Zapping In Vain

  • Laser treatment of acne is a booming business, but does it do any good? A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association doesn't bode well. Forty patients age 13 or older who had facial acne were treated with a pulsed dye laser on half their face. The other half was left untreated. After 12 weeks, doctors saw no difference between the two sides. Other lasers may work better, says lead author Dr. Jeffrey Orringer, but this one was a disappointment.