Active acne forms on the face, shoulders, chest and back when three factors combine:
• Inefficient shedding of dead skin cells. The skin renews itself by shedding old cells to reveal the new ones beneath. When this process is inefficient, dead cells can accumulate on the surface of the skin and clog hair follicles.
• If the skin is also producing too much sebum, it mixes with the dead skin cells as it moves towards the surface of the skin and eventually forms a plug, blocking the pore. Sebum continues to be secreted, however, beneath the plug.
• When there are bacteria in these blocked pores, they proliferate and cause inflammation and infection. The result is a spot.
There are many forms of treatment for acne, and many work by targeting one or more of the three factors. Intense Pulsed Light can offer effective treatment for active acne; it works by eliminating the bacteria that cause those sore, red spots.
The light also stimulates the healing process, enabling the skin to renew itself and repair the damage caused by spots.
