Acne Clinic & Laser Acne Treatment Brisbane
Acne can be a distressing disorder for those who suffer from it. There is no magic cure but a well designed Acne Management Plan will help to reduce the impact of acne and future scarring. Our doctor completed the Advanced Acne Management Course (part of Cosmetic Training) to provide patients with this service. Medicare rebates apply.
We treat Acne using a combination of the following strategies:
- Hormonal (females only) – Generally the combined oral contraceptive pill containing oestrogen and anti-androgen progestogen is usually beneficial for patients with acne.
- Vitamin A derivatives – Most patients will benefit from topical medical strength Vitamin A treatment. Occasionally some patients will require short term oral Vitamin A and this will be discussed with our patients.
- Antibiotics – Most patients will respond to topical antibiotics, some patients may require low dose antibiotics on a daily basis.
- Topical exfoliants such as salicyclic acids, glycolic acids and / or other acids such as azeleic acids.
- Topical anti-microbial such as benzyl peroxide
For the treatment of acne scarring, combination treatments may be required. Treatment methods may include Q-Switch or Erbium Lasers, skin needling, targeted dermal fillers, or injectable collagen stimulators. Some very deep “pit” scars may require surgical subcision or punch biopsy under local anaesthetics.
Laser Acne Treatment
(Using Fotona patented TwinLight Technology)
- Fast, effective and convenient
- Improve skin texture and skin tone
- Effective treatment for most acne scarring and may suppress active acne for up to 3 months
- Depends on severity of acne, may need a course of 3 or more treatments
Q-Switch laser
This is a photo-acoustic nanosecond laser.
Generally a course of 6-8 treatments are required and treatments are every 1 to 3 weeks apart.
This type of laser is useful for tattoo removal, reduce some types of acne scarring, reduce facial pigmentation, Asian Skin Whitening program, carbon laser.
Skin Needling
Skin needling is a treatment that is used to stimulate the skin to form new collagen and elastin without damaging the epidermis. It is very useful to improve some types of acne scars but other benefits include:
- Smooth wrinkles and fill lines
- Improve skin texture
- Relax scars
- Improve some types of depressed acne scarring
- Improve the appearance of stretch marks
- Fill old surgical scars
- Improve Chicken Pox scars
The treatment can be performed on all skin types and colours and anywhere on the body. Some patients may notice benefits after 2-4 treatments while others may need more treatment sessions.
Injectable collagen stimulation injections have been available since early 2000s.
The information on this page for Bio-Stimulators will assist your understanding during your consultation with our doctor. Due to TGA regulations, we cannot put before and after photos on our website.
Overtime we see too many patients' faces over-filled using temporary gel products.
Temporary gels are water binding materials that occupy space in the tissues until the materials breakdown over 6-12 months.
Traditional wrinkles treatments, including temporary volumising gels do not improve the quality of the skin. In fact after mid 20s, we lose about 1% of collagen per year from our face, causing our skin to be thinner as we age. After menopause we lose even more collagen, up to 30% in the first 5 years of menopause, both in our skin and our bones.
Collagen stimulators and bio-regenerative type products, on the other hand, has a bio-stimulatory effect, and most patients who use collagen bio-stimulators will notice an improvement in the quality of their skin initially, followed by a gradual increase in volume over a couple of months. Results from collagen bio-stimulation injections may vary between individuals, but in general, results last longer than traditional temporary gel fillers.
There are a few types of collagen bio-stimulator in the Australian market and each have their unique benefits and disadvantages. Our doctors will discuss the possible benefits of some of these bio-stimulators as well risks of these products during and post injections.
It is also important to know how to incorporate bio-stimulators as part of your rejuvenation journey, when combined with other treatments such as Lasers, traditional cosmetic treatments and other energy based devices.
You will need a thorough consultation, treatment planning and informed consent prior to collagen Biostimulator treatments.
You may also need to have a few months interval between your previous treatments and collagen biostimulator treatments.
Injectable Bio-stimulators are prescription only medicines in Australia and a doctor's consultation is essential.
Main benefits:
Improvements in volume occur gradually over a few months and provides natural looking result. For some types of collagen stimulators, a few treatments may be required.
Once your skin forms its own collagen, it takes longer for this collagen to breakdown.
Hence, results may last 12-24 months, longer than the average temporary gel products.
For patients who have lost a lot of volume in their face and likely to require lots of temporary gel products, or patients who "burn" through their temporary gel quickly, biostimulators may be an alternvative option in the long run. This happens in women who have high metabolism or peri- and post-menopausal women.
The aesthestic management of menopausal women is different to treating a women who is younger. Women start to lose collagen with declining oestrogen levels, a whole decade before the onset of menopause, so replacing this collagen is sometimes more important than just filling the face.
As collagen remodelling and collagen contraction occur overtime, most patients will also notice "firmness" in the skin that is rarely achievable using traditional temporary gel products.
Collagen Biostimulators are useful for reducing temporal hollowness, firming lateral high cheek, lateral jawline including pre-auricular region, jowls, neck and decolletage as well as hands.
Disadvantages:
Higher upfront cost (when compared to traditional cosmetic injections) and for some biostimulators, a few treatments are required.
Results are not immediate, as collagen production takes time, the improvements occur over a few months.
Collagen Biostimulators are not suitable for lips and the thin skin around the eye (periorbital) region as there is a small risk of nodules. Hence non biostimulatory treatments are required in these areas.
Some patients with active autoimmune disorders may not be suitable for bio-stimulator injections. A full medical history is essential to exclude contra-indications.
Other treatment risks are similar to traditional cosmetic injections includes pain, bruising, swelling, foreign body reaction, lumpiness, vascular occlusion and blindness.