Acne is one of the most common conditions that can detract from the skin’s natural beauty. While there are many different over-the-counter acne treatment options, not all are safe or effective. At Prizant Dermatology in Pittsburgh, PA, we offer photodynamic therapy, a treatment that can clear your skin safely so that you can maintain a clear and healthy complexion long term.
Is Acne Treatment Permanent?
Professional acne treatments are very effective and can help patients achieve clearer skin after just one treatment. While the results are long-lasting and often permanent, there’s no way to predict when another acne flareup may occur since various factors can trigger breakouts in different patients. However, a professional acne treatment plan combined with a healthy lifestyle and an effective morning and evening skincare routine can help keep acne at bay long term so you can feel more confident about the health and appearance of your skin.
What Causes Acne?
Acne is one of the most common problematic skin conditions that affects adults and teenagers alike. There are several different reasons why patients experience acne. For some, it’s hormonal, while for others, it results from stress, hygiene, excess sebum production, lifestyle factors, diet, or a combination. Regardless, acne can significantly affect your appearance and make you feel self-conscious, drain your confidence, and even prevent you from interacting with those around you. Acne can be mild, moderate, and severe and often result in acne scars, which also negatively impact the appearance by creating an uneven skin texture.
How Do You Treat Acne?
The best treatment method for acne includes a professional acne treatment plan and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Pairing these two methods together will deliver noticeable results, help clear your skin, and increase your confidence. Since there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to treating acne, as it affects patients for different reasons, we consider each patient’s skin and how acne has affected their appearance when we design our treatment plans. Then, we customize a protocol to treat active breakouts, prevent their reoccurrence, and even reduce the appearance of acne scars to promote a uniform skin texture.
Photodynamic Therapy
At Prizant Dermatology, we offer photodynamic therapy, also known as PDT, to treat the cause of acne at the source. The treatment uses three different methods: a light source, oxygen, and a photosensitizer. The light source breaks down and destroys acne-causing bacteria within the pores to prevent breakouts and can also help treat active acne by reducing inflammation. It also addresses the skin’s oil-producing glands and shrinks them to reduce overall sebum production. This treatment is an effective option for patients suffering from inflammatory acne and can significantly improve the health and appearance of the skin after just one treatment.
What To Expect
Post-treatment, patients can expect a 50 to 75 percent improvement in the appearance of their skin and significantly reduced acne. This treatment process is completely pain-free and doesn’t require any downtime. The best results typically come from at least three treatments with a month between each. Results will improve immediately following the initial treatment and continue improving for the first three months. While there isn’t any downtime, you will need to take extra steps to protect your skin and avoid sun exposure post-treatment.
Who Is It Right For?
Photodynamic therapy is an effective option for patients with active acne, oily-prone skin, or acne scars. We can use this treatment to treat patients with minor, moderate, and severe acne, including cystic types. Pregnant women do not qualify for treatment, nor do those currently taking Accutane or who have taken it six months before their desired treatment date.
Lifestyle Changes
PDT treatments will significantly improve the appearance and health of your skin by treating active acne and preventing future breakouts. When you combine your PDT treatments with lifestyle changes, you can expect dramatic and long-lasting results.
Use the Right Products
It’s important that you use the right professional skin care products after your treatment to ensure the best results. We can make product recommendations and direct you toward the right cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and sunscreens designed for patients with acne-prone skin. When you commit to a regular morning and evening skincare routine, you’ll see positive improvements in your skin, which can enhance your treatment results and prevent clogged pores and acne flare-ups long-term.
Avoid the Sun
Many people think sun exposure helps improve acne, but just the opposite is true. Time spent in the sun can make your skin appear less oily and may even seem to reduce breakouts temporarily. However, sun exposure accelerates the aging process and can also dehydrate the skin, resulting in the body producing an excess of sebum to compensate for that dryness. Avoiding sun exposure will help you avoid sun damage and keep your skin balanced and healthy.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Dietary choices play a significant role in the health and appearance of your skin. Foods high in saturated fats, sodium, and sugar contribute to inflammation, which contributes to acne. A diet rich in healthy fats, leafy greens, lean proteins, and unrefined sugars and carbs will prevent inflammation and promote healthy, glowing, and balanced skin.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is another important aspect of maintaining healthy, clear skin. Drinking plenty of water detoxifies the body and helps it flush impurities and toxins from your system. Focus on drinking a minimum of eight cups of water per day and even more if you exercise regularly. Swapping dehydrating beverages for water will improve your skin, and when you increase your water intake, you can see visible improvements within 24 hours.
Achieve Clear, Healthy Skin
If you’ve been living with acne for weeks, months, or years, we can help design a treatment plan to improve your skin and prevent future breakouts. We can give you more details about PDT and our other skin care services that can help you win the war against acne and feel more confident in your complexion. Contact us today at Prizant Dermatology in Pittsburgh, PA, to learn more about PDT and to schedule your initial consultation.
