‘I Tried the Aviclear Laser for Acne—Here’s What it Was Like’

Lasers go into our skin and target precise skin-care concerns. There are lasers that stimulate collagen production for firmer skin and lasers that decrease the appearance of acne scars, rosacea, and sun damage. And the new AviClear laser is here to treat acne. It’s the first FDA-cleared energy device for the treatment of mild, moderate, and severe acne. It’s so good at regulating oil glands that it rivals popular acne prescriptions like Accutane and tretinoin.

“AviClear laser is the first laser ever to target the oil glands that are not well,” explains Dennis Gross, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. The issue with these glands is that the oil they’re producing is “too heavy for its own good. Instead of flowing like a liquid, it gets stuck.” When this oil gets stuck, it clogs pores and leads to acne. AviClear calms down this overproduction of oil by selectively targeting and suppressing sebaceous glands.

In the latest episode of What the Wellness, Well+Good’s director of creative development Ella Dove got to try out AviClear. The treatment takes three 30-minute sessions to complete, and we’re catching up with Dove during her third. “I’ve definitely already seen my skin change,” says Dove in the video. “I do feel like the breakouts I’m getting now are smaller in scale, and they come up and go away [more quickly] because I don’t get that heavy cystic acne.”