Blue Vein Under Eye
Reasons Why Blue Light Acne Treatment is So Helpful at Reducing Acne
One of the more effective ways to get rid of acne is with blue light therapy. Here is the reason blue light is effective in treating acne.
Many adults and around 85% of adolescents have suffered acne outbreaks. Surplus skin oil (sebum) mixes with dead skin cells to block the pores and create pimples. Bacteria living in the plugged up pore start multiplying and aggravate neighboring tissues. The irritated spots are visibly red and feel sore and turn out to be the pimples we associate with acne.
Most acne prevention measures involve several steps. Removing excess oils from the skin is the most effective step. A mild anti-bacterial gel or cream is next used to eliminate surface bacteria. Dead skin cells are loosened with an exfoliant to allow them to be washed away. In this way the potential for clogging the pores is significantly reduced plus the likelihood of acne is minimized.
When pores become blocked up they form whiteheads or blackheads. These are very small lesions and vary because of the location of the plug. When the clog is near the surface of the skin the clog becomes oxidized and turns dark forming a blackhead. When the clog descends a short distance into the pore the top of the pore can close over the plug and the plug continues to be light colored and forms a whitehead.
Cells surrounding the pore grow red, irritated and form a pimple as the bacteria within the plugged up pore start multiplying. The spot infected can get bigger and the size and extent of the blemish can increase outside the cells of the pore. Pressure on the pimple can drive the infection into the sebaceous gland and in some cases rupture the cell structure enabling the infection to spread to lower layers in the skin.
You can appreciate how important it will be to eradicate the bacteria at the location of the pimple. This will reduce the irritation and decrease the size and intensity of the blemish. Serious acne is often dealt with with systemic medicines like oral anti-biotics. Most less severe acne outbreaks are usually treated successfully by treatments applied locally.
Acne light treatment is one such localized therapy. Direct exposure to sunlight has been known to help acne. But, full spectrum sunlight can damage the skin. So, scientists have investigated detailed spectral ranges to see what exactly is effective against acne. One early investigation established that light within the blue-violet color range was particularly effective. This color range impacts an organic compound within the acne bacteria. A singlet oxygen is released by a porphyrin component comprising the bacteria which helps kill the bacteria.
To be effective against the quickly multiplying bacteria, several consecutive treatments are required to kill the whole set of bacteria in a pimple. With the bacteria gone, the irritation is eliminated and the curative process can take place to restore the normal skin condition.
The blue light can be delivered by lasers, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fluorescent lamps, or even bright full spectrum light. An array of special fluorescent lights is used in the Dusa Blue Light device, often used by dermatologists, to deliver a 400 nm wavelength blue light. In addition, numerous dermatologists use Levulan (aminolevulinic acid) on problem areas before the light therapy. The aminolevulinic acid is a photo sensitizing agent that exposed to blue light causes damage to specific skin cells.
A single therapy session in a dermatologists office may cost $200 or more. But, you will find a number of devices you may buy for use right at home that many individuals find helpful. Competition is keeping the purchase price for most of the devices in an affordable range from around $40 to $300 or so.
Remember that blue light acne treatment is not going to produce instant results as the skin must heal. But many of us find blue light acne therapy more effective than benzoyl peroxide and less irritating to their skin.
Eve with Jill from Makeup First School in Chicago