As a teenage girl, puberty is high on the list of things that cause stress. Stress and changing hormones cause acne. Some teenagers are lucky and get through puberty with only a few blemishes at most. Others suffer with acne that is practically disfiguring. So, many teenagers are trying to avoid acne and the regular creams by using tanning booths as their method of acne alternative treatment.

Tans Hiding Blemishes

It is funny to think that only a hundred years ago it was highly unfashionable to have a tan. Pale skin was the way to go for women, and they would hide their skin behind layers of clothing, hats, and parasols. However, with Coco Chanel making the tan fashionable, tans have become stylish and now too a popular acne alternative treatment.

This acne alternative treatment has a basis in, surprisingly, science. When exposed to sunlight, the melanin in the skin triggers the color that results in a tan. The melanin production cancels out (albeit only for a short while) the oil glands that cause acne. Any scars that have been caused by acne seem to disappear beneath a dark tan.

It might seem to many that this acne alternative treatment is too good to be true, and indeed it is. A tan might look good, but repeated exposure to the UV rays in a tanning booth results in problems far greater than using it just as an acne alternative treatment.

For example, a teenager who decides to tan all the time will get far more than a tan, she will get an orange complexion. Basically, a tan is a sign of damaged epidermal layers. Too many teens decide that the darker their tan, the better their chances of not having their acne come back. The reality is that the acne is still there, and just waiting.

Sometimes the acne is so severe that not even a tan can hide it. A frustrated teenager who decides, after a long period of tanning, that she wants to stop tanning might find increased pigmentation (a lot of freckles or moles), puffiness (especially in the eye area) wrinkles, and perhaps even skin cancer.

So, keeping all of this in mind, it is safe to say that using tanning beds is not only an unsuccessful way to combat acne, but it is also a method that can have long-term damaging consequences. Thus, a teen should go see a dermatologist to get acne-free skin.

Acne is a common skin condition that targets teenagers and adults. Almost 100% of teenagers will have at least one acne breakout between ages 12 and 17. Some experience minimal acne during the teen years but develop moderate to severe acne in their 20s and 30s. Acne has many causes. Among them are heredity, hormonal changes, diet, and stress. Due the external and internal trauma that acne causes, there are hundreds of options to choose to treat acne. Depending on the type and severity of acne, those prone to this skin condition can find a treatment regimen that works. Daily cleansing routines, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy diet that includes drinking adequate amounts of water are all basic ways to control acne. For resistant acne, a dermatologist may need to be consulted. Severe cases may require topical or oral prescription treatments, a stricter skincare regimen, or cosmetic procedures to reduce acne. The focus of this article is acne laser treatment. There are a number of laser cosmetic procedures that have been effective in treating both acne and acne scarring.

Types of Acne Laser Treatment

A laser device creates a specific light or sound frequency by affecting atoms and molecules of light. The uniform light created by specific lasers can affect the skin by creating warmth which dries up acne pimples or by killing bacteria via a specific light or sound frequency. Acne laser treatment has been perfected so that acne sufferers of all skin colors and ethnicities can receive treatment with little to no skin discoloration. There are a multitude of lasers to choose from depending on the desired outcome. Dermatologists and/or cosmetic surgeons can perform acne laser treatment in their offices and some may require subsequent treatment. A few examples are as follows:

Fraxel laser or Photo-rejuvenation- uses light to penetrate the skin and increase collagen production. Improves acne scarring, reduces wrinkles, and fades age spots and other skin discolorations. Requires 3-5 treatments spread a month apart.

Erbium Yag laser, or Co2 laser- removes the top layer of skin and uses heat and carbon dioxide to tighten skin while reducing wrinkles and appearance of acne scars. This laser is highly invasive and treatment requires a long recovery period. It is used mainly in conjunction with face lifts.

Vbeam, or Pulsed dye laser- uses tiny pulses of light to remove redness associated with red acne scars, Rosacea, broken capillaries, spider veins, and stretch marks.

Smoothbeam laser- a non-invasive acne laser treatment that heals acne and smoothes acne scars by causing collagen production. This procedure is effective for dark as well as light skin. 3-6 treatments may be required to see results.