Acne is caused by the over activity of the sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances onto the skin.
The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of a hormone called testosterone, found naturally in both men and women.

Testosterone in people prone to acne triggers the sebaceous glands to produce an excess of sebum. At the same time, the dead skin cells lining the openings of the hair follicles (the tubes that hold the hair) are not shed properly and clog up the follicles.

These two effects combined cause a build-up of oil in the hair follicles. This causes blackheads and whiteheads to form.

For some people, their acne does not progress beyond this stage.

However in others, the build-up of oil in the hair follicles creates an ideal environment for a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes to grow.

New Solutions for Acne Clearance

Light-Based Treatments

Over the past decade, lasers and other light-based devices have become common methods for the treatment of a number of skin related conditions, including acne vulgaris.

How Do Light-Based Acne Treatments Work?

There are several light sources now available and cleared by the FDA for the treatment of acne. These light-based technologies can be divided into two groups:

• Devices that target sebaceous glands
• Devices that target acne bacteria.