Acne vulgaris (acne) is a common skin condition that occurs when oil and dead skin cells clog the skin's pores. Acne primarily affects teens; more than 85% experience at least a mild form of this condition. 1 The most severe cases can be both emotionally and physically scarring. While most people outgrow acne by their early 20s, some—especially women—have acne into their 40s or 50s.

During puberty, elevated hormons levels stimulate sebaceous glands to produce more oil, also called sebum, which is normally released through the hair shaft to lubricate and protect the skin. Sebum combines with dead cells, forming a plug in the skin pore. The plug clogs the pore and bacteria grow under the surface of the skin in the mixture of sebum and cells. The trapped mixture leaks into adjacent tissues and causes inflammation, redness, and pus. Contrary to popular myth, acne is not caused by chocolate or greasy foods.

An acne breakout starts in the skin's tiny holes, commonly called pores. It takes about two to three weeks before a blemish shows up on the skin's surface. Deep within each pore is a sebaceous gland that works to produce sebum, an oil that keeps skin soft and moist. As the skin renews itself, old skin cells die and are shed off.

Under the best circumstances, this happens evenly and gradually, making way for fresh new skin. But some people shed skin unevenly and as a result, dead cells mix with sebum and clump together to form a sticky plug. This plug traps oil and bacteria inside the pore — the beginning of a blemish. During puberty, hormones accelerate oil-producing sebaceous glands into hyperdrive, putting teen skin at particular risk for acne.

Symptoms of acne include whiteheads, blackheads and pimples, which usually occur on the face, neck, shoulders, back, or chest. Pimples that are large and deep are called cystic lesions. Cystic lesions can cause painful infections and lead to scarring.

Treatment for acne depends upon its severity. The goal of treatment is to reduce or eliminate outbreaks and to prevent scarring. Gentle cleansing often controls mild acne cases and prevents new outbreaks.

Light wave therapy, which uses a narrow-band, high-intensity blue light, has recently been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This therapy has shown to be helpful in treating mild to moderate acne that has not responded to other treatments.

Studies show that blue and red light at a specific wavelengths act together in clearing acne by combining antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity, and that blue-red light phototherapy is an effective and safe treatment for acne . As published in the British Journal of Dermatology, Phototherapy with blue and red light was studied in the treatment of mild to moderate acne . After 12 weeks of 15-minute daily active treatments with a portable light source, a mean improvement of 76% in inflammatory lesions was observed. Investigators and patients favored blue-red light therapy, with more patients achieving marked improvement or clearance than in any of the other treatment group. The researchers concluded that blue light and red light "act synergistically in improving acne by combining anti-inflammatory action, rendering phototherapy with blue-red light an effective and safe treatment for acne ."

Several treatments are used to improve the appearance of acne scars. These treatments range from collagen injections, to removing damaged layers of skin by various methods including Dermabrassion, to surgically cutting out the scar and repairing the hole. The best treatment for you depends upon the severity of scarring. Sometimes a combination of treatments is used.