have you have tried different acne treatments such as oral antibiotics (prescription medication such as minocycline), topical antibiotic creams (salicylic acid, azelaic acid, and glycolic acid), hormonal therapy such as oral contraceptive or even home therapy such as honey masks, over the counter products, but they failed you? We are here to help!

What is acne?

Acne is a common skin disorder that arises when your follicles become plugged with dead skin cells and oil. Acne affects approximately 85% of individuals between 12 to 24 years of age. There is also adult acne, or post-adolescent acne, that occurs after the age of 25. No matter when in life it occurs, acne can be mild, moderate or severe depending on the person.

Mild: Blackheads, whiteheads
Moderate: More intense than mild. With more inflammation (redness, pus, pain), comes a greater risk for scarring, due to the injury to the skin.
Severe: Swollen, painful, fluid-filled cysts and / or large, hard lumps lodged into the skin.
Any type of acne can lead to scars. The pores swell, potentially causing a break in the follicle wall. Shallow lesions are usually minor and heal quickly. But sometimes, if there is a break in the wall of the pore, a deeper lesion is created which can lead to scarring.

Here at Albany Laser & Cosmetic Center we provide a wide variety of treatments and protocols for active acne, controlling acne, and acne scarring.
We recommend coming in for a consultation first, which we find is important. This provides both the patient, Dr. Kamal and/or one of our Medical Aestheticians with an idea of what the best treatment plan would be.

what is New in acne treatments?

Whether you have cystic acne, papules, and whiteheads, acne is worrisome. But there's good news! Several new laser acne treatments are now available in Edmonton. Here, we will discuss laser, Microdermabrasion and Levulan Photodynamic Therapy System. That being said, good skincare and skin hygiene are essential for any long-term acne removal protocol.

Causes of different types of acne

We will not spend a long time discussing the causes of different types of acne. However, we will provide this infographic to give a summary. In summary, we develop acne due to overactive sebaceous glands and less than optimal skin resurfacing (lack of dead skin cells turn over). Therefore, some of us who have these two factors are born with acne-prone skin.

Most of the cases we see at Albany Cosmetic and Laser Center are advanced cases. Most patients are desperate as they saw their family doctor or GP and tried all traditional treatments.

Treatment options at Albany Laser & Cosmetic :

Skincare:

When it comes to treating acne with your daily routine, we recommend using medical or pharmaceutical grade products. This is why we carry the Vivier and ZO. Vivier is a Canadian-based, pharmaceutical skincare company and ZO is a medical-grade skincare line by Dr. Zein Obagi.
From Vivier, we like to offer the Acne Treatment system. This system contains two full-sized pharmaceutical grade products that are effective and easy to use. It has a combination of hexamidine, 2% salicylic acid and 5% benzoyl peroxide to help reduce the frequency and severity of acne breakouts.
From ZO, there is the Acne Prevention and Treatment Program, which carries an exfoliating cleanser, exfoliating polish, complexion renewal pads, and a sulfur masque. It’s a complete line of effective products formulated to treat clogged pores, blackheads, papules and cystic acne. Also, a preventive treatment for acne breakouts.

SilkPeel Dermalinfusion:

SilkPeel Dermalinfusion treatments are an effective way to diminish acne by exfoliating the clogged-up pore and infusing a special serum containing salicylic acid into the skin. The microdermabrasion opening and cleaning the pores allows the skin to better absorb the serum.

Jessner Peel:

This treatment can control acne and soften the scars that come with it. It includes equal parts of salicylic acid, lactic acid, and resorcinol. This combination dives into the skin to un-clogged pores while also skimming the surface to erode blackheads and fade surface scars.

Carbon Peel:

Carbon laser peel is an advanced skincare treatment. In recent years, this treatment has gained popularity as a way to deal with oily, acne-occluded skin. This is in part to the publicity from high-profile stars adding it to their skincare routine, as well as the effectiveness of the treatment itself. Utilizing nothing more than a carbon mask and a laser, this peeling procedure can clear the skin of active acne.

Spectra Gold Toning:

If redness is an issue, Spectra Gold Toning is a treatment that can help reduce and manage it. This treatment does not directly destroy the targeted abnormal blood vessels, it merely normalizes them. Gold Toning restores the affected cells surrounding the microvessels to a healthy state.

BLU-U:

This treatment uses a blue light that delivers clearer skin by destroying the acne bacteria. During this treatment, a patient sits in front of the blue light for a few minutes. It’s recommended to schedule 1-2 per week for optimal results. Treatment is painless and is a popular alternative to medications and antibiotics.

Fotona:

Fotona ND Yag:

This laser light safely penetrates the skin effectively to target overactive sebaceous (oil) glands and reduces the risk of developing new acne. The acne laser treatment also accelerates the healing process and stimulates collagen remodeling.

Fotona ER Yag

This treatment is ideal for resurfacing scars. The laser gently vaporizes micron-thin layers of the acne-scared surface to reveal healthy, undamaged skin. It is not to treat active acne, but to treat the scars left by previous acne breakouts.

Fraxel:

Like the Fotona ER Yag treatment, the Fraxel dual laser is not for treating active acne, but ideal for the scarring left behind. It can get rid of deep scars and pigmentation with minimum downtime. Also, it improves skin texture, lessens icepick or boxcar scarring and post-acne hyperpigmentation.
At Albany, we offer a range of different treatments as we understand every situation is different. We want to ensure we can provide the best treatments so you can feel confident in your own skin. Book your free consultation today and start your journey to clear, radiant skin.

More on Laser For Acne Removal

You may have heard of laser hair removal. But what can laser treatments do to prevent and get rid of breakouts?

The treatment uses light to kill bacteria. Also, the treatment uses IPL, an Intense Pulse Light Therapy. The treatment does the following:

• Kill the bacteria, which causes acne
• Eliminates current acne
• Prevents future breakouts
• resurface old skin

When your skin cells don't shed correctly, bacteria and sebum build-up and block your pores. Lasers target the bacteria to help remove acne. Further, it helps to reduce any superficial scars and dark pigments. It is important to know that clients on some acne medication (topical or oral medication) with specific active ingredients, such as Accutane and minocycline, should stop taking the medications for up to six months before the treatment. If not, the laser treatment may worsen acne before noticing positive results

What is the recommended treatment protocol?

It depends on the severity of the acne. If you’re experiencing breakouts, Dr. Kamal (Ph.D. in Pharmacy) recommends six treatments every few months. It's necessary to reduce scarring, deep pigmentation to rebalance the skin. Touch-up treatments will stimulate collagen production, prevent acne and make your skin glow.

Will I see any improvements?

Yes, your skin will look clearer and smoother. For those with sun damage and dark spots, you'll notice your skin color will look more balanced. In general, your skin will look brighter, supple and smother.

What laser do you use at Albany?

We have over 10 different laser types and wavelengths. Therefore, we can customize the acne laser treatment according to your acne type, severity and skin type. Some of the most effective lasers we have are Fraxel laser, Dye pulse 532, 585 and ND Yag 1064 laser.

More on Silk Peel for Acne

Microdermabrasion is a skin rejuvenation treatment. It combines exfoliation and suction to remove bacteria. Other impurities include dead skin and excess oil from the skin. Also, Microdermabrasion It's a non-invasive treatment that doesn't use chemicals and helps you attain a clear and bright complexion.

Further, the treatment is ideal for all skin types and colors. It doesn't leave any scars. It helps reduce and get rid of scars! With microdermabrasion, you can get back to your normal activities after the treatment. What this means is, the treatment takes less time to complete. Also, you don’t need any safety recuperation time.

How does Microdermabrasion work?

There are two distinct types of microdermabrasion. The first type involves discharging small crystals into your skin under high pressure. These are aluminum oxide crystals, that contain different elements.

The second type involves using a diamond-tipped wand or a crystal. It has an abrasive tip and gently exfoliates when it's swiped across the skin. The process doesn't release any crystals and it's safe for home use. With this tool, your doctor (or injection certified pharmacists) can adjust the suction level pressure to suit your tolerance. It's best to start with low pressure to prevent bruising.

How many treatments does it take to see results?

A lot of patients need more than one treatment session to get the best results. We recommend one to two sessions spaced two weeks apart. About six to twelve treatments are necessary, which may cost around $1,658.

Benefits of Microdermabrasion for acne treatment

Microdermabrasion can help different acne types. Also, it has several benefits and they include:

Boost circulation and enhance cell function

Microdermabrasion helps boost circulation in the target area. Also, it enhances the function of the cell and boosts the production of elastin and collagen. As a result, it makes skin cells healthier and more resilient.

Improve product results

Circulation increase allows skin products to penetrate deeper into the epidermis for better results.

Fighting Blackheads

Silk Peel is especially effective in removing blackheads. The suction removes the solid oily contents in your pores. And exfoliation eliminates the top of the blackheads. Clogged pores hold debris, which leaves pores open. But when they're unclogged, your pore size will reduce in size.

Safe and effective

This is safer than other available treatments. You may experience redness and tightness after the treatment, but it won't last long. Recovery time is minimal and there are no side effects.

In general, microdermabrasion encourages the production of elastin and collagen. As a result, the treatment helps reduce the appearance of acne scars by increasing the skin's healing process.

More on Blue-U LEVULAN PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY SYSTEM

The Light Levulan Kerastick Treatment is aggressive treatment with long downtime. It's an effective treatment for moderate and cystic acne. Further, the Levulan Photodynamic Therapy System is divided into two processes.

The therapy utilizes the Blue Light Treatment and the Levulan Kerastick topical solution. It emits visible, cool, and safe blue light to help reduce acne.

How does it work?

First, your aesthetician will apply a Levulan Kerastick topical solution on the acne. The solution will make the breakouts more sensitive to light. Your aesthetician will leave the topical solution on for about two hours. Next, the therapy proceeds with a Blue Light Treatment.

The treatment session lasts for 15 minutes. You may feel minimal discomfort due to the nature of the topical solution. But the discomfort normally improves within 24 hours and as soon as the treatment ends.

After the treatment, patients may experience minor reddening. Some will experience mild swelling around the surrounding skin. In general, reddening will reduce one week after the treatment. But swelling will reduce after two days.

Medical studies show that Levulan Kerastick is an effective acne treatment. Your skin will look clear, smooth, supple and radiant within four weeks.

Do you have acne? Do you want to get rid of them? If so, you should make an appointment with Albany Laser and Cosmetics Centre. We have quality facilities and professionals ready to help you. So book an appointment with us today. We provide a full portfolio of all cosmetic and laser treatments including fillers and Botox, acne scar removal, Fraxel laser, hair removal, non-surgical facelift, microdermabrasion, hydrafacial, eyelid lift, skin tightening, face slimming, jaw contouring and more. Here is our price list