1726 nm Laser vs Cortisone Injection

1726 nm Laser: A laser tuned to heat and shrink oil glands. It is the first laser class cleared to treat acne itself, and it works on all skin tones. Three sessions, and results arrive slowly.

Cortisone Injection: A tiny shot of diluted steroid into one inflamed acne cyst. It flattens that spot in a few days. It treats the bump, not the acne.

Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, Board-Certified Dermatologist
Last updated: 10/22/2026

Editorial illustration for 1726 nm Laser, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.

Editorial illustration for Cortisone Injection, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.

Choose if Key differences What is it?What it treats Treatment areas Skin tones How it works Before your treatment Day of treatment After your treatment Risks Cost Questions Related

Choose 1726 nm Laser if…

Choose for ongoing acne when you want a drug-free option that treats the oil gland itself, and can wait months for results.

Persistent acne despite creams
You want to avoid or reduce pills
You can budget for a 3-session package

Choose Cortisone Injection if…

Choose for one painful acne cyst that needs to flatten fast, or for keloids and patchy hair loss.

A single painful cyst before an event
A raised keloid
A patch of alopecia areata

Fine together

Can you have both?

A cortisone injection can calm a single painful cyst at any point during a 1726 nm laser series.

Key differences

● 1726 nm Laser

● Cortisone Injection

DowntimeNone → 2+ weeks

1–2 days

None

PainMinimal → Needs anesthesia or sedation

Moderate

Mild

Results showImmediately → 3+ months

3+ months

Within days

How long it lastsWeeks → Years or permanent

1–2 years

Weeks

Visits neededOne → Every few months

A short series (2–3)

Every few months

Cost per visit$ → $$$$$

$$$$

ReversibleYes, can be undone → No, permanent

No, fades slowly

No, permanent

What is it?

1726 nm Laser

Cortisone Injection

What is it?

It targets oil glands.

The 1726-nm wavelength heats sebaceous structures.

It is a newer acne treatment.

Studies report improvement in some patients.

It is not a guaranteed cure.

Device, cooling and patient selection matter.

It should not delay treatment.

Severe acne and scarring need effective care.

It is injected into a lesion.

An intralesional steroid calms local inflammation or scarring.

It differs from joint injections.

It is not a systemic steroid treatment.

The diagnosis matters.

Infected or uncertain lesions should not be injected.

Side effects can last.

Skin thinning, fat loss and pigment change may persist.

What it treats

Evidence level

1726 nm Laser

Cortisone Injection

Strong evidenceMost established uses

—

Acne

Flattens a painful cyst within days.

A raised, smooth, firm scar on the upper chest on light skin. It is shiny pink-red and hairless, and its edges spread well past the small mark it grew from.

Keloids

Softens and flattens raised scars.

Alopecia Areata

Regrows hair in patches.

Moderate evidenceSome supportive research

Acne

Reduces breakouts in early studies.

Visible sebum shine and natural pores on the nose and cheek.

Oily Skin

Lowers oil production.

A smooth, dome-shaped lump about two centimetres across on the upper back on pale skin, with a tiny dark pore at its center and faintly pink skin over it.

Epidermal Inclusion Cyst

Calms an inflamed cyst.

Little evidence

Redness and fine superficial vessels across a light-skinned cheek and nose.

Rosacea

Not studied for rosacea.

—

Not effective

Acne Scarring

Doesn't change scars.

dark keratin plugs in dilated pores on the nose and adjacent left cheek, with the face turned to the person’s right on light skin.

Blackheads

Not for clogged pores.

Can make it worse

—

Acne Scarring

Can cause dents in skin.

Treatment areas

Face and back; the acne-affected treatment area is assessed individually.

The specific lesion, scar or affected patch determines the treatment site; there is no fixed body distribution.

Skin tones

Skin tone

● 1726 nm Laser

● Cortisone Injection

Lighter skin

Low risk

Redness for a day or two.

Low risk

A small dent is possible.

Medium skin

Low risk

Cleared for all skin tones.

Some risk

Lighter patches can show.

Deeper skin

Some risk

Low overall, but ask about cooling settings and dark-mark risk.

Some risk

Lightening and dents are more visible; low doses help.

How it works

1726 nm Laser

Cortisone Injection

How it works

1726 nm Laser mechanism diagram. Laser energy reaches sebaceous tissue: A selected device delivers 1726 nm light with skin cooling. Sebaceous structures absorb light: The treatment creates a targeted thermal response. Acne activity may decrease: Improvement develops over time and varies among patients.

Cortisone Injection mechanism diagram. Medicine is placed in a lesion: A clinician injects an appropriate corticosteroid preparation. Inflammatory signaling decreases: The steroid reduces local immune and inflammatory activity. The lesion may soften or flatten: Response depends on the condition, dose, and placement.

Diagram explanation

Laser energy reaches sebaceous tissue: A selected device delivers 1726 nm light with skin cooling. Sebaceous structures absorb light: The treatment creates a targeted thermal response. Acne activity may decrease: Improvement develops over time and varies among patients.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

Medicine is placed in a lesion: A clinician injects an appropriate corticosteroid preparation. Inflammatory signaling decreases: The steroid reduces local immune and inflammatory activity. The lesion may soften or flatten: Response depends on the condition, dose, and placement.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

Before your treatment

1726 nm Laser

Cortisone Injection

The week before

Sun: Avoid sunburn.

3 to 5 days before: Retinoids: Stop topical retinoids for 3 to 5 days if asked.

Do not pick: Do not pick, squeeze or heat the spot.

Day of treatment

1726 nm Laser

Cortisone Injection

Before you arrive

Clean skin: Clean skin, no makeup.

Clean skin: Wash your face and skip makeup on the area.

Arrival & prep

Photos matter here, because progress is gradual.

The provider checks that the spot is an inflamed acne cyst and not a boil.

Treatment

Eye shields on, the handpiece pressed on section by section.

Each pulse is a deep, hot snap against a cold plate. A full face takes about 30 minutes, often with a faint burnt smell from surface hairs. It hurts more than most laser facials, and numbing cream only takes the edge off.

The skin is wiped with alcohol.

A very fine needle goes just into the bump and a small amount of fluid goes in, under 10 seconds per spot. The sting is sharp for a few seconds, worse if the cyst is already tender, but most people rate it lower than they expect. Numbing does not help much — the needle stick is the whole procedure.

Before you leave

Red and slightly swollen, like mild sunburn.

A tiny red dot, sometimes a small raised bleb that flattens within an hour.

After your treatment

1726 nm Laser

Cortisone Injection

First 24 hours

Redness, warmth and mild swelling for a few hours to a day.

Days 1 to 3: Redness settles; skin may feel rough or dry.

Days 1 to 2: The bump softens and the ache fades.

Days 2–7

Not specified

First few days: A pinprick mark, sometimes a small bruise, fading over a few days.

Days 3 to 7: Most cysts are flat.

Weeks 2–4

Weeks 1 to 4: New spots are common, especially after the first session.

Not specified

Time to results

3–6 months after the last session

24–48 hours for a cyst

How long results last

1–2 years in many; some need maintenance

Treats only that spot

Risks

A flare still worsening past 6 weeks
Dark patches
Small blisters or crusts

Dent in the skin
Lighter patch of skin
Visible small vessels

Cost

Per session

In the US a three-session course runs about $2,500 to $4,500, sold as a package.

Roughly $50 to $250 per office visit in the US, usually billed as an office visit plus a procedure charge rather than per spot.

Insurance

Insurance does not cover it — acne is medical, but this counts as elective.

Insurance often covers it, since acne cysts count as medical rather than cosmetic.

Questions

1726 nm Laser

Cortisone Injection

Individual Questions

Is AviClear or Accure better?

No head-to-head trial exists. Both use the same wavelength with similar results. Accure adds real-time temperature monitoring; AviClear has been in use longer. Operator experience matters more than the device.

Does it replace Accutane?

Not for everyone. Isotretinoin is more reliable and durable for severe acne, and far cheaper. The laser suits people who cannot or will not take it, or whose moderate acne failed topicals.

Why did my acne get worse?

A flare in the first few weeks is expected — damaged glands empty out and inflammation rises before it falls. It usually settles by week 4 to 6.

How long do results last?

Improvement holds out to one and two years in many patients, but the data is limited and mostly industry-funded. Some need maintenance. Nobody can promise permanence yet.

Can it be done on deeper skin tones?

Yes. It targets oil, not pigment, so it is one of the few acne lasers cleared for all skin types including the deepest. Heat can still leave dark patches, so settings and aftercare matter.

How fast does a cortisone shot work on a cyst?

Softening begins within 24 to 48 hours and most spots are flat by day three to five. That figure traces back to one small 1983 trial — it matches what dermatologists see but has never been tested at scale. The mark left behind takes weeks longer, and the injection does not speed that up.

Will it leave a dent?

It can. A shallow depression happens when the dose is too strong, so a lower concentration is the main protection. It is uncommon — most dermatologists see it in well under one patient in a hundred — and it often fills in over several months. But it is not reliably temporary. About half the clinicians who do see it report it lasting more than six months, and occasionally it is permanent. That is why you ask what concentration is being used.

Can I get one before an event?

Yes, the most common reason people ask. Aim for three to five days ahead so the swelling has time to drop. A same-day injection rarely looks better by that evening.

Does it stop acne from coming back?

No. It treats only the spot it is injected into. Preventing the next cyst needs a daily treatment plan, and the guidelines call this an add-on.

Is it safe on deeper skin tones?

Yes. The risk is a lighter patch at the site, more noticeable and slower to fade on deeper skin tones. A lower concentration reduces it, so ask.

Is this approved for acne?

Not in the United States, strictly speaking. The FDA labeling lists intralesional use for keloids, alopecia areata, discoid lupus and others. Acne is not on it. Off-label use for an acne cyst is routine, legal and recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology, but almost nobody says it out loud. In the UK, NICE withdrew its recommendation in 2026 after UK-licensed triamcinolone injections stopped being available — a supply and licensing decision, not a safety one.

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