AccuRe laser in Singapore:
the 1726 nm acne laser, and why Dr Sin Yong recommends R2 for active acne

What is the AccuRe laser, and how does it work?

AccuRe is a laser system built for one job: treating inflammatory acne by acting on the sebaceous glands, the oil glands in the skin that feed acne. It works at 1726 nm, a wavelength in the infrared where the lipids in sebum absorb light more strongly than the water in the surrounding skin. In principle, that difference lets heat build up in the gland before it builds up in the tissue around it.

The difficulty with any sebaceous-gland laser is that the margin is narrow: too little heat does nothing, and too much injures the skin above. AccuRe’s makers describe a “treat-to-temperature” approach, in which each pulse is controlled to a target temperature rather than a fixed power, with integrated temperature monitoring, automated laser control and forced-air cooling of the surface. The company was co-founded with Dr Rox Anderson, whose work on selective photothermolysis underpins most modern laser dermatology.

AccuRe was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in November 2022 for mild to severe inflammatory acne vulgaris, and in October 2024 for the long-term treatment of inflammatory acne. Clearance is a US regulatory decision. In Singapore, energy devices of this class must be registered with the Health Sciences Authority before supply, and treatment must be given by a registered doctor in licensed premises.

What the evidence on 1726 nm shows so far

The published work on AccuRe itself is early. A 2022 paper in Lasers in Medical Science combined computer modelling of light and heat in skin with human facial skin histology, and reported that the heating could be kept to the sebaceous gland. It was a design and mechanism study, not a clinical trial of acne outcomes.

Clinical figures have so far come mainly from the maker. In its October 2024 announcement, the company reported an average 70% reduction in inflammatory lesion count at six months after a course of monthly treatments, from US clinical trials. That figure is from a press release rather than a peer-reviewed paper, so it should be read as a manufacturer’s claim until full trial data are published. Another 1726 nm device, AviClear by Cutera, works on the same wavelength principle but is a separate system with its own data.

Two practical points follow. First, a sebaceous-gland laser is aimed at oil production, the upstream cause, so change is expected to build over months rather than appear after one visit. Second, the published experience in the darker phototypes common in Singapore is still limited, and heat in pigment-prone skin always carries a risk of post-inflammatory darkening.

Why Dr Sin Yong recommends R2 for active acne

For active acne, Dr Sin Yong’s recommendation is his own R2 laser protocol, the acne application of R2 Glow. R2 is non-ablative: the skin surface stays intact. It runs on the Lutronic Clarity II, using long-pulsed 755 nm alexandrite and 1064 nm Nd:YAG energy at settings he developed to act on inflammation rather than on deposited pigment. In active acne, inflammation is what turns a blocked pore into a red, tender spot, and it is also what leaves the dark marks behind once a spot settles. Working on that inflammation addresses both.

Three things make R2 his choice for active acne in Singapore:

• Calibrated for Asian skin. Parameters are set for Fitzpatrick types III to VI, where too much heat can itself darken the skin. R2 is designed around that risk.
• No medication. Nothing is swallowed and nothing stays in the body, so R2 can be planned around isotretinoin, hormonal treatment, pregnancy plans and breastfeeding plans.
• Two problems, one plan. Active spots and the marks they leave are worked on together. Where texture or early scarring is present, R2 can be paired with FSX Laser in the same plan.

R2 is part of a full acne plan, not a replacement for it. Cleansing, the right topical treatment and, where needed, medical treatment for hormonal or cystic acne still matter. Dr Sin Yong performs every R2 session himself.

“When someone has to come off isotretinoin, the acne does not take a break. R2 lets me keep working on the inflammation without another tablet, so the plan does not have to stop.”

Dr Sin YongOn treating acne without isotretinoin

Coming off isotretinoin: pregnancy, trying for a baby or other reasons

Isotretinoin is a powerful prescription tablet for severe acne, and it comes with strict rules. It must never be taken in pregnancy, because it causes serious birth defects, and pregnancy has to be avoided during treatment and for one month after the last dose. People stop or avoid it for many reasons:

• Pregnancy, where it is stopped at once and acne often flares with the hormonal changes.
• Trying for a baby, where many women prefer not to take it at all in the months before conceiving.
• Side effects such as very dry skin and lips, eye dryness or mood changes, or blood test results that need a pause.
• Personal choice, or acne that returns after a course and a wish not to repeat it.

In each of these, the acne still needs treating. Because R2 involves no medication, Dr Sin Yong recommends it as the laser option when isotretinoin has to stop. If you are planning a pregnancy, R2 can begin while you are still trying. If you are already pregnant, tell Dr Sin Yong when you book: the timing and the plan are agreed with you and, where needed, with your obstetrician, and our guide to acne in pregnancy covers which creams and washes are safe.

Whether to stop, pause or restart isotretinoin is always a decision for the doctor who prescribes it. If you have been on isotretinoin recently, say so at consultation. Recent reviews found insufficient evidence to delay non-ablative lasers around isotretinoin, while advising against fully ablative laser during treatment. Our guide to isotretinoin and laser timing sets out the evidence.

AccuRe and R2 side by side

Who should wait, and how acne is assessed

The assessment comes before any laser is chosen. Dr Sin Yong looks at the type of acne (comedonal, inflammatory, hormonal, cystic or fungal), how active it is, the marks and any early scarring, your skin type, and your medicines, including isotretinoin, antibiotics, hormonal treatment and anything that makes the skin sensitive to light.

• Plan first, laser later: deep, painful cysts and nodules, which usually need medical treatment alongside; suspected fungal acne, which needs antifungal treatment rather than laser.
• Wait: a fresh tan or sunburn; an active cold sore or skin infection in the area; very recent fully ablative laser or deep peel.
• Declare: pregnancy or plans for one, breastfeeding, isotretinoin (past or present) and any history of darkening after earlier lasers or peels.

After R2, mild redness that settles is usual and varies between patients. Persistent redness, darkening, blistering or a flare that is not settling should be reviewed in person.