Pros and Cons of Laser Acne Treatments

Laser therapy can be used for several skin conditions, helping to remove age spots, wrinkles and skin discoloration after just a few treatments. Laser treatments can also be used to treat acne and help to destroy acne-causing bacteria that can accumulate deep within the skin’s surface. By penetrating the skin and triggering healthy skin cell growth, laser treatments such as Blue Light Acne Therapy, Pulsating Light Therapy and other procedures can effectively reduce inflammation, redness and even remove acne scars over time.
If you’re suffering from acne and looking for an effective treatment, consider these key benefits and drawbacks of laser acne therapy for your skin condition:
Benefits of Laser Acne Treatments
Laser acne treatments offer several advantages over other types of acne therapy and can help treat both mild and extreme cases of acne. Blue light therapy has proven to reduce the number of acne-causing bacteria considerably, and pulsating light therapy can help shrink oil glands so that acne breakouts are less likely to occur. Other benefits of laser acne treatments include:
Quick and relatively painless procedure – some laser treatments such as blue light therapy can be completed in under 15 minutes, and are also relatively painless. More intensive treatments using the diode laser, however, can lead to more pain.
Results after just a few sessions – 2-3 sessions of laser treatments may be enough for some people to start seeing results, and these are typically spaced out over 4-6 weeks depending on the severity of the acne.
Complete destruction of acne-causing bacteria over time – acne-causing bacteria can be difficult to treat with topical agents alone; laser treatments can destroy bacteria that multiplies deep within the skin’s layers.
Reduction of oil production over time – the lasers can damage oil-producing glands so that they naturally produce less oil. This can help reduce acne breakouts and make it much easier to manage acne overall.
Reduced episodes of acne inflammation – inflamed skin is often the result of overproduction of natural oils and bacteria; a laser can destroy both of these triggers effectively after only a few treatments.
Drawbacks of Laser Acne Treatments
While laser acne treatments offer several benefits, they also have some drawbacks that may encourage you to seek other types of acne therapy along with your treatment. Drawbacks of laser acne treatments include:
Excessive dryness – laser treatments such as blue light therapy can cause skin to dry out and become less responsive to topical creams, lotions or gels.
Swelling of the skin – lasers are powerful enough to destroy cells and create damage to deep layers of the skin; this can result in swelling and redness that makes skin especially sensitive for a period of time.
Redness and discomfort – intense laser treatments can create irritation deep within the skin’s surface which results in mild pain and discomfort. This can also create redness on the skin’s surface, but most of these effects subside within a few days.

In addition to treating acne directly, lasers can also reduce acne scars that are left behind after an breakout or acne therapy itself. Laser skin rejuvenation techniques make use of a non-ablative laser that minimizes the appearance of scars and can also help heal scar tissues by increasing cell turnover. By increasing healthy cell growth and boosting collagen production, laser skin rejuvenation can be an effective post-acne treatment plan.
If you’re suffering from acne and need a powerful treatment to help manage inflammation or unsightly acne breakouts, a laser acne treatment may be the best way to keep acne under control. From blue light therapy to the diode laser, consider these key benefits and drawbacks when choosing the best treatment for your needs.
Learn more about laser skin rejuvenation in our information guide, or consult with a dermatologist in your area for the best acne treatment plan for your skin. Laser acne treatments offer several benefits, and may help you get rid of acne for the long-term without expensive surgery or facial treatments.