Acne is a frustrating condition that frequently plagues teenagers and young adults.

However, plenty of older adults also deal with genetic and hormonal acne. And many adults encounter acne scarring as a result of severe acne in their teens.

If you’ve been searching for acne remedies backed by clinical trials and research, keep reading. Following are five of the best acne treatment methods that really work for helping with acne.

First Things First: What Causes Acne?

Acne is a skin condition that happens when hair follicles are clogged by oil, dead skin cells, and other forms of debris. This can result in several types of acne, including pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads.

The four main causes of acne are:

• Excess oil production
• Bacteria
• Inflammation
• Clogged hair follicles

Hair follicles are connected to oil glands, which is one of the reasons why areas of the body with hair follicles are susceptible to acne.

When the follicle becomes clogged, the follicle wall typically bulges and results in a whitehead. Alternatively, the plug may open and darken due to oxidation, resulting in a blackhead.

For some patients, blackheads look like dirt stuck in the pores, but the pore is actually congested with oil and bacteria. Oil and bacteria tend to darken and turn brown when exposed to air.

Acne Triggers

Some common acne triggers include certain medications, dietary issues, hormonal changes, and stress.

Symptoms of Acne

Some of the symptoms of acne include:

• Whiteheads – pores that are plugged and closed
• Blackheads – pores that are plugged and open
• Papules – small, tender red bumps
• Pustules – papules with pus at the tips
• Nodules – large, solid, and often painful lumps under the skin
• Cystic lesions – painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin

Acne usually manifests on the forehead, face, upper back, chest, and shoulders.

5 Acne Treatment Methods that Actually Work

If you struggle with acne and have tried at-home methods without success, you could be a candidate for clinical methods with proven results.

1. Aerolase Neo Laser for Acne

The Aerolase Neo laser is an acne treatment that helps treat acne in several different ways.

Lowering Sebum Output

Aerolase Neo helps treat acne by heating and shrinking the sebaceous glands responsible for excess oil output.

Since excessive oil production tends to clog the pores and result in infections, shrinking oil glands can help control chronic acne.

Killing Acne Bacteria

A type of bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes (or P. acnes) is considered to be the main player in the development of chronic acne. P. acnes has been shown to use oil as a source of its energy. Plus, the presence of P. acnes in the pores triggers inflammation.

By shrinking sebaceous glands and killing off P. acnes, the Aerolase Neo laser helps heal acne outbreaks and control future outbreaks.

Reducing Redness Caused by Acne

Acne triggers an autoimmune response, resulting in inflammation and therefore, redness. The laser energy addresses the source of the redness, which helps even out the skin tone and eliminate redness overall.

2. ADVATx

ADVATx is one of the best acne treatments we offer at Gold Skin Care Center.

ADVATx uses a yellow light laser to treat vascular skin conditions like scars, acne, fine lines, and wrinkles.

The laser stimulates your body’s natural collagen production to help improve your skin’s texture and your overall dermal health.

ADVATx is effective because it can help treat the causes of acne, heal current acne outbreaks, and reduce the appearance of acne scarring.

3. Blue Light Treatment

Blue light therapy is a non-surgical and non-invasive acne treatment that kills acne-causing bacteria.

Research shows that in addition to killing acne-causing bacteria, blue light therapy can also help heal current acne outbreaks and prevent future outbreaks.

Blue light therapy offers many benefits over other acne treatments. For example, it doesn’t involve antibiotics or any other drugs. It does not cause scarring, and it is appropriate for all areas of the body susceptible to acne.

4. IPL Treatments

IPL stands for "intense pulsed light," and it uses high-intensity pulses of light to boost collagen in the skin.

These acne treatments are an excellent alternative to oral antibiotics. They can help patients with severe acne and acne scarring. In just a few sessions, most patients see significant results.

IPL treatments combine three filters to achieve results: blue light, yellow light, and red light.

Blue light therapy works to destroy acne-causing bacteria, while yellow light can help heal swollen acne lesions. IPL red light therapy helps reduce and paralyze overactive sebum glands present in the skin.

5. Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses photosensitizer medications to boost the healing activity following light-based skin treatments.

PDT is helpful for patients who do not respond to other clinical acne treatments.

Photodynamic therapy uses three components for treatment: a photosensitizer, a light source, and oxygen.

Photosensitizers help the light treatment target abnormal cells which contribute to acne.

Things to Know About Acne Treatment

It’s important to remember that with any acne treatment, our acne treatment dermatologists will likely recommend several sessions in order to see results.

This is because clinical treatments work with your body to create change, which takes time. Depending on the type of treatment you receive, you may require around six sessions in order to reap optimal results.

Getting Started with Acne Treatments with Gold Skin Care Center

If you’re struggling with acne and looking for treatments that offer clinical strength and that really work, contact Gold Skin Care Center for a consultation with our expert acne treatment dermatologist team in Nashville, TN.