Active acne using the Ultra VPL ™

Acne is caused by excess sebum, an oil naturally produced by the body which clogs up pores and causes infections. Over long periods this can also result in acne scarring.

The ULTRA VPL™ improves both active acne and acne scarring by destroying the bacteria that causes the infection. Acne is healed significantly following a course of treatments and skin texture and tone is improved as further collagen is produced.

At Cristianos we believe in ethical and professional practice and your well-being is our major concern, before you can make a choice with regard to having or not having treatment and indeed to whom you entrust your treatment and care you must be given the relevant information upon which to base your decision.

Acne can be a very distressing condition and one that is not necessarily restricted to teenage years; in fact it can affect people of all ages. Anaerobic bacteria within the skin cause acne. Traditional treatments can range from products, which can be bought over the counter to prescription antibiotic creams and tablets and in the most severe cases treatment with Roaccutane.

Acne is the actually the most common skin disorder, and while it usually appears in adolescence, adults can get it too. Acne occurs when hair follicles and the sebaceous glands inside the follicles are inflamed. Sebaceous glands make an oily substance called sebum. Too much sebum can clog the follicles and lead to bacterial growth and inflammation.

Acne Vulgaris is a chronic, but common, inflammatory condition of the pilosebaceous duct (a duct is a tubular bodily canal or passage, especially one for carrying a glandular secretion. Pilosebaceous means of or relating to a hair follicle and its sebaceous gland) . The over production of sebum and dead hair cells clog the hair follicle causing infection. It affects the areas of skin with the largest population of sebaceous follicles; which include the face, chest and back. Acne begins when a change occurs in the dead cells that line the sebaceous hair follicles. The cells become thicker and more resistant to the process by which follicles normally flush the dead cells to the surface. They also begin to stick together and form a “kernel (inner layer) of dead cells”. The blockage traps oil in the follicle where the bacteria (Propiobacterium Acnes – P. Acne will thrive on the anaerobic conditions (where oxygen is not present).

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Treatment works by the light produced by the targets the blood vessels causing a heating effect. This process releases growth factors, which stimulates the fibroblasts within the skin. This process has two effects firstly and most importantly in this application oxygen is produced, which kills the anaerobic bacteria, which cause the acne. Secondly the skin is stimulated to produce collagen, which helps to even out scarring caused by acne.

The aim of treatment with the ULTRA™ is to help manage lesions and reduce incidence, and appearance, of scarring. Pulsed yellow light helps destroy bacteria and initiate skin healing response. It does this by exciting the existing oxygen molecules in the air to a ‘higher level of potential energy’ - basically this means that they are more powerful, effectively like ‘super-oxygen’ molecules. By flooding the area with these oxygen molecules we are producing an atmosphere in which the bacteria cannot breathe, and therefore cannot survive, grow, replicate – hence, they die. This works in much the same way that we would die in an atmosphere in the complete absence of oxygen!

The treatment relies on absorption of the yellow VPL light into the blood vessels, so when cigarette smoke is inhaled, the blood vessels constrict, this reduced the target vessel and therefore the capability of the absorption of light. The effectiveness of the treatment in greatly reduced if cigarettes are smoked 24 hours before treatment and 24 hours after treatment.

It is important to treat the entire area for example where acne may be present on the chin, the treatment must encompass the full-face, as bacteria may be present in the extended area. The treatment can be carried out on any body site and is gentle and produces very few side effects.