Skin Care Medication

Zeno ‘zit zapper’ like magic wand for pimples

August 10, 2006

Dr. Michael Gold, dermatologist at Gold Skin Care Center in Green Hills, said the Zeno, a palm-size machine with the bright blue lights, is going to be a boon to people who need a quick remedy for a big, red pimple that threatens to ruin business meetings, graduations, weddings or other special events.

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“You carry your cell phone. You carry your PDA. You carry your Zeno,” Gold said.

Gold and other dermatologists have had the machine available to buy in their offices since 2005, but now you can find it in a handful of Walgreens stores in Nashville, one of only three cities where the device will be sold in stores for now. Each Zeno costs about $150.

Pimples form under the skin when oil, skin cells and sometimes hair clump together in the pores. Pimples, scientifically called papules and pustules, are often pink and tender to the touch or red at their base with pus on top because bacteria, such as P. acnes, build up and cause an infection.

Dermatologists have long known that heat makes pimples go away. The theory is that heat kills the bacteria that cause infection in the clogged pores. But a hot compress, such as cloth dunked in hot water or heated in the microwave, could be too hot and burn the skin. Or it may not be hot enough to have any affect.

The Zeno machine has a small, metal pad that heats to exactly 119 degrees, which is hot enough to kill bacteria without burning skin. You hold the pad on your face where the pimple is threatening to erupt for about 2½ minutes at a time. The device beeps when time is up. Each pimple might require two or three treatments over 24 hours.

“The only thing I know of that works as fast is if you come into my office and get steroids injected directly into the pimple,” Gold said. He is on medical advisory board for Tyrell Inc., the Zeno manufacturer.

But the device doesn’t work on all acne. Pimples shouldn’t be confused with whiteheads, which form under the skin but not as deep as pimples and do not become inflamed. Pimples are also different from blackheads, which rise to the skin surface and create a small opening. Air reacts with the oil, turning it black. These are the most common forms of acne among teens and young adults. The Zeno also doesn’t work on deep, cystic acne that usually requires oral medication and a dermatologist’s care.

Dr. Shimere Williams, 25, of Antioch bought a Zeno from the spa at Gold Skin Care Center last year. Williams, who has struggled with acne for years, said she’s spent about $10,000 on doctors, treatments and gadgets.

“You find something and it works, but it only works for a little while,” she said. Zeno wasn’t the futuristic miracle she’d hoped for. There was no way to catch every pimple with the device before it came to the surface.

“You cannot use it solo if you have for-real acne,” Williams said. “It’s a good addition to your regular regimen.”

But Williams has recommended the device to friends who have only occasional breakouts. She also plans to buy one for her brother to use at college.

The device might be a little pricey for people with mild acne or occasional pimples. Replacement heat pads for the device cost about $35 each.

There are plenty of alternatives for people who don’t have the money for expensive zit zappers, said Dr. Michel McDonald, assistant professor of medicine in dermatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Products containing benzoyl peroxide, such as Clearasil cleanser, or glycolic acid, such as Proactiv toner, are good treatments for whiteheads and blackheads. You have to go deeper for pimples. There are prescription drugs that fight acne deeper beneath the skin, including antibiotics, such as erythromycin and tetracycline, and sulfonamides. But like any other drug, there are side effects, including an increased tendency toward sunburn, nausea and skin irritation.

It takes up to eight weeks for topical and oral treatments to work on acne. In the meantime, McDonald recommends that people avoid scrubbing while washing their faces, picking or popping zits or using their own hot compresses, which can burn the skin. Women also should be careful that their make-up doesn’t contain oil, which can clog pores. •

Posted by toshko under Skin Care News |