In a study done by Elman, 46 patients were treated with blue light (405-420 nm, Clear light™). Of these 46 patients, 80% of them noticed around a 60% improvement of papulo­nodular acne lesions after eight treatments of 8-15 minutes. These patients had prolonged remission of their acne, which was evident in the eight weeks following […]

Sunlight exposure is believed to have a beneficial effect on some inflammatory skin con­ditions. It contains the ultraviolet electromagnetic spectrum, which can kill many organ­isms, and also has a broad spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. The most important spectrums of solar radiation which reach the surface of the earth are ultraviolet radiation, visible lights, infrared, and […]

As mentioned earlier, P. acnes, which colonize the lower infundibulum, can digest trig­lycerides in the sebum and then release free fatty acids to produce inflammation or release cytokines to stimulate abnormal keratinization and inflammation. P acnes also produces high amount of porphyrin, particularly corpoporphyrin, which is called an endogenous photosensitizer. 5-Aminolevolunic acid (ALA) is another […]

Propionibacterium acnes in the pilosebaceous unit and follicular inflammation are two of the four main pathogenesis of acne. In addition, if we can decrease the number of seba­ceous glands, we can improve acne. Any method which does not disrupt systemic hormonal levels is also beneficial. If we can control these trigger factors, we can reduce […]

The etiology of acne is complex and multifactorial. There are four key components that contribute to the development of acne. These include hypercornification of follicular epi­thelium at the infra-infundibulum with the development of a keratin plug, blocking the outflow of sebum to the skin surface; hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands and hypersecre­tion of sebum with […]

Voraphol Vejjabhinanta, Anita Singh, and Keyvan Nouri Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA 17.1 Introduction 341 17.2 Etiology 343 17.3 Basic Principles 345 17.3.1 Mechanism of Action 345 17.3.2 Blue Light for Acne 346 17.4 Clinical Studies 347 17.5 Future Direction 348 References 349 17.1 […]

The second major FDA-approved laser technology for reducing cellulite is the TriActive laser (Cynosure, Chelmsford, MA), which combines six near-infrared diode laser energy (808 nm) and mechanical massage with superficial cooling. The FDA approved this device in 2003, stating its intended use is “indicated for minor muscle aches, pain, and spasm, and for improvement in […]

The next frontier in the non-invasive treatment of cellulite may be lasers. One of these systems, Velasmooth™ (Syneron Medical Ltd, Yokneam, Israel), was approved by the FDA in July 2007 for “temporary reduction of thigh circumference”. This system combines RF, 700 nm near-infrared light (IR), and negative tissue massage. The IR aspect of the device […]

Electric currents have been used in medicine for various purposes for more than a cen­tury. Lower frequencies have been used in biostimulation for atrial fibrillation, for example, due to their ability to cause spasms in muscle tissue. Radiofrequency (RF) is defined by Table 16.3 Techniques to Control Optical Energy and Radiofrequency Devices* • Ions or […]