Acne affects about 80% of teens and young adults. Now there's a new option if over-the-counter or prescription products aren't working. When Dr. Mary Lupo treats acne patients, she's dealing with familiar territory, "Acne is really caused because of a number of factors that interplay. The pore gets clogged, oil backs up in the pore, bacteria flourish as a result of the excess oil." That acne pathway has plagued Marie Gagliano since high school, so now she's trying the Isolaz System, "First of all, it mechanically debrides the pore with the suction aspect of the Isolaz. Then, the other part of the Isolaz technology involves blue light." The blue light deals directly with acne-causing bacteria that thrive inside blocked pores. "There's a direct effect by activating porphyrins in the pores and the bacteria is killed. It is bacterialcidal. It kills bacteria," says Dr. Lupo. The light therapy also includes an intense pulsed light. "Which is a broadband light, not a laser, but a broadband light that is effective for reducing some of the inflammation and the redness that is caused by the acne," according to Dr. Lupo. After three to six sessions, patients should see improvements that last up to a half a year, but other treatments should continue. "Whether it be your benzyl peroxides, your other topical antibiotics, your other retinoids," says Dr. Lupo. It's a treatment that's making a difference for Marie. "It's definitely helped reduce the redness and the scars that I've had from acne over the years," she says. Isolaz is suited for mild to moderate acne. But if you have darker skin, you will need to consider a different type of light treatment since this is not safe for darker pigmented skin.