Clear Up Skin with Blue Light Acne Therapy

Blue light acne therapy is an exciting new treatment for an age-old problem: facial and body acne.  As one of the few real alternative to abrasive chemical acne solutions, blue light therapy is beginning to be prescribed more and more by dermatologists for acne problems.

There's a common misconception that acne is a problem for teenagers and only the youngest adults.  In reality, acne can continue to be a problem for many people well into their 30s and 40s.  Not only does acting not discriminate according to age, it can also affect nearly every part of the body.  While facial acne is more noticeable, especially in teens, body acne is sometimes a bigger problem for those in their 20s or 30s.

Because it's such a universal problem, consumers in the United States spend billions of dollars every year combating the unsightly affects of acne.  A trip to your local drugstore will reveal dozens of different cleansers and creams promising to clear up skin problems, and prevent them from reoccurring.

The problem is many people do not see good results using these chemical based solutions, and even after months of consistently using a product, they can still have outbreaks.  In these cases, the next step is to visit a dermatologist who will examine your skin and often prescribe one of several medical treatments.

Antibiotics are often prescribed for serious acne problems, as are topical ointments and various bacteria-fighting cleansers.  But more and more, blue light acne therapy is being used to clear up facial and body acne and prevent its recurrence, especially when traditional ointments and antibiotics have not produced good results.

The philosophy behind the blue light therapy is to eliminate the bacteria that are the root cause of acne.  Research has shown that blue light kills the bacteria known as Propiobacterium, which causes the painful outbreaks on the skin.  Once the blue light has killed the bacteria, the infection is eliminated and acne outbreaks tend to clear up quickly.

Obviously, there are some great advantages of using blue light therapy over traditional ointments or antibiotic treatment.  Primarily, blue light acne therapy does not use drugs, so it effectively eliminates the chance of negative side effects.  The procedure is also non-invasive and all-natural.  In fact, researchers claim that the therapy can be safely used for both children and adults of all ages.

The process of blue light therapy exposure is an ongoing treatment; it will normally be scheduled in short, intense sessions, supervised by your dermatologist or another physician.  Typical blue light therapy might last only 15 minutes, and might involve as many as eight or 10 sessions over a four to six week term.

The therapy itself is not harmful in any way, and in the majority of cases there is no discomfort to the patient.  Side effects are also mild, with only dryness or mild swelling in some cases.  These minor effects are normally completely superficial and will pass quickly.

Also, the therapy does not involve ultraviolet light rays, so there is no danger that the patient will be exposed to damaging ultraviolet radiation.  Blue light acne therapy is approved by the FDA and more and more, is being prescribed by dermatologists to help nip acne problems in the bud.