OXYGEN INFUSION AND ACNE: CASE REPORT Dr. Domenico Amuso: Surgeon, Cosmetic Medicine Expert [[email protected]] Dr. Antonella Battista: Surgeon Dr. Alessandra Colantoni: Surgeon and researcher at Chicago University Acne is certainly the most common disease amongst young people: it affects more than 80% of the adolescent population. Few people can declare they have never had a pimple. Acne mostly affects the skin of the face and of the body in the areas where there are the higher concentration of sebaceous glands. These produce sebum. In those patients suffering from acne, these glands are more active, consequently there is an increase in the production of sebum called SEBORRHEA. When the comedones break, the acne inflammatory process starts and the derma (the tissue that surrounds and confines with the comedones) becomes irritated. Small skin pores become wider making the skin appear redder and hotter. Acne is basically an inflammation not an infection! As the inflammation continues and increases, other germs arrive contributing to the creation of the pustule. Therapy with Oxygen Infusion increases the synthesis of many growth factors; VEGF (vascular endothe- lial growth factor), angiopoietin and stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1), inducing SPC cells (circulating progenitor / stem cells) to move towards the areas where there are ulcers and subsequently favor the differentiating of the SPC in endothelial cells (alpha, beta). If the macrophages and the monocytes, after having being stimulated and activated, are exposed to Oxygen Infusion therapy, they show a smaller production of inflammatory cytokines. By applying Oxygen Infusion (Oxy Xtra Med, Maya Beauty Engineering s.r.l.) in weekly sessions of the duration of at least 15 minutes, in the interested area with a monophasic handpiece for the face or a triphasic handpiece for the body, there is a clinical improvement in the acne area and a clear reduction in the formation of comedones and consequently of acne pimples is noticeable. Oxygen Infusion is an excellent help in the therapeutic treatment of acne. Not withstanding the differences and the types of acne, Oxygen Infusion has a positive therapeutic effect thanks to its anti-inflammatory action. It reduces the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines produces in stress situations [i.e. in the presence of bacterial e

13th International Congress of Aesthetic Medicine AGORA ‘- Milan, 13th, 14th, 15th October 2011