AAI Therapy is an innovative treatment developed and used at the Advanced Acne Institute

AAI Therapy involves the use of treatments to reduce inflammation, the principle cause of acne breakouts.  Our treatment regimens utilize potent methods to decrease and soothe inflammation to calm acne breakouts.  We do not use therapies that cause dryness or irritation.  Every treatment used at the Advanced Acne Institute works to block the causes of inflammation and acts to repair the damage caused by skin irritation.

AAI Therapy at the Advanced Acne Institute

Types of Anti-Inflammatory Therapy

• Skin barrier therapy
  Hydrating Base
  Rotational Therapy
• Antibiotics
• Light therapy
  Blue Light Therapy
• Hormonal therapy
  Birth control pills
  Spitonolactone
• Oil gland therapy
  Isotretinoin
• New treatments

Depending on the type of acne being treated, anti-inflammatory therapy also called “AAI therapy” can involve different treatments.  For patients with mild acne consisting mostly of whiteheads and blackheads, anti-inflammatory treatments involve medications that clam the acne-prone oil glands.  In women, birth control pills, for example, can help to regulate the hormones that would otherwise over-stimulate the oil glands to become swollen and inflamed.  Other medications can work in the same way.  A pill called spironolactone can also block the oil glands to reduce acne inflammation in women.

For more significant forms of acne, including those with small and large pimples and those with cysts and modules, other forms of AAI Therapy are used.  Anti-inflammatory medications that can calm inflammation in more significant forms of acne include oral antibiotics.  Although most people equate antibiotics with killing bacteria, the use of antibiotics in acne treatment is thought to work by a different mechanism altogether.  Antibiotics also have anti-inflammatory effects separate from their ability to kill bacteria.  Oral antibiotic therapy is often used in various ways at the Advanced Acne Institute.  A common use for oral antibiotics is in combination with Blue Light Therapy.  Blue Light is a light based treatment that emits a certain wavelength of visible light and is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects effective in controlling acne.  Many patients at the Advanced Acne Institute receive this form of AI Therapy with very good results.

Other treatments that target the causes of inflammation in moderate to severe acne include a medication called spironolactone.  This treatment works by blocking the hormones that stimulate the acne-prone oil glands to become overactive in the first place.    Because of certain side effects in male patients, this medication is only used in female acne sufferers with very good results.

The most effective therapy of all is the use of isotretinoin, most commonly known by its original brand name of “Accutane.”  Isotretinoin works by preventing the oil gland from becoming overgrown and overactive.  This leads to a very effective reduction in oil gland inflammation and thus a reduction in acne.  Because isotretinoin can have certain significant side effects, patients are closely monitors during treatment.  Overall, isotretinoin is used safely and effectively at the Advanced Acne Institute.