Strains of antibiotic resistant acne are on the rise but new treatment options are emerging to keep super bug acne in check. Acne mostly affects teenagers but it can continue into adulthood leaving scars on the skin. It can also have a negative psychological impact and result in reduced self-esteem. To preclude any long term impact, acne should be treated early and aggressively. Traditional acne treatment is a course of antibiotics. Antibiotics reduce the number of bacteria in and around the follicles on the face and elsewhere. The treatment also cuts inflammation associated with acne. Recent studies show a rise in the number of strains of acne causing bacteria that don’t respond to traditional antibiotic treatment. This ‘super bug acne’ makes it difficult to treat breakouts with the traditional method. Most people are able to tame breakouts with over-the-counter products containing salicylic acid. Another effective treatment for stubborn acne is using laser to zap the zits, infected follicles. A new product called Zeno uses heat to do the trick. This hand-held battery-operated device has a tip designed to heat up the bacteria in the skin follicle and kills the bacteria. For females with stubborn acne hormonal treatments using estrogen/progesterone based contraceptive have show positive results. Most experts agree stress plays a role is causing acne. Stress affects body hormones which in turn can cause acne breakouts. Reducing stress can help preventing acne. Other factors that help ward off a breakout is eating healthy, drinking lots of water, getting restful sleep and regular exercise. Every type of acne has a solution; the trick to bust it is by finding the treatment that works.
New options emerge for treating Superbug Acne
Posted by J | 10:47 PM | Treatment of Acne | 4 comments »
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Acne more than skin deep.
Acne is a common problem not just of teens but of adults as well. Acne scars the skin but often leave lasting emotional scars as well. Many companies sell acne treatment systems that require 8 to 10 treatments with what I would consider marginal results. In my office (www.aestheticsofwillmar.com) we treat acne in a single session with NO down time. Unlike photodynamic therapy or IPL that leave the acne sufferer red, swollen and in pain, our patients leave our office with no sign of treatment and in just a few hours they see results.
How can this be? We use a Variable Square pulse Nd:YAG laser with flat top optics and a computer controlled scanner (www.fotona.us). The inflamed tissue of the acne is a great target for the Nd:YAG energy. It heats the tissue and sterilizes the follicles and pores. This results in the clearing of acne bacteria and reduction of the inflammation and edema common in acne. The result is improved skin in hours to a few days.
There is no perfect treatment for acne and we have our failures with the laser. In those cases we look at hormonal triggers and food sensitivities. It is rare that the laser is not helpful. It is common that it is of great value. If we do not see results in one or two scans we will look into other confounding factors such as those noted above. Once those are addressed the laser will generally clear the acne quickly. Below is a link to before and after acne photos (http://fotonamedicallasers.web5.hubspot.com/acne-active-inflammation/)