Services

• Acne
  • ClearLight
  • Photo Dynamic Therapy
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Pigmentation Abnormalities
  • Vitiligo
  • Melasma
• Skin Cancer
  • Types of Skin Cancer
  • Treatment Options
    • Photo Dynamic Therapy
    • 5-Fluorouracil-Efudex, Carac
    • Aldara
    • Cryosurgery
• Skin Cancer Surgery / Mohs

Acne

The acne blemishes you see today formed several weeks ago. Deep within your pores, sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oil that hydrates skin and keeps it supple. Skin constantly renews itself, so old cells die and mix with your skin’s natural oils. Normally, these dead skin cells shed to reveal fresh, new skin.

But some cells shed unevenly and clump together to form a plug, or comedo, that traps oil and bacteria inside the follicle, causing it to swell. Your body responds by attacking the bacteria with white blood cells and a few weeks later, a pimple pops out. Acne ranges from milder comedonal (blackheads and whiteheads) to moderate (pustular) to severe, cystic breakouts. In many cases, several or all of these forms of acne can be present at one time.

Acne affects 85 percent of all teenagers and 20 percent of adults. It most commonly occurs on the face in teenagers and young adults, but can affect other areas such as the neck, trunk, arms and buttocks.

Raleigh Dermatology will evaluate your acne condition to establish a specific and effective diagnosis, define and eliminate potential flare factors, and explain the appropriate treatment. Topical acne therapies include cleansers that remove excessive surface skin oil, retinoids that unlock plugs from within the follicle, and benzoyl peroxides and antibiotics that suppress bacterial overgrowth and inflammatory activity in the oil glands. Oral acne treatments consist of various antibiotics and hormonal preparations, including oral contraceptives and Accutane.

ClearLight and Photo Dynamic Acne light therapies also treat acne effectively and quickly.

ClearLight Acne Therapy

ClearLight technology destroys acne-causing bacteria with a narrow laser beam that safely and effectively targets bacteria through the skin tissue by emitting pulsating heat below the skin’s surface. This diminishes the sebaceous gland’s size, kills the bacteria inhibiting the pore and repairs some of the damaged skin tissues.

Treatments are painless and involve a series of two 20-minute sessions per week for four weeks. A physician assistant applies the therapeutic light in a relaxing environment while the patient lies comfortably. Patients achieve the most effective results by following the treatment plan, and using prescribed medications and professionally recommended products.

Photo Dynamic Acne Therapy (PDT)

Photo Dynamic Acne Therapy non-invasively treats resistant, active acne with a combination of light and a special light-activated solution that targets and destroys acne activity. This treatment also diminishes older acne scars and leaves skin smoother.

PDT is performed with a topical photosensitizing agent called Levulan, a clear, painless solution that Raleigh Dermatology applies to your skin and leaves on for 15 to 60 minutes. We use BLU-U, a specific wavelength of light, to activate Levulan for 8 to 10 minutes. Targeted acne cells—including papules of acne rosacea—absorb Levulan and become sensitive to the light. At this point, we remove the Levulan and administer the light treatment, which successfully shrinks the oil glands to reduce skin oiliness. It also minimizes the appearance of pore size and improves the skin’s texture.