The Problem: Acne
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition characterized by skin eruptions around hair follicles. Acne is most common in teenagers, yet many adults stuggle with acne as well. The condition usually begins at puberty and may continue for many years. Three out of four teenagers have acne to some extent, probably caused by hormonal changes that stimulate the sebaceous (oil producing) skin glands.
Other hormonal changes can cause acne including menstrual periods, pregnancy, birth control pills, or stress.
Acne is caused when glands within the pores of the skin become plugged, because oil and skin cells accumulate faster than they can exit. The plug causes the hair follicle to bulge (causing whiteheads), and the top of the plug may appear dark (causing blackheads). If the plug causes the wall of the follicle to rupture, the oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria found normally on the surface of the skin can enter the skin and form small infected areas called pustules (also known as pimples). If these infected areas are deep in the skin, they may enlarge to form firm, painful cysts.
Acne commonly appears on the face and shoulders, but may extend to the trunk, arms and legs.
The Solution: Levulan® Acne Treatment
The Levulan® Photodynamic Therapy System is a 2-part process that utilizes both the Levulan® Kerastick® topical solution and a BBL (broadband pulsed light) in the blue spectrum. This procedure can be used to treat acne, Actinic Keratoses (AKs), sun damaged skin, oily skin and Sebaceous Hyperplasia.
What is the BBL blue light treatment?
The BBL blue light treatment offers an effective and non-invasive treatment for moderate acne. The BBL treatment is not a laser, but a broadband of blue light that has been proven effective in killing p.acnes bacteria, the leading cause of acne.
How does the Levulan® Acne Treatment work?
The first step is to have a Levulan® Kerastick® topical solution applied to the acne on the skin. The Levulan® solution makes the acne more sensitive to light, which prepares the skin for the second step in the process.
After leaving the topical solution on the skin for 45-60 minutes, therapy continues with a BBL treatment. A BBL treatment session will cause minimal discomfort because of the nature of the Levulan® Kerastick® topical solution. This discomfort usually improves immediately after treatment and ends within 24 hours.
After treatment is completed, almost all patients experience some temporary redness and some patients experience minimal swelling of the acne and surrounding skin. Generally, all redness is gone by 1 week after treatment and swelling is reduced or non-existent after 1-2 days.
During your consultation with Dr. Bowen, he will discuss all options of acne therapy and assist you in deciding which treatment approach is best for your specific needs.
