The most convenient, fastest, most acknowledged drug-free phototherapy in treating mild and moderate inflammatory acne.

Papulo-pustular acne (slight acne) is a combination of comedones, papules (spots) and pustules (purulent spots). This type can cause inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions: the latter can be found on the surface of the skin; its diameter is smaller than 5 mm.

Moderate acne is characterized by several papules and pustules with a few nodules (nodus), whose diameter is bigger than 5 mm. They are very painful and form a hard and deep lesion.

The treatment can be applied for non-inflammatory acne (comedones) and severe acne (nodules) with limited effectiveness.

Pulsed-light technologies use pulsed hand-held flash lamps which emit micro pulses of light at visible and invisible wavelengths. The method is based on the so-called “selective photothermolysis”. With this method it is possible to treat only the required areas (e.g., hair follicles, vascular lesions, pigmented lesions) by using heat (that causes coagulation) without damaging the tissues around the treated area.

During acne treatments: blue light absorption destroys bacteria, yellow light causes coagulation in the blood vessels that feed the acne, and infrared light dries blemished skin.

The blue light destroys Propionibacterium acnes, which causes acne.

The P. acnes bacteria produces porphyrin. Porphyrin absorbs light, while oxygen is produced, which in turn destroys the bacterium itself. The most intense absorption zone, the so-called Soret-band, is 415 nm, which means it can be stimulated by blue light. 90% of the patients respond to blue light favourably; improvement may differ in individuals.

Recommended treatment: for 4–5 weeks, twice a week, but not on consecutive days. After this a break must follow. The treatment starts a cleaning process, which means that the symptoms may become more severe: usually 1-1.5 months after finishing the treatment approximately 60-65% of acne lesions disappear permanently (!) without leaving scars.

Before starting the treatment the patient has to sign a written statement.

Patients may experience a slight burning, itchy sensation during treatments but this is only temporary. The patient does not experience unpleasant sensations permanently. The treatments are non-invasive, safe, with minimum side-effects (redness). The lamp does not emit ultraviolet light. It does not increase the risk of tumour diseases. Before the treatment we clean the area to be treated with water and let it dry. Blue light may damage the eyes so the patient has to wear protective glasses during the treatment.

Cannot be treated:

• anyone who takes medicine or herbs that make them sensitive to light;
• anyone who has epilepsy, Lupus or Porphyria;
• pregnant women or women who plan pregnancy;
• a woman who has given birth within the past month or is currently breastfeeding;
• anyone suffering from a tumour disease;
• a person who has been tanning themselves in sunlight, used a sun bed, or used self-tanning products within 3 weeks before starting the treatment;
• a person who has taken isotretinoin within the 6 months before the treatment;
• a person who takes anti-coagulants;
• a person who is prone to the formation of keloids;
• anyone who has vitiligo spots on the area to be treated;
• anyone who has active herpes on the area to be treated;
• anyone who has eczema on the area to be treated;

Patients with diabetes or hormone diseases must consult their doctors before starting the treatment!