Acne

Acne is a common skin disease that affects most of people at some time during their lives. Acne is most common in adolescents although for some people it may only first appear in their mid twenties and can even persist into middle age.

Acne has a significant dermatological and emotional effect whether you are a teenager or an adult. At Coastal Skin Center we have the latest in laser and light technology to help you get your acne under control.

We individualize each treatment using both conventional therapy with oral and topical medication; as well as use specialty treatments with ClearLight, Photodynamic Therapy or 1064 Nd:YAG Laser.

Additionally we have one of the leading acne cosmeceutical lines, Skin Medica. We also offer an array of procedures designed to reduce acne scarring from microderm abrasion to resurfacing with our new Fotona fractional erbium laser.

If your acne continues to be a problem despite treatment with multiple medications, then give us a call to schedule a consultation to see how we may be able to help.

What Is It?

What is acne?—Our faces and bodies are covered with tiny hairs that fit into a hair follicle, or 'pore'. Deep within these pores are glands that produce natural oil called 'sebum'. Sebum's function is to keep the skin lubricated and prevent it from drying out.

Acne occurs when the oil glands respond abnormally to levels of the male hormone testosterone. Excess oil is produced which combines with dead skin cells on the top layer of the skin. A sticky mixture is formed which blocks the skin pores, trapping oil and bacteria inside. As the oil glands continue to produce excess oil the follicle begins to swell producing blackheads, pimples, spots, and whiteheads.

Acne is more common among teenagers because it is only with the onset of puberty that the body begins to produce hormones.

Scarring—People often squeeze spots and blemishes because of their unpleasant appearance. This can however cause increased inflammation and in extreme cases lead to permanent scars of the face.

Traditional Treatments

Typical treatments for acne include a variety of over-the-counter and prescription lotions and solutions that include antibiotics, retinoids and vitamin A derivatives. Some patients benefit from the use of peels that use glycolic or salicylic acids but these can cause dryness of the skin and irritation. Additionally oral treatments include drugs that inhibit the production of acne-causing hormones while in women the use of the oral contraception pill has been shown to help lessen acne.

Acne scars have proven notoriously difficult to treat and traditionally dermatologists have used surgical procedures that remove the scar (excision), chemical peels, or abrasion techniques that literally scrape the scar off the skin using a wire brush or rotating diamond-edged wheel (dermabrasion).  

Fotona Laser Treatment

Fotana's FET Fractional Erbium Technology

Active acne—Developments in laser technology now offer a breakthrough in the treatment of active acne. Fotona’s DualisSP system uses a high power laser to penetrate the skin and target the bacteria that produces the inflammation associated with acne. This bacteria releases molecules called porphyrins which when exposed to a certain wavelength of light (the laser beam) increase in number until they destroy the bacteria.

Unlike many other laser systems the Fotona’s DualisSP has both an erbium laser that allows the minimal penetration required for the gentle resurfacing of acne-scarred skin, and a neodymium laser to penetrate deeper in order to destroy the active bacteria in acne (propionobacterium). As a result the DualisSP is a comprehensive solution to the misery of acne.

Acne scars—Lasers have been used to treat acne scars for several years. In such treatments the laser is used to remove skin so that new skin can form in its place. Unlike chemical peels and dermabrasion with laser resurfacing the penetration depth into the skin is more easily controlled. The laser gently vaporises the acne-scarred surface of the skin so that undamaged skin below is revealed. Unlike many other techniques laser resurfacing is bloodless, gentle and complete recovery is achieved within days.

ClearLight

ClearLight is the first medical device designed to significantly clear inflammatory acne lesions in less than four weeks - without side effects. Traditional acne treatments have various side effects. Topical therapies often cause redness, irritation and/or peeling. Oral therapies may have even more side effects. ClearLight is suitable for all body areas, including large areas and the sensitive beard area. It treats moderate inflammatory acne.

The goal of the ClearLight acne treatments is to prevent scarring, reduce the number of painful legions, limit disease duration, and minimize psychological stress and embarrassment. No blood test or antibiotic is necessary. ClearLight is a systemic drug-free treatment with no downtime, no pain, no irritation, no problems with the sun or physical activities, and no side effects.

FMI about Clearlight Acne Treatment please click here...

Levulan® Photodynamic Treatment (PDT)

For Acne and Aging Skin

Photodynamic therapy was originally developed for the treatment of cancer. We now know there are a number of other clinical conditions which can respond effectively to this exciting procedure.

The cause of acne is multifactorial. The bacterium P. acnes are responsible for the majority of cases of acne, which is also aggravated by excessive sebum production by sebaceous glands. Levulan® is absorbed in sebaceous glands, which also play a role in the cause of acne. Recent studies have shown that treatments using topically applied Levulan® followed by light activation have resulted in dramatic improvement in the severity of patients' acne.

There were no serious adverse events noted with the topical use of Levulan®, however patients do experience some mild redness and fine crusting after treatment.

While the use of Levulan® photodynamic therapy to treat acne is a new modality, it clearly shows great promise in producing long term remission and clearance in this troublesome disease.

Another promising area for Levulan® use appears to be in the treatment of photo-aged skin. Patients with sun-damaged skin have been treated with topically applied Levulan® followed by light treatment. Patients noted the appearance of reduced pore size and an improvement in pigment abnormalities and textural quality.

FMI about Photodynamic Treatment (PDT) please click here...

Before & After

Clearlight Treatment — Courtesy of Dr. Stephen Nightingale