ALL CLEAR

Most acne treatments come with a buyer beware' warning for black skin. But a laser therapy being rolled out in the UK has the perfect wavelength setting to treat melanin-rich skin

- KATE LOCKETT

Over a third of UK adults suffer from acne at some point in their lives, and 3.5 million will seek professional help. However, energy-based machines that are typically used to treat active acne can damage melanin-rich skin if the wavelength used is too penetrative. Similarly, the incorrect depth or intensity of a chemical peel or microneedling treatment can lead to scars and hyperpigmentation, so it’s important to research not only the treatment but the experience of the practitioner.

Here, we weigh up how inclusive the new AviClear laser really is, and speak to experts about how best to treat scarring on black skin.

MAKING WAVES

“Lasers and lights are not to be messed with,” says Dr Zoya Awan, co-founder and medical director of Secret Aesthetics. “They are powerful devices and the more melanin you have, the more heat and light you absorb.”

Increased energy absorption can cause burns and hyper- or hypopigmentation – dark or light patches on the skin. To minimise the risks, Zoya suggests seeing a dermatologist.

While resurfacing lasers, such as Moxi and UltraPulse, can be used safely to improve the appearance of scarring on melanin-rich skin, AviClear – being rolled out in the UK now – can treat active acne, from mild breakouts to cystic nodules. It’s nonablative (minimally invasive) and uses a new wavelength setting, 1,726 nanometres to be precise, to suppress oil-producing glands without causing any trauma to dark skin.