1726 nm Laser

A laser that emits infrared light at a wavelength of 1,726 nanometres. That specific wavelength is absorbed more by sebum — skin oil — than by the water around it, so the energy heats oil glands while the surrounding skin stays comparatively cool. Two devices are FDA-cleared in the US, AviClear and Accure, both cleared in 2022 for mild to severe inflammatory acne. It is the first laser class cleared to treat acne itself rather than its aftermath.

Acne starts in the sebaceous gland, which makes oil. The 1,726 nm beam passes through the surface and its energy is soaked up preferentially by the oil inside the gland, heating the gland enough to damage it while a cooling plate protects the outer skin. Damaged glands shrink and make less oil. Less oil means fewer clogged pores and less fuel for the bacteria involved in acne. The Accure system adds a thermal camera that reads skin temperature thousands of times a second and adjusts each pulse. Because the target is oil rather than pigment, it can be used on dark skin, which is not true of most other acne lasers.

Each grade is the same one shown on that condition’s page.

Avoid sunburn, though a tan matters less here than for pigment-targeting lasers. Stop topical retinoids for 3 to 5 days if your provider asks. Tell them about every acne medication you take, especially isotretinoin now or recently. If numbing cream is used it goes on 30 to 60 minutes before, so arrive early. Come with clean skin and no makeup. If you get cold sores and the treatment area includes the mouth, ask about an antiviral beforehand.

Does it hurt?

Yes, more than most laser facials. The heat is deep and each pulse is sharp. Numbing cream takes the edge off but does not remove it, because the sensation comes from a depth the cream does not reach. It stops as soon as the pulse does.

How long to hold off on each of these.

Expect little in the first month, and often a flare. Improvement usually begins around 6 to 12 weeks after the first session and keeps building for 3 to 6 months after the third. Manufacturer-sponsored studies reported that roughly 80 to 90 percent of people had at least a 50 percent drop in inflamed spots six months after finishing, with improvement holding at one and two years in follow-up groups. Independent long-term data is limited, and real-world results are more variable than those figures. Skin usually feels less oily. It works less well on blackheads than on inflamed spots, and it does nothing for existing scars or brown marks. The people most often disappointed are those expecting clearance within weeks, or who stopped all other acne treatment while waiting.

Three sessions, 3 to 4 weeks apart, is the protocol both devices were cleared with. Some providers add a fourth for severe acne. One session is not a treatment — the effect builds across the course and mostly shows up after it. Whether a maintenance session is needed later, and how often, is not yet well defined. Some people have a single top-up after a year or more.

What you can stack: Topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, oral antibiotics, spironolactone, and hormonal birth control can all continue through the course, and most providers prefer you keep them going rather than stopping to test the laser. Cortisone injections for individual cysts are fine. Peels and pigment creams can be added between sessions for post-acne marks, which this laser does not treat.

Spacing from other procedures: Leave about 2 weeks between this and a peel, microneedling, or another laser on the same area. Most providers wait until well after an isotretinoin course, commonly around 6 months, though that convention is being re-examined.

In the US, a three-session course generally runs about $2,500 to $4,500, sold as a package rather than per session. Full-face treatment costs more than a limited area such as the back or jawline. Prices vary considerably by city and practice, and introductory pricing is common while the devices are new.

Insurance does not cover it. It is treated as elective even though acne itself is a medical condition. Some practices offer payment plans.

Both devices are sold to physician practices, and who may operate a laser varies by state — some allow trained technicians under supervision, others do not. Ask how many acne courses the provider has run on the device, whether they treat your skin tone routinely, and to see their own before-and-after photos rather than manufacturer images. Red flags: a promise of clearance, no mention of the expected flare, a single-session offer, and pressure to prepay a large package before a consultation.