Will IPL cause my cystic acne to act up?

[YankeesRtheBest]

I had two IPLs a while back and it seemed to make my cystic acne flare up, but I"m not sure if it was a coincidence. Does this usually happen to people with acne and rosacea? I really don't want thiis to happenas it makes the entire healing scenario even that more embarrasing. Is there a way to prevent extra outbreaks? I already have enough. Should I wait until I outgrow my acne? (not sure if that's going to happen though, so I'm assuming no? And especially since the rosacea will be progressing?

[KHM]

Find a real good IPL doc and discuss this with him. The part about acne getting worse after IPL /during healing is typical. Overall IPL is not targeted to acne, however, Photodynamic Therapy is.

I did it at the very end of my IPL because I was still breaking out (I would get cystic acne as a side effect of cosmetic intolerance, normally I just had P&P). 3 or so treatments could make a hugh difference, but you better have someone who knows how to handle the combo of IPL and PDT

[ian]

That - or you can find a practitioner who has the newer Clearlight systems in conjunction to use in conjunction with regular IPL. Dr. Nase has mentioned that Dr. Darm does this on some patients for treating acne/p&p's.

[irishgenes]

Here are some interesting facts about "outgrowing" acne: "Acne peaks in young women between the ages of 14 and 16 and in young men between the ages of 16 and 19. It usually lasts from 5 to 10 years. Ten percent of those with adolescent acne will continue to suffer from it into their 20s and 30s. Nearly 17 million people in the United States have acne, making it the most common skin disease. While almost all males and females 12 to 17 years old have occasional acne outbreaks, one adult in nine ages 25 to 45 has the same form of acne that most teens get, acne vulgaris."

I didn't "outgrow" acne until I was 50, and then I got the p&p of rosacea. I think women are more likely to have acne as adults due to our ever-changing hormones.