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Claro Acne Clearing Device Review

Acne sufferers! Take notice of the CLARO Acne Clearing Device (Nordstrom Exclusive)! This intense pulsed light device (IPL) works quite well at clearing standard acne and, although not developed for use on cystic acne, had some effect on some that was bordering on being that type for me as well. Before I give my Claro review, here is what the company says about it:

CLARO offers a completely new way to treat acne–no lotions, creams or pills. CLARO is a personal acne-treatment medical device that is based on the same Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology used by dermatologists worldwide. The IPL system used in the CLARO harnesses a powerful combination of heat and light to treat mild to moderate acne quickly and naturally. CLARO delivers a series of pulses in six seconds that safely penetrate the skin to target the cause of acne.The effective and natural treatment for acne:- Fast and easy to use.- Kills up to 94.8% of acne bacteria after just one treatment.- Results you’ll notice quicker than with competitive devices.- Painless, gentle treatments.- Safe, with no side effects.- Natural alternative to drugs and lotions.- Portable, battery-operated and rechargeable. Color(s): cobalt blue, hot pink, onyx black.

I have been using the Claro for over a month now, with some particularly heavy use on a post-holiday breakout. I think all that bad eating didn’t do well for my skin! I ran into a couple of minor difficulties using it, but overall I was quite happy with the results.

About the Claro Acne Treatment Device: The Claro uses a pulsed light laser to kill bacteria. It also generates heat, something that also help treat acne. It is formulated for use on standard pimples, not for use on cystic acne or blackheads.

Using the Claro Acne Clearing Device: To use the Claro, it is turned on and held over the pimple that is being treated. Two sensors on either side of the light must be in contact with the skin for the device to work. The unit beeps to let you know that contact is made. Then, the button is pressed and the device emits 12 pulses of light over 6 seconds. After one treatment, the user is instructed to wait a few minutes and then treat the same area again. One pimple should be treated this way no more than once every 8 hours. After one set of two cycles, the device pauses and cant be used again for a minute. This is a safety feature to allow the device to cool.

I found that using the Claro Acne Treatment Device was generally easy and comfortable. It heats up slightly while emitting the IPL pulses, but it is not uncomfortable. If you have ever used a Zeno (link is to previous review), the sensation is similar. It is not at all like the quick shocks of heat that come from the now discontinued Thermaclear (link is to previous review). Where I ran into problems at times was lining up the device. It is a bit hard to tell if it is centered over the area of acne being treated, and I have contemplated drawing a black arrow on mine with a sharpie! Also, in areas where the face curves, such as the chin, it can be hard to keep both sensors in contact with the skin. This can result in the treatment cycle being cut short. I sometimes had both cycles cut off, and then had to wait for the device to allow me to use it again.

Effectiveness of the Claro: Here is the great part. I found the device to be very effective, and much more so than the Zeno was for me. The first time that I used it on an area of standard acne, it was practically gone the next day, with only a bit of redness remaining. Needless to say, I was impressed! Then, I tried it on an area that had several pimples, including a bit of particularly inflamed acne. It cleared the entire area up quite well. Finally, I gave the Claro Device a try on a particularly difficult area of adult acne, that was bordering on being cystic acne, but not quite there yet–keep in mind that the Claro was not developed for use on cystic acne. It did not completely clear that one up, but I felt that it hastened its clearing—something I also feels that the Zeno and Thermaclear do with particularly inflamed or cystic acne. I think that heat generation might be the main cause of help when it comes to the tougher to treat types of breakouts. Again, the Claro does not advertise that it works on cystic acne, and does not recommend its use on that type, so there should be no expectations from it on that type of acne. Any such use is off label and not recommended by the company (or me for that matter). It also won’t do a thing for blackheads, and is not recommended for use on them.

Safety of the Claro: Because the Claro uses a pulsed light laser, the user should never look into the light and it should be used with caution around the eyes. The device is shipped with a set of mini goggles if you would like extra eye protection. I used them when treating an area underneath my one of eyes.

Price and Product Life: The Claro is $250. Not mentioned on the Nordstrom sale page is that it also has a product life. It will last for about 800 six second treatments, which if you are comparing it to the Zeno, comes to about equal in pricing since the Zeno is cheaper but needs its tips replaced more frequently.

Want it? You can purchase a Claro below:

This review is based on a product that was sent to me by a representative of the company. For more, please see my disclosure page.

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Can You Reuse the Zeno Tip? No!

I have been asked on a couple of occasions whether the Zeno Tip Cartridge can be reused. At first I did not definitely know the answer because the tip on mine had not yet expired. Now that it has, I can safely say that the answer is no.

When the device gets down to only a few uses left on the tip, the tip itself seems to quit heating up as effectively. I found that I was basically cheated out of my last 2 uses. Then it just quits and will not heat up at all. I took it off and put it back on to see it it would reset, and it did not. Basically, it appears to have a little chip in it that kills it after the set number of uses has run out.

I should also mention that even if I had found a way to re-use it, I would not recommend doing to. It really is best to follow the manufacturer’s directions on such things. Regardless, I couldn’t find a way to to cheat it.

Interested in acne treatment devices? Read my review of the Zeno and review of the ThermaClear.

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Zeno Acne Treatment, Zap Your Zits!

I have been trying the Zeno Acne Treatment Device for some time now. While I don’t have serious acne problems, I do have the occasional breakout and am always interested in acne treatment products like the Zeno for acne treatment. (update: lately my acne has gotten worse. I am currently loving the Claro Acne Treatment Device).

I was fairly skeptical of the Zeno at first, but after some use, I do believe that it works pretty well in many instances. But in some instances the Zeno might not work as well as the buyer hopes. At $150 or more for the device, that could matter to some.

The Zeno claims that when used early in acne formation, it can clear up a lesion in as fast as 24 hours. The gadget works by delivering concentrated heat to the pimple over a period of two and 1/2 minutes. Zeno calls this a “heat shock response” in the bacteria that causes acne lesions, which causes the bacteria to “self destruct.” My first question about this was, where does that bacteria go when it “self destructs?” Surely it must go somewhere? For some instances I found out–it brings the pimple to a head.

That is what my first tries with the Zeno induced. Essentially the pimple would come to a head much quicker than it might otherwise, and then I would end up doing that thing we are all not supposed to do, yet often cannot stop ourselves –pop the pimple. I can’t really complain too much since the whole process with the Zeno still got rid of the acne quicker than normal. But it hardly met the advertised promise of making it go away in as fast as 24 hours and the price seems rather steep for nothing more than expediency in pimple popping.

HOWEVER, on several recent occasions, I managed to use the Zeno Acne Treatment Device when the pimple was very new and very small. Both times, the pimple never became anything larger and indeed did disappear between 24 and 48 hours later. After those experiences, I think that if used early enough, this product can make a meaningful enough difference in acne treatment to warrant to price. To be fair, the Zeno product literature does state that it is best when used early.

Something else that anyone contemplating a purchase should consider is that the Zeno does not claim to work on blackheads, whiteheads, or severe cystic acne. While the web site does not seem to clearly state that, the brochure that came with mine specifically said that it is not meant for those types. From my experience, it doesn’t do much at all for any kind of deep cyst-like acne, except perhaps bring them to a head a bit quicker.

Finally, the device tip only lasts for a set number of uses (mine is 90) and then the tip must be replaced. Replacements are available at Walgreens or online, and run around $25. That extra cost, while not hidden, is not widely advertised with the product and could be overlooked by some consumers. It is something else for a person considering a purchase to consider.

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All Entries Tagged With: "Zeno"

Claro Acne Clearing Device Review

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