Acne Vulgaris - pimples and zits - appear in some 85% of the 12-25 year old population. A percent­age of older individuals also suffer from "adult acne".

Most suffer from the milder form of acne called non­inflammatory and experience occasional blemishes. Others suffer from inflammatory acne with its lesions consisting of blood vessels, white blood cells and other materials.

If you suffer from inflammatory acne, there are a num­ber of treatment options available to you ranging from diet and regular washing of the affected areas to "peel­ing agents" and topical and oral medications.

Now there is an effective supplement to these treat­ments: advanced pulse dye laser technology, success­fully used to treat a wide variety of skin lesions in adults and children, now is proving to be a remarkably power­ful weapon in the battle against acne. And no one knows more about pulse dye lasers than Cynosure.

How does the laser work?
Cynosure pulse dye laser technology is particu­larly suited for the treatment of acne because it provides for the selective elimination of the small blood vessels that are associated with the inflammation "redness". With these vessels gone, the acne is more controlled.

Does it work on all types of acne?
The Cynosure pulse dye laser is ideal for treating the redness associated with mild to moderate acne.

How many treatments are required?
Results are seen within three to four weeks. Typically, one to two treatments are recommended.

Is the treatment difficult?
No. At your first visit your physician will assess your condition and review previous treatments. Then you will have your first full treatment with re-treatments scheduled three to six weeks apart for the next three to four months. Each treatment will typically last 15 to 20 minutes.

Is the treatment painful?
There is some minor discomfort associated with the treatment. Most patients describe the treat­ment as a series of rubber band snaps to the skin. Your physician can reduce or eliminate this dis­comfort by providing you with a topical anesthetic or by cooling the treated area with ice or an air-cooling device.

Will laser treatment make my acne worse?
Pulse dye laser treatment is designed to gently target and reduce the redness associated with inflammatory acne. It will not aggravate an exist­ing condition. However, if the underlying causes of your acne condition change, your acne could worsen independent of the laser treatment.