The Zeno is a handheld acne treatment device designed for use at home; it was originally available only through doctor’s offices, but is now available at many chain and drugstores. Its heat dosage destroys P. acnes bacteria in individual blemishes, helping them to heal faster.
Zeno Acne Treatment Devices
Zenos deliver a certain number of heat treatments through a flat, round metal tip. The original Zeno was rechargeable and had a 90-cycle treatment tip, which was replaceable. The Zeno Mini ran on batteries, which had to be replaced practically after every three uses; its tip delivered only 45 treatments. The tips cost approximately twenty to forty dollars to replace.
The above devices have now been discontinued, although the replacement tips are still available through the Zeno website. The company’s new blemish buster is the disposable Zeno HOT SPOT Blemish Clearing Device. It costs $40.00 and will work for 80 treatment cycles.
Is the Zeno Device Worth the Money?
The answer is yes and no. The Zeno works well on mild to moderate acne, rapidly shrinking small, pus-filled blemishes with one or two 2-minute treatment cycles. It does nothing for blackheads or whiteheads, as its instructions readily admit. Nor is it recommended for use in treating deep cysts, although it may make such blemishes smaller and less painful (note that a warm-to-hot cloth compress can accomplish pretty much the same result). Because many acne sufferers get different types of blemishes, which become visible in varied stages of development, the Zeno’s usefulness is greatly limited in the majority of cases.
Like its predecessors, the Hot Spot costs a lot to use: fifty cents per treatment. It does nothing to kill bacteria all over the face, but concentrates on a tiny, specific area.
It can be tricky to use, too. If a user presses down on the device too hard, a red, mildly burned circle may appear on the skin and last for some time. If the user does not use enough pressure, some of the bacteria in the blemish may not be destroyed. A person with frequent breakouts will probably rapidly tire of attempting to treat numbers of “zits” at once. People with heat-sensitive skin are advised not to use the devices at all.
The Zeno has some usefulness in an at-home acne treatment program; but regular cleansing, exfoliation, and disinfection with light, benzoyl peroxide, or other all-over bacteria killers provide much more effective and consistent means of clearing up a troubled complexion. The Zeno is more of good, emergency, “pimple before the big date” gadget than a true acne combatant.
Readers of this article may also enjoy "Review of Zeno Heat Treat Blemish Prevention Kit" in Suite 101's Home & Style section.
Sources
- Edgar, Jolene, “Skin Flick,” Allure, February, 2010.
- Goodheart, Dr. Herbert P., Acne for Dummies, Wiley, 2006.
Amy Sillup - I have a B.S. in Chemistry from Delaware Valley College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. I have worked as a ...
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