"You paint on this solution ALA, or aminolevulinic acid and it gets absorbed in the skin where the pimples are," said Dr. Monica Halem, a dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
"If you shine a blue light on it, it causes a reaction, and it destroys the bacteria. It's pretty popular. I use it [in the office]," Halem said.
Light therapy, also called photodynamic therapy, calls for two to three sessions a week and as the acne clears up, some patients may have to go in for a monthly maintenance. Some may never come back at all.
Halem said she uses photodynamic therapy, but reserves it for patients who did not have success with the more common creams and pills.
"There's the myth that chocolate causes acne, which I say is completely wrong," said Dr. Margaret Parsons, a fellow of American Academy of Dermatology. "For me, the stress that's making you craving the chocolate is probably causing the acne."
Parsons said studies have failed to show a link between food and acne. Instead, research shows stress, hormones and genetics can all increase the risk for acne.
Because the causes of acne are so unclear, doctors tend to prescribe treatments based on the severity of the acne.
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