Acne Blue Light Therapy – How Well Does It Work?

Acne can be a troublesome and embarrassing condition for many of us; particularly when it persists past adolescence and into adulthood making it a high priority for many to get rid of their acne. One of the therapies that is said to work to get rid of the condition is acne blue light therapy that is supposed to be an effective anti acne solution.

So what is acne blue light therapy?

This is a treatment that claims to work by getting rid of a person’s acne problem once and for all.

It claims to be an effective, gentle and non invasive method that tackles acne problems using blue light therapy systems that can supposedly work even for those whose skin has become resistant to topical ointments and other treatments or who want to get rid the hassle of continually ongoing acne management.

This therapy uses high-intensity, narrow-band blue light to treat mild to moderate acne.

How does acne blue light therapy work?

This not a laser and is also free from UV (ultra violet) light. The light kills the bacteria in the sebaceous glands responsible for causing acne breakouts.  It is a treatment used either by itself or as part of a photodynamic therapy. Treatment involves light exposure by placing the face close to a light source for 20 minutes to half an hour, which is then repeated weekly over some weeks until desired results are got.

So does the therapy really work?

Firstly this is a therapy recommended only for those with mild to moderate acne, and not those with severe acne. Secondly the efficacy of the treatment can vary from person to person. While some people report full satisfaction with the treatment, claiming that their acne never returned, others claim that the impact of the treatment was only temporary at best.

Yet others have claimed that their condition actually worsened after the treatment. This is because in the case of certain kind of acne, acne blue light therapy will not work – it works best in the case of inflammatory kind of acne and does not work in the case of cystic acne.

Also when the therapy works, it is usually not a permanent cure; rather it will cause a reduction of acne. Studies have shown that there is about a 55% reduction  of acne as a result of the therapy.

What are the side effects of the therapy?

Effects of the treatment will vary from person to person, however some do note certain side effects to the treatment such as redness, swelling and stinging or burning sensations.  In some cases pigment changes have also been observed in the skin; however side effects are generally temporary.

Also this is a relatively new therapy, so long term side effects are not yet known though it is not known to be a carcinogenic treatment. Some users have also claimed that the Acne blue light therapy has worked for them to begin with, but that later they great immune to it, and the sessions did not work for them.