Blue Light Phototherapy is a treatment for acne that uses high intensity blue light to destroy the acne-causing bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes). It’s proponent’s advocate that it will clear acne fast and prevent future breakouts but this is a big fat lie.
Here’s why.
The bacteria elimination efficacy of blue light is clinically proven. P. acnes bacteria produce a molecule called Coproporphyrin III. When Coproporphyrin III absorbs light at a certain blue wavelength and energy it breaks down to produce oxygen (a free radical). P.Acnes cannot survive in an oxygen rich environment and so the free radical damages and kills the bacteria. Blue light of sufficient intensity and duration kills P.Acnes, no question.
So no bacteria, no acne. Right?
No.
Blue light phototherapy is a hygiene method i.e. the same as Benzoyl Peroxide or soap. Treatment kills bacteria but, as P.acnes are only one part of the chain of the acne formation process, it does not prevent acne. Following blue light treatment the parts of the acne formation process that have not been affected will continue to provide the perfect breeding ground for P.acnes. The bacteria will reproduce pretty quickly (Bacteria grow rapidly at body temperature and will double in number in as little as 20 minutes) and their presence will again bring a new outbreak of acne symptoms.
Continued treatment may reduce the severity of your breakouts by reducing the number of bacteria that can cause inflammation but acne will return, and if you stop treatment your acne will likely come roaring back. You will be forever treating the symptoms not the problem.
It basically wack-a-mole for your face.
Blue Light therapy certainly has a place in acne treatment, it has been shown to be as clinically effective as the most common treatment, Benzoyl Peroxide, without the harsh side effects. However it just won’t cure your acne all by itself, no matter how fancy the device may look or the marketing spin may be.
To get control over your acne you need to first look at the acne formation process as a whole.
Genetics, lifestyle and diet place a huge part at the start of the chain. These directly influence the amount of hormones (Insulin, DHT and Testosterone) produced. High levels of these hormones are known to increase the production of skin oil (sebum). As sebum production increases the possibility for it to stick to dead skin cells increases and very soon pores become clogged.
It is only at this stage that P.acnes plays a role. P.acnes grows naturally in the pores of your face, neck and upper chest and, when in balance with the rest of the skin flora, keeps the skin healthy. It thrives however in lower-oxygen environments and feasts upon Sebum as a primary fuel source. When a skin pore blocks up with sebum and dead skin cells, the oxygen level falls. A clogged pore in nirvana to P.acnes.
As the P.acnes bacteria in the pore multiply exponentially their waste products kick start the body’s immune system and the pore becomes inflamed and sore.
Completely curing acne isn’t possible for everybody (sometimes it’s just down to your genes), but everyone can regain control and manage the frequency and intensity of breakouts if they address each point of the formation process. Sources such as stress, diet, vitamin deficiencies and other any condition that leads to high sebum production and/or blocked pores can help p.acnes to grow.
About 28 Day Skin
28 Day Skin Therapy approaches the whole acne forming process to resolve acne. Using a combination of blue/red photo-therapeutic technology, innovative sebum controlling topical skin care and nutritional supplements, 28 Day Skin alleviates the suffering and eliminate the root causes of acne.
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#acne #acnescars #acnetreatment #bluelight #phototherapy
