acne treatments

Get Acne Treatment in Pittsburgh, PA

Moderate inflammatory acne can wreck your self-esteem. It doesn’t matter your age. Blemishes, especially those that don’t seem to go away with any other treatments, make you feel less like yourself. And if it’s a new problem, you might not even recognize the face looking back at you from the mirror anymore.

Scrubs, cleansers, pore strips, topical ointments … you’ve tried them all. None seem to get you the results you’re looking for, even after months of trying to get rid of zits. Even facials in a beauty spa don’t always resolve your problem. What’s your next option? Well, it should be getting help at Cosmetic Laser Centers, located in Pittsburgh and Warrendale, Pennsylvania.

What Is Acne, Exactly?

To understand acne, you first have to come to terms with the fact that your entire body, even your face, is covered with tiny hair follicles.

When those follicles get full of oil and dead skin cells, they form blemishes. This happens to people of all ages, not just teenagers! You also can suffer from acne when those follicles have an overgrowth of bacteria, or if your hormones aren’t quite at the right level.

There are multiple types of acne, too, so a single type of over-the-counter treatment cream might not cure you.

  • Closed, plugged pores, called whiteheads
  • Open, plugged pores, called blackheads (it’s the air that turns them black!)
  • Small, red, tender bumps, called papules
  • Papules with pus at their tips, which is what comes to mind when we think of pimples
  • Large, painful bumps under the skin, called nodules
  • Painful, pus-filled bumps just beneath the surface of the skin, called cysts

Is Acne My Fault?

There are so many myths out there about what causes acne. Most of them lay blame on the acne-sufferer, as if you’re intentionally doing something to cause zits to sprout up all over your face, chest, and back. Guess what? Most of the time, zits and pimples don’t form because of something you’re doing or not doing.

While it’s true that some things can worsen acne, like your hormone levels being out of whack, taking certain medications, and stress, there are plenty of other myths that simply aren’t true or haven’t been sufficiently proven. For example, eating greasy foods doesn’t affect your acne, nor does not washing your face well enough. And cosmetics don’t always worsen acne, especially if you’re using noncomedogenic products that are oil-free and don’t clog pores.

But because of these myths, you’ve probably tried everything, like cutting foods out of your diet, trying every new acne wash or scrub on the market, and avoiding all makeup or other skincare products because you’re just not sure what you should be using.

The great news is that you don’t have to do any of these things to clear your skin of acne, and the bacteria build-up that causes it. Instead, Warrendale acne treatment-seekers can come to Cosmetic Laser Centers to get ClearLight™ acne treatments.

What is ClearLight?

ClearLight™ is a therapeutic light treatment that helps clear pimples and other blemishes by destroying the bacteria responsible for creating it. It works best for moderate inflammatory acne.

During your ClearLight™ treatment in Pittsburgh, you’ll sit under a special blue light for about 20 minutes per session. This special photodynamic instrument uses blue violet light waves to penetrate layers of the skin to kill excess propionibacterium acnes, or P. acnes. That’s the bacteria that causes zits!

The FDA-approved process takes about a total of ten sessions spread out over a few weeks, and most people see results starting in as little as four weeks. It’s a non-invasive, non-laser treatment, so there’s no downtime or pain associated.

During treatment, ClearLight™ exposes your skin to 405-420 nm wavelength light, but without any UV damaging wavelengths. It kills the aforementioned bacteria on contact. But, ClearLight™ keeps working after your session, too. It also stimulates the endogenous porphyrins in your skin – a kind-of by-product of acne bacteria’s lifecycle – to kill additional bacteria on its own.

Who Can Get ClearLight Acne Treatment in Warrendale?

Because the ClearLight process is gentle, safe, and effective, anyone with moderate inflammatory acne on any area of their body can get this treatment. Most common treatment areas are the face, chest, and back.

If you are taking an oral acne medication or applying an acne topical prescribed by your dermatologist, you might need to stop using them before your ClearLight treatment. Be sure to tell us what medications you take before undergoing this amazing light therapy.

If you have taken Accutane treatment within the past six to 12 months, you should not receive ClearLight™.

Are There Other Pimple Laser Treatments in Pittsburgh?

Cosmetic Laser Centers also offers IPL® laser treatment for acne. IPL® is an acronym for Intense Pulsed Light. The new IPL® acne filter is a special technology that helps to heal inflammatory acne. IPL is non-invasive and doesn’t damage the skin’s surface.

Treatment with IPL® is a little different from ClearLight. In an IPL® session, your provider will apply a cold gel to the treatment area and hold the IPL® handpiece against your skin. It emits bright flashes of light, the strength of which depends on your skin type and needs.

On average, patients need three to six treatment sessions separated by a month, and may experience redness of the treated area afterward. One of our skilled technicians will help determine the best course of action to treat your acne.

Get Started with ClearLight at Cosmetic Laser Centers

We know you’re ready to take action against your zits. Contact Cosmetic Laser Centers to set up an appointment to get started, by calling 724-935-4200. Before your treatment, our knowledgeable team members will walk you through everything you need to know and answer all your questions before starting you on a treatment that very well could change your life.

Then, once your treatments are complete, you can even stock up on our top-of-the-line skincare products to keep you looking your best. Learn more about ClearLight™ at Cosmetic Laser Centers.