Blue Cross Dental Insurance Pennsylvania
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011Blue Cross Dental Insurance Pennsylvania
Why Blue Light Acne Treatment Has Become So Effective at Getting Rid of Acne
One of the more effective methods to eliminate acne is with blue light therapy. Here is the reason blue light is successful in treating acne.
Acne is a common skin condition among adolescents and some adults. Pimples and other sores result from pores that become plugged with a mass of skin oil (sebum) and dead skin cells. Bacteria within the blocked pore begin to multiply and aggravate adjoining tissues. The irritated areas are visibly red and feel sore and become the pimples we link to acne.
The vast majority of acne prevention measures involve several steps. First, cleansing is used to remove excess skin oil on the surface. A mild anti-bacterial gel or cream is next used to kill surface bacteria. Finally a mild exfoliant gel or cream is employed to help loosen dead skin cells to allow them to be washed away. By eliminating the three components required for acne (excess oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells) the vast majority of acne can be prevented.
Whiteheads or blackheads are the early expressions of a blocked pore. These are tiny lesions and are different as a result of the location of the plug. If the blockage is near the surface of the skin the plug becomes oxidized and turns dark forming a blackhead. When the blockage is further down into the pore, the surface can shut in around the pore keeping it light in color which results in a whitehead.
Cells adjacent to the pore become red, irritated and form a pimple as the bacteria within the blocked pore begin to multiply. The spot infected can expand and the size and magnitude of the blemish can expand away from the cells belonging to the pore. Pressure on the pimple can drive the infection into the sebaceous gland and even rupture the cell structure permitting the infection to spread to lower layers in the skin.
One key to dealing with active acne is to destroy the bacteria at the location of the pimple. This will ease the irritation and decrease the size and intensity of the blemish. Though some anit-biotic prescription medications are prescribed for severe acne, the vast majority of people can benefit to a great extent from more localized treatments.
Acne light treatment is one such localized treatment. Direct exposure to sunlight has been known to relieve acne. But, full spectrum sunlight can harm the skin. So, scientists have found out more about detailed spectral ranges to determine what exactly is successful against acne. One of the first groups to delve into this topic established that light in the violet range activated an organic compound, a porphyrin, in the acne causing bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes. A singlet oxygen is released by a porphyrin component comprising the bacteria which helps destroy the bacteria.
Because acne bacteria multiply quickly, several treatments on consecutive days tend to be required to kill all the bacteria in a blemish. As soon as the bacteria are gone, the swelling decreases and the cells begin to heal.
Of course, the blue light could be delivered by full spectrum sunlight. But now dedicated lasers, fluorescent lamps, and even LEDs (light emitting diodes) are employed to provide the exact wavelength of light that is most effective. An array of special fluorescent lights is used in the Dusa Blue Light device, often employed by dermatologists, to provide a 400 nm wavelength blue light. Often your dermatologist will rub on aminolevulinic acid (brand name Levulan) to affected areas prior to the blue light therapy. The aminolevulinic acid is a photo sensitizing agent that exposed to blue light causes damage to specific skin cells.
While treatments from a dermatologist may cost several hundred dollars each, inexpensive home devices have found there way to the market. You can find several devices on the market ranging is price from around $40 to several hundred dollars.
Bear in mind that blue light acne treatment will not produce immediate results as the skin needs to heal. But many of us find blue light acne therapy more practical than benzoyl peroxide and less irritating to their skin.
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