Research indicates
a single dose of laser therapy could zap acne outbreaks for up to three
months.
British researchers
note in the journal The Lancet the common skin disease can cause social
isolation, employment difficulties and occasionally suicide.
At present,
mild to moderate acne is treated with combinations of topical creams and
oral antibiotics. The downside is the treatment must be taken daily for
several months and can cause skin irritation.
Also, there
is concern the bacterium responsible for acne is becoming resistant to
many of the commonly prescribed antibiotics.
Tony Chu of
Hammersmith Hospital in London tested pulsed-dye laser therapy as an acne
treatment. Patients who received a dose saw vast improvement in their acne,
while those who did not get such therapy saw no difference.
"Our results
suggest that this laser treatment could be developed as a new therapeutic
approach that would allow simultaneous treatment of both active acne and
associated scarring," Chu said.
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Copyright 2003 by United
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