FAQ - Beverly Hills Acne Treatments | Santa Monica PDT Procedures

Acne is a skin condition caused by the buildup of sebum (oil) in skin pores. The accumulation of oil encourages the growth of bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes, which in turn cause the inflammation of the pore. The result is a congested pore, pimple, pustule or cyst, depending on the depth of the inflammation. Regardless of the details, acne is an uncomfortable and unsightly skin condition that patients can find very distressing.

While acne does not have a single straightforward cause, the good news is that there are several treatments that you can choose from if you suffer from it. The treatments work through one of four principal mechanisms: killing the bacteria, reducing the skin-cell shedding that is responsible for the pore becoming clogged, reducing inflammation or modulating hormone levels (in females only).

The bacteria can be killed with topical bactericidals such as benzoyl peroxide, or with topical or oral antibiotics such as tetracycline. These treatments are generally very effective in killing the bacteria that play a role in acne, but they have no effect whatsoever on the excessive oil secretion, so they do not always completely resolve the acne problem.

In females, antiandrogen hormonal treatment can be used to reduce androgen levels and hence inhibit the excessive secretion of sebum into the skin pores. While undoubtedly effective in keeping oil secretion in check, the hormonal treatment of acne carries some potentially unpleasant side effects, such as mood swings, cyclical weight gain, nausea, headaches and depression, among others.

Another treatment that reduces the excessive secretion of oil in the skin is Accutane (isotretinoin), which can be used to treat acne in its most severe nodular forms. It has an excellent success rate when used over a period of a few months. However, it absolutely cannot be taken by pregnant women because it causes very serious birth defects. Additionally, it can cause liver damage.

When acne is unresponsive to topical treatments, a very effective solution is photodynamic treatment (PDT). The treatment involves some microdermabrasion followed by the application of a photosensitizing agent to the skin – typically 5-amino levulinic acid (AMA) – which makes the skin more sensitive to light. After 15 to 60 minutes, the photosensitizing agent is removed and the skin is exposed to blue light. It is believed that PDT is effective in the treatment of acne because it reduces the size of oil glands in the skin, thereby solving the problem of excessive oil secretion.

The advantages of PDT in the treatment of acne are considerable: it is non-invasive, it has no systemic side effects and the results can come relatively quickly. This is one of the very effective acne treatments that we offer at Cosmetic Rejuvenation and Medical Center. We also offer a milder version known as Intense Pulsed Light treatment, which does not involve the use of a photosensitizing agent.

When acne has been treated successfully, it can occasionally leave scars behind. At Cosmetic Rejuvenation and Medical Center we offer two solutions for the removal of acne scars: chemical peels and eMatrix. Chemical peels involve the application of alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acids to the skin. This results in the "controlled injury" of the outer layers of the skin, causing those layers to be shed. This is a very effective way of eliminating acne scars.

A less aggressive but nevertheless very effective facial treatment offered by Cosmetic Rejuvenation and Medical Center is microdermabrasion using DiamonTome, which is a series of abrasive wands that are used to remove the outer layers of the skin gently. The advantage of this system is that it does not involve any loose particles or chemicals. It does not leave any residue and has no side-effects, other than some temporary redness of the skin.

eMatrix, the other acne scar treatment methodology that we employ at Cosmetic Rejuvenation and Medical Center, is a more sophisticated way of dealing with acne scars. It transmits radio-frequency energy to the dermal layer of the skin, where it induces mild injury. The dermal layer then responds with wound-healing mechanisms, which result in the rejuvenation of the skin. The advantage of this method is that it delivers the radio-frequency energy straight to the dermal layer, bypassing the external layers of the skin.

The key to successfully treating acne and any possible scars it leaves behind is to find an establishment that you trust and let them assess your specific case in such a way as to identify the best possible treatment and aftercare. Good luck!