How To Get Rid Of Adult Acne Before Your Wedding

Are you in your 20s, 30s, or even 40s and still suffering from acne? We feel your pain. Acne is unsightly and embarrassing, and can cause major stress as you’re wondering if you’re going to have a breakout right before your wedding. Today we’re talking to dermatologist Dr. Mitchel Goldman about how to effectively eliminate acne before your big day.

Q: What treatments are available for acne?

A: Acne is the single most common skin condition in America, so of course there are a variety of treatments available. At my practice, our most common and effective treatments are photodynamic therapy or the Isolaz treatment.

Q: What is photodynamic therapy?

A: Also called PDT, this treatment actually kills the bacteria and normalizes the oil glands that cause acne through the use of an FDA-approved medical solution (amino levulinic acid, ALA) applied on the face that interacts with light energy to cause a photochemical reaction. It’s incredibly effective, and you can see some amazing before and after photos on the Cosmetic Laser Dermatology website. In addition to the face, it can also be used to treat pesky back and body acne – perfect if you’re afraid to wear a backless or strapless dress because of body acne! It does take 4 weeks for the acne to resolve after treatment and 2-3 treatments every 4 weeks may be required to see an incredible improvement. In our office, we use 3-4 different lasers to activate the medical solution (ALA) after first preparing your skin with a microdermabrasion and acetone scrub. Our technique is what makes this treatment so effective for acne treatment.

Q: What about Isolaz?

A: Isolaz is a laser developed specifically for the treatment of acne and excess oil. It uses a combination of suction and light therapy to clear pores and kill bacteria, reducing the amount of sebum produced to help prevent future breakouts as well as reducing active acne by up to 75% in just two months. The Isolaz does require multiple weekly treatments to have a meaningful effect.

Q: What if I have acne scars?

A: Acne scars are difficult to treat and can take multiple sessions and treatments to see a difference. We have seen great success in treating acne scars at my practice, but get started early on the process – I’d recommend at least 6 months ahead. Treatments include injections with Bellafil and subcision, non-ablative fractional lasers like ResurFX and ablative CO2 lasers like the Deep and Active FX. Elevated and/or red acne scars can also be treated with a pulse dye laser.