Kouras Azar, MD, offers Sebacia because it is a short-term acne treatment that can have long-lasting results.

By Tonya Johnson

Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Kouros Azar, MD, is offering a new acne treatment that uses gold microparticles and laser light to get results for patients at his Thousand Oaks, Calif practice. “Sebacia is a short session treatment that puts acne into long-term remission without being exposed to any systemic medication,” he explains. “Most other highly effective acne treatments like Accutaine, retinols, and antibiotics have significant sometimes severe side effects and require monitoring with blood tests and pregnancy tests, etc. All that, along with expensive daily regimens, can be eliminated or reduced with the Sebacia treatment.”

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Sebacia acne treatment and massage

With more than 10 years of research, studies show that after three treatment sessions of the FDA-approved Sebacia, 65% of acne goes down after 60 days and 85%  after one year. Sebacia does not require more than three sessions over two weeks, but follow-ups  can be done for prevention.

A U.S. pivotal study also demonstrated non-inferiority to laser alone at 12 weeks, with Sebacia’s last treatment at 2 weeks, and laser alone last treatment at 10 weeks. EU real world data on file shows 85% at 12 months (56% free of acne medications, 30% used topicals and 14% used systemics over 12 months).

Sebacia’s treatment required significantly fewer laser treatment sessions and significantly lower laser fluence compared to laser alone. In a non-randomized registry study in Europe, the average improvement in acne lesions at 24 months was 92% (77% free of acne medications, 9% used topicals and 14% used systemics at 24 months). The practice will continue to follow its patients to discern the long-term impact. Longer term studies will be important, he says, to see if the effect lasts even longer. 

Sebacia is made up of small silica beads coated with gold that are applied directly onto the face, then massaged into the skin for 10 minutes. A laser is applied during three treatment sessions over a period of two weeks for 20-30 minutes maximum. The particles go down into glands but do not absorb into the body or into the body’s cells, according to the company.

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Dr. Kouros Azar, MD

In addition, the company reports that Sebacia reduces oil production by eliminating a lot of the oil gland cells (similar to the way laser hair removal works). There is a learning curve to apply the gold particles to the skin, but Azar says the company provides hands on training and follow up support. 

Azar uses the treatment on a wide range of patients, including older teens with mild to moderate acne. For some younger patients  with severe acne who cannot tolerate other acne solutions, he has  tried Sebacia.

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Before and after Sebacia acne treatment on 17 year-old male patient

Azar says, “Our patients will be able to benefit from a simple series of three treatments that will put acne into a long-term remission, and reduce the amount of effort, maintenance and cost of daily regimens, while making their complexion much clearer.”

Tonya Johnson is associate editor of Plastic Surgery Practice. 


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