The procedures aren’t your first line of defense against acne.
Rather, they’re used to treat stubborn breakouts that aren’t improving with other treatments.
In most cases, you’ll still use an acne treatment medication in addition to your acne surgery procedure.
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All of these treatments can be done at your dermatologist’s office as well as somemedical spas.
In this case, your dermatologist may decide that blemish excision will be helpful.
Excision is probably what most people imagine when they think “acne surgery.”
You will be awake throughout the entire time.
The healthcare provider may use a numbing agent to help dull the sensations and keep you comfortable.
Ideally, after the pus and comedonal core is cleared, the blemish begins to heal.
Blemish Extractions
Blemish extractionsare used to remove non-inflamed blemishes like blackheads andwhiteheads.
Extractions can also be used to drain pus-filled pockets, calledpustules.
Unlike blemish excision, this procedure doesn’t have to be done in a medical setting.
Anestheticiancan take care of extractions for you at your local salon or day spa.
Extractions are relatively painless, so you don’t need any punch in of numbing agent or anesthetic.
Blemish extractions are often preceded byexfoliationto remove dead skin cells.
The esthetician will then squeeze the pimple gently or press it a metal equipment called a comedone extractor.
Excision and extractions don’t stop new breakouts from forming though.
They only work on existing blemishes.
You’ll still need to use an acne treatment medication to get breakouts under control.
These procedures are best left to the medical professionals.
Don’t ever take a stab at lance and drain any blemish, tiny or not.
You open yourself up to infection and could easily scar your skin.
Laser Surgery
There are many different types oflaser treatments.
During a laser treatment, a high-intensity pulse of light is directed onto the skin.
Lasers are used to treat both acne andacne scars.
Some lasers need only one treatment to do the job, while others require a few treatments.
Laser treatments are expensive and generally aren’t covered by insurance.
These peels gently exfoliate and have no downtime, although your skin may be a bit pink afterward.
Superficial peels are best for treatingmild acne.
Stronger, medium-depth and deep chemical peels are available at your dermatology office.
There are different types of chemical peels, too.
Your dermatologist will help you decide which is best for your skin.
This triggers the remodeling process as the skin starts to heal itself.
Just like laser treatments, chemical peels can be used to treat both acne and scarring.
Cortisone injections are used to help shrink down large, inflamed blemishes.
It is the same procedure used to treat painful, inflamed joints.
The dermatologist injects a small amount of cortisone directly into a pimple.
It sounds worse than it is, the needle used is quite tiny.
Over the course of a few hours, the blemish flattens out.
Lanoue J, Goldenberg G.Acne scarring: a review of cosmetic therapies.Cutis.2015;95(5)276-81.
Simonart T.Newer approaches to the treatment of acne vulgaris.American Journal of Clinical Dermatology.2012;13(6):357-64.
