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Drainage
Severe acne can sometimes cause cysts to form under the
skin. These cysts can be painful and disfiguring. Smaller
cysts can be treated with cortisone injections which flatten
the lesion in a day or two. Larger cysts may need to be
drained and surgically removed. Drainage can help relieve
the pain associated with cysts and also reduce the chance of
scarring. It is performed in the dermatologist's office with
sterile instruments. It is important not to try to drain
cysts by yourself because of the risk of infection which
could lead to permanent scarring.
Light Therapy
Light therapy is sometimes used to combat the acnes bacteria
that cause acne. It is particularly useful in treating
hard-to-reach areas but may have a short-term effect because
it does not do anything about the production of sebum or the
accumulation of dead skin cells.
Laser therapy is useful for treating the scars caused by
acne. It can be used for both surface-level scarring as well
as deep tissue scarring caused by serious acne conditions.
Research is currently being conducted on the use of lasers
for acne treatment. Several approaches are being examined –
burning away the follicle sac which produces the hair;
burning away the gland which produces sebum; and forming
oxygen in the bacteria to kill them. It is not yet known if
laser acne treatment can cause permanent damage to the skin.♦
