How to Effectively Treat Adult Acne with Fotona: Bye Bye Breakouts After Your Teenage Years

When you hear the word "acne," you might think of teenage years filled with concealing makeup, acne medication, and squeaky voices. While acne is common during adolescence, it doesn’t always disappear when we grow up. If you're still dealing with breakouts in your 20s or beyond, it's time to take action. Adult acne is real, but the good news? It can be treated effectively, and you don’t have to live with it forever.

UNDERSTANDING ACNE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH SEBACEOUS GLANDS

Acne is a common skin condition characterized by the formation of pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and sometimes deeper cysts or nodules. It’s most prevalent in areas of the skin with a high concentration of oil (sebaceous) glands, such as the T-zone, forehead, chin or jawline, and cheeks.

The sebaceous glands play a central role in acne development due to their production of sebum, an oily substance that helps lubricate and protect the skin. However, when the sebaceous glands produce too much sebum or when the pores become clogged with dead skin cells and other debris, acne can occur.

TYPES OF ACNE INFLAMMATION

Acne, a common skin condition, arises from a combination of factors that disrupt the skin's normal functioning. This process unfolds through several interconnected stages:

Various Stages of Acne Formation

• Excess Sebum Production: The process begins with the overactivity of sebaceous glands, triggered by hormonal changes, genetics, or other lifestyle influences. This surge in sebum production lays the groundwork for acne development.

• Clogged Pores: With excess sebum, our pores can get clogged. Along with dead skin cells and bacteria, it creatives an ideal environment for the growth of acne-causing bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes).

• Inflammation: As P. acnes multiply within the clogged pores, they trigger an inflammatory response from the body's immune system, leading to the redness, swelling, and tenderness associated with acne lesions.

The culmination of excessive sebum production, pore blockage, bacterial proliferation, and inflammation gives rise to various types of acne, such as pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pastules, cysts, and nodules, each representing different severity of acne.

HOW DOES THE ACNECLEAR DUO BY FOTONA HELP ACTIVE ACNE?

The AcneClear Duo by Fotona is one of the most powerful and effective acne solutions on the market by combining two distinct laser types: Nd:YAG and Er:YAG.

For active acne, Nd:YAG reduces acne inflammation through photoselective absorption and controlled heating effects. Driven by a precisely controlled Nd:YAG laser emitting light energy at a wavelength of 1064nm, this laser resurfacing treatment safely penetrates deep into the skin to precisely target overactive sebaceous glands, employing thermal energy to deliver effective results.

Aside from its thermal penetration capabilities, the Nd:YAG laser also accelerates the healing process and stimulates collagen remodelling, offering a dual-action approach essential for comprehensive acne management.

1. Active Acne Reduction

• The laser technology employs controlled heating effects to regulate overactive sebaceous glands, controlling excess oil production to prevent new acne, while simultaneously treating existing acne inflammation.

2. Acne Healing Stimulation

• By inducing thermal heating, this effect kickstarts the skin’s natural healing responses, encouraging the growth of new collagen to facilitate the accelerated healing of acne lesions. This promotes faster recovery for clear, acne-free skin.

WHAT ABOUT ACNE SCARRING?

While Fotona's Nd:YAG mode targets overactive sebaceous glands to reduce oil production and control acne, the Er:YAG (a type of erbium laser) removes micron-thin layers of skin, allowing new, healthy skin to replace damaged tissue, including acne scars. Unlike chemical peels and dermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing allows the penetration depth to be precisely controlled

WHAT ABOUT MICRONEEDLING OR CHEMICAL PEELS?

For those dealing with acne scars, chemical peels are a common choice, using chemical solutions to exfoliate and remove the top layer of skin. However, deeper scars may require more intensive treatments, and a series of sessions may be necessary.

Microneedling is another effective option, particularly for mild to moderate acne scars like rolling or boxcar scars. It stimulates collagen production to improve skin texture. For more severe scarring, Fotona’s Nd:YAG and Er:YAG offer a more powerful solution. These lasers target both superficial and deeper scar tissue, making them highly effective for treating a wider range of scar types and severities, including rolling, boxcar, and even ice pick scars that sit deeper beneath the skin.

Consulting an experienced Skin Expert will give you a clear picture of the best treatment for your acne scars, ensuring you choose the most effective approach for your specific needs.

WHO IS SUITABLE FOR THE ACNECLEAR DUO?

The Fotona AcneClear Duo is suitable for individuals of all skin types who are grappling with adult acne, persistent acne breakouts, or chronic acne-prone skin that remains resistant to anti-acne medication or supplements. Additionally, it effectively addresses various forms of acne, including comedonal acne such as blackheads and whiteheads, inflammatory acne such as papules and pastules, as well as cystic and nodular acne.

IS THERE ANY DOWNTIME?

The Fotona AcneClear Duo is a non-invasive laser procedure with virtually no downtime. Like any other laser treatments, some patients may encounter slight redness post-treatment depending on their skin’s characteristics; however, these effects typically diminish within a few hours to a couple of days.

The Fotona’s unique dual-action laser successfully destroys overactive sebaceous glands and reduces acne inflammation, heals breakouts and stimulates collagen remodelling for an accelerated and long-term solution to acne. The laser safely penetrates the skin to an optimal treatment depth to thermally and selectively target problem areas. Fotona’s laser is also used as treatment for gentle acne-scar skin resurfacing, helping to improve skin’s texture and tone. A sequence of these treatments are recommended for maximum and sustained benefits.

Our experienced laser technicians will create a personalized and effective fast-acting acne treatment protocol combining laser and cosmeceutical actives to heal your acne and to prevent and treat scarring.