Skin disorders, such as acne, can be irritating and embarrassing. The major disease of skin associated with sebaceous follicles is acne vulgaris. This is also the most common reason for visiting a dermatologist in the United States. There are many treatments, but no cures for acne. These include antibiotics (which inhibit growth of p. acnes bacteria which play a role in acne), retinoids such as Accutane® (isotetinoin, which reduces sebaceous gland output of sebum), and antimicrobials such as benzoyl peroxide.
Acne lesions result from the rupture of a sebaceous follicle, followed by inflammation and pus (a “whitehead”), or by accumulation of plugged material in the sebaceous follicle (a “blackhead”). This condition has two major requirements: (1) plugging of the upper portion of the follicle, and (2) an increase in sebum production. The upper portion of the follicle, i.e., the “pore” into which sebum is secreted and which is directly in contact with the skin surface, is called the infundibulum. A plug forms in the infundibulum from cells, sebum, bacteria, and other debris. The sebaceous gland continues to produce sebum (an oily fluid), stretching the infundibulum until either it or some lower portion of the follicles ruptures.
In most males, acne is worst in the teenage years and then subsides, in women, teenage acne is often followed by menstrual acne flares well into adulthood. It is well known in the art that both plugging of the infundibulum and high sebaceous gland activity are necessary for an acne lesion to develop. Several methods known in the art are aimed at reducing gland activity or inhibiting bacteria. The drug Acutane is approved by the FDA but is taken orally and has severe side effects such as skin dryness, birth defects and sever depression. Light based method in conjunction with cooling are used to at least partially disable the sebaceous glands. These methods too result in skin dryness due to the damage cause to the sebaceous glands and usually require high energy level which are potentially hazardous and require doctor-only operation. As the consequence of the relative invasiveness of the procedure, interaction with live tissue, and high laser power level needed, the instrument are relatively expensive. Both methods require time to take effect and results are generally monitored over period of weeks and months.