Light Therapy for Acne - Does it work?

MoneySavingMisfit

I am hoping someone here might have tried this so I can make a more informed judgement as to whether or not it is worth investing in it...

I have been looking at the various Light Therapy machines you can buy (blue light, red light and both together) and they are rather expensive :eek:

I am 26 and have suffered with Acne for a long time and although I am on the pill Dianette again (after my second child 8 weeks ago), it doesn't seem to be doing its job this time round! As soon as I feel one area is clearing up, i can feel new spots developinig under the skin! And they are really sore itchy ones too so I can't help but scratch them

Any advice would be gratefully recieved!

Thanks
MSM

Gillyx

I'm not sure about light therapy, Dianette did help clear my skin up, but I was told by my GP that I couldn't be on it for long periods of time, so to me it was a waste of time, as any time I stopped taking it, my skin would be ten times worse again.

I was advised by a dermatologist to use Avene Cleanance Gel, you can buy it here

It lasts ages, one bottle probably lasts me 2/3 months and I use it morning and night, it helps clear my skin up, but more than that, it stops the itching and soreness that acne causes. Before using this even laying with my face on a pillow was agony for me

About the light therapy it will depend on how bad your skin is on whether it would work or not, and some clinics aren't forthcoming about it. They will tell you wonderful stories but if your skin is bad, it doesn't always work.

If you're really worried about it, why not go see your GP and see if they can prescribe something else, a few people I know have had great success with Roaccutane.

dogstarheaven

hi gillyx - do you use a spot treatment as well for those desperate break-out days?? i'm in my early 40s now and have suffered since my teens. there's been periods where it's worse than others. i think the weather has brought them out recently. i have never found treatments either from the doc or OTC (over the counter) to be of any use at all. I was prescribed Dianette for ages, but as I'm older now, I feel I don't need it as much for contraceptive use, plus I felt it was high-time, I gave my body a rest from this drug.

Gillyx

I don't dogstarheaven, surprisingly since getting pregnant my skin has completely cleared up, it's not looked as good for years :eek: dreading what'l happen after the birth.

I've became excellent at covering it up though, and through time it doesn't take me long to do. I'd say though especially if your face is sore or irritable that face wash is a godsend, it really is fabulous.

I'd say go back to your doctors, if what they're prescribing isn't working, they always have something else to offer. Roaccutane is a severe medication and a route you may not want to go down, but it can help scarring and everything. I would keep pestering your doctor until something is done. You shouldn't have to live with acne, it is treatable, it's just in some people it takes longer than others.

I try to change my pillowcases every couple of days, as I find this helps keep my skin clearer.

Where are your breakouts normally? Any particular part of your face?

dogstarheaven

About 5yrs ago, I was referred to the Dermatology Dept at the local hospital and was given the option to take Roaccutane but after taken on the advice about the side-effects, I decided against it. At that time, I was suffering with massive spots that were like shiny boils. Usually my spots are around the temples, forehead/eyebrow or around the nose or chin/jawline areas. Most of the time, they will appear around my periods and then, it'll take about 2 weeks for them to disappear. Normally, I leave them til they look unbearably horrid ie., when the pus head is formed after 1 or 2 days before the inevitable happens..

Normally, my diet is v. good eating lots of veg, and not drinking bad drinks often. I don't eat much diary either. Unfortunately, I smoke - upto 4/5 a day max.) I had my pregnancy 21 yrs ago, and I can't say that my hormone levels have improved since then (my hair still falls out).

Oh yeah, I have a 'T-Zone' skin and the forehead is quite tanned and dryish to touch but v. shiny. finding a good moisturiser is hard that is good for my skin/acne-prone type.

I'll change the pillowcases more often

Gillyx

it's a shame. If they've offered you Roaccutane, it must be bad, I'd say though, all the side effects, may not happen to you. I have a friend who was on it, and the only side effect she had was extremely dry skin, she had to moisturise like mad, all over to keep her skin from totally flaking off. But her skin now is amazing, the amount it has cleared up is unbelievable.

I know about the boils around the jawline, and they are so sore and completely unsightly.

If I was you I'd go back to the GP and see the dermatologist again, if they offer Roaccutane I'd be tempted to take it, at least for a few months, if you do end up reacting bad, you could stop taking it right away. They will start you off on the lowest dosage they think is necessary and amend from there. I have seen it work wonders for people and there skin keeps improving after they stop taking it.

I use Simple Moisturiser on my face, it comes in a sort of mediumish height bottle and a screw top, I really quite like it. I think you can get moisturiser in the same brand as that face wash but I've never used it so couldn't say how good it is.

dogstarheaven

due to my being (ahem, early) 40s, I have been using Protect and Pefect, No.7 Boots moisturiser and have been for the past 4 yrs. It's got UAV and SPF in it, so that's why I've relied on it for so long. I'll look out for the Simple one next time, and also think about investing in the Avene product. Normally, I wash my face in the soapy bath (naughty of me!) with my Clarins soap each night, and in the morning, just plain water. It's not the ideal skincare regime, is it?!

I suppose my acne problem is genetic and my mum has transferred this gene to all of us 3 sisters. One of them is really bad and refuses to visit the GP anymore (she's been Roaccutane too, but she couldn't take it as she's phobic about tablets!). I think my mum's acne went down in her 40s, but her skin is now pock-marked. I don't want to face the same fate with my skin looking like that. It'll be awful.

Gillyx

Roaccutane will help the pock marks, definitely. I've seen it happen, so I'd try and get back to see your GP. My mum had terrible skin too, and I've got it Hopefully I don't pass it onto my son. Least being a woman we can try to cover it up

P&P is supposed to be good, if it's working and not making your skin worse I wouldn't say it's necessary to change.

Hopefully you'l get somewhere with something, as I know how it feels to hate your skin.

dogstarheaven

ok when i next get a real bad case, i'll visit the GP and hopefully, if it's severe enough they'll refer me to the hospital. I'll do anything now for my skin. it's not as bad as my 2 sisters. Mine's just sporadic and I don't have that many that come at once.

I don't cover mine up when I go out of the house. I wear minimal make-up but never foundation/or concealer. What is your on-the-spot treatment if you get a new one?

Gillyx

I use tea tree and try and dry it up as much as possible, but that's it really. I have a variety of different make up techniques that cover them, and that's it really. Keep my face as clean as possible, don't pick or touch the spots and try to let them do their own thing until they go.

I know there are products out there which are supposed to be good for putting on the minute you feel a spot coming, I think Clearasil do one and maybe Neutrogina? I'm not sure but they may be worth trying if it's sporadic. Anything that will dry it up, is what you're looking for.

dogstarheaven

i've tried Tea Tree in the past and that's never worked for me. I've got Manuka oil as an alternative to Tea Tree as it's three times more powerful. As i have my hair long, it's usually tied back and i don't usually touch my spots normally. If I get a new one, I just dab a bit of Manuka on thesedays, but I don't think it makes any difference..