Sebacia is the Newest Acne Treatment Available at NBDPS – Robin Lewallen, MD

What is Sebacia?
Sebacia is the newest way to treat acne and is much different from the traditional acne treatment regimens such as medicated washes or prescription medications. Sebacia is an innovative treatment that involves applying a FDA-approved gold microparticle technology mask to the face followed by treatment of the skin with a 1064 nm laser. This combination not only treats active acne but more importantly it prevents future breakouts by selectively heating the root cause of acne, the sebaceous gland. The Sebacia treatment is performed weekly for three consecutive weeks.
Why Sebacia?
It works! In clinical studies, patients noted improvement in their acne about 10 weeks after the last treatment. Current data shows average improvement in inflammatory acne lesion count of approximately:
65% at 3 months
74% at 6 months
85% at 12 months
92% at 24 months.
The 24 month data was recently released in late 2019 which revealed that 77% of patients were acne medication-free at 24 months.
Who is a good candidate: Sebacia Microparticles are FDA-approved for the treatment of mild to moderate acne. The studies were conducted in patients with fair to medium skin tones (Fitzpatrick I-III). Schedule an appointment with a Newport Beach Dermatology and Plastic Surgery provider so that we can do a clinical assessment and determine if the treatment is suitable for you.
Treatment preparation: Typically, we will recommend that you use a topical retinoid 2-4 weeks prior to your first laser treatment to ensure the pores are not congested or clogged. This helps the gold microparticles to penetrate into the sebaceous gland to allow for a more effective treatment.
What to expect the day of your treatment: Your laser appointment will last approximately 45 minutes. The preparation phase of the visit involves thoroughly washing the face, massaging and vibrating the gold microparticle mask onto the skin for 10 minutes. Once the gold microparticules are successful massaged deeply into the sebaceous gland the skin is re-cleansed and cooled followed by treatment with the laser. You should expect temporary redness of the skin and mild peeling but you should be able to return to school or work immediately after the procedure.