Best Laser to Reduce Facial Oil/sebum?

Short of Accutane, combination of photodynamic therapy and prescription strength retinoid is probably the best approach to improve oily complexion. You would be best served to go under the care of a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience with photodynamic therapy using Levulan and/or Metvixia.

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Most skin resurfacing lasers do not affect overall skin oil production. Treatments like Accutane, and topical treatments such as Retin-A, retinols, glycolic acids, benzoyl peroxides, etc may affect oil production. Additionally, I have seen good results with reducing acne using IPL with specific acne-reduction filters. These IPL treatments do produce some drying of the skin, and can be used in conjunction with other topical regimens to achieve very nice improvements in acne reduction.Best,

Excessive oil production may be very frustrating but are not best treated by lasers. We may not have a good therapy for this and some of the topical cosmeceuticals help absorb the oil by using special ingredients.

Laser does not consistent provide excellent results to reduce facial oil/sebum. Patient selection is key. Consult with 3 experienced and expert treating physicians to understand your options.

Thermage is a radiofrequency device which has been shown in clinical studies and histopathology of the skin to target sebaaceous glands.  It is one of the best devices to treat overactive sebaceous glands.  There are many lasers which have been shown to affect sebaceous gland activity--these are lasers in the infrared region including the long-pulsed Nd:YAG lasers (Genesis by Cutera, Lyra/Gemini by Iridex), the 1320 nm CoolTouch,  and the 1450 nm Smoothbeam laser.  Most of the lasers used for nonablative rejuvenation were shown to have an effect on sebaceous activity due to their deeply penetrating wavelengths (the longer wavelengths in the infrared region of the light spectrum have deeper penetration in the skin).  Thermage uses radiofrequency electric current which is more deeply penetrating than infrared lasers.  Thermage creates more volumetric heating of the tissue resulting in skin tightening compared to the infrared lasers which do not cause as much skin tightening.  All of these lasers help to decrease sebaceous activity but in comparing the different devices, I have noticed that Thermage seems to work slightly better in decreasing sebum production.  Unfortunately none of these treatments are permanent.  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using Levulan with blue light is also temporary.  There may be a more "permanent" cure using high-dose PDT.  This is a new procedure developed by Rox Anderson at Wellman Labs using Levulan or Metvixia with high-dose red light which actually destroys the sebaceous glands.  This treatment is not FDA approved but is very exciting and holds great potential as a possible "cure" for acne that may actually prove to be an alternative to Accutane.

The sebaceous glands are glands in the skin that secrete an oily, waxy substance called sebum, to lubricate the skin skin and hair.  The FDA approved Smoothbeam 1250 nm diode laser which penetrates to a depth in the skin where the sebaceous glands are found and causes injury to reduce the over production of sebum and therefore intended and helpful for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

In addition to laser treatments, excessive sebum production can be controlled by topical treatments including various over-the-counter cosmoceuticals, salicyclic acid, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, chemical peels, and prescription medicines such as retinoids.  Isotretinoin (Accutane) and sprionolactone (Aldactone) are oral medicines that have also been shown to reduce sebum production thereby treating acne.

Currently I do not recommend lasers to reduce sebum formation

It is best to see a local physician to discuss what are the best measures available to your excessive sebum

The Smoothbeam 1450nm laser will be one of the best lasers to target the oil glands in your skin.  This wavelength of light has a nice absorption spectrum by the oil glands thereby shrinking their size and production of oil.  Unfortunately not a lot of lasers out there were truly designed to decrease oil glan production so even at best this laser is just OK, but should give you the best chance for some results with laser for oily skin.

Skin oil, known as sebum, is our body's own natural skin moisturizers.  Sebum is produced by sebaceous glands in the skin and lubricate the hair follicles.  Oil production is determined by our hormones, so we can not easily  control how much we produce.  While some lasers, such as Fraxel or other fractionated resurfacing lasers, may improve the tone and texture of the skin and possibly make pores appear less apparent, they do not lessen oil production in the skin.  The only medication that has been shown to give a long term reduction in oil production is the oral acne medication isotretinoin.  If you have severe acne along with oiliness, this may be an option.  If the skin is just oily, the use of oil-free moisturizers, toners, or salicylic acid washes or gels may be an appropriate first step to help remove excess oil from the skin.