other laser's?
Our device’s unique 0.65millisecond laser pulse duration heats the sebaceous gland faster than the TRT (Thermal Relaxation Time) of skin, minimizing the loss of heat through conduction to the surrounding skin tissue. Other types of lasers, which use 10 to 50 millisecond pulse durations, result in substantial heat loss to the skin which reduces the temperature and diminishes bacterial destruction; it also makes the treatment much more painful from the heating of nerve endings in the surrounding skin.
