ZENO Acne Clearing Device Aka ZENO Hot Spot - Is It Worth the Money?

Lately beauty insiders have been buzzing about the Zeno Acne Clearing Device. Reviews of the Zeno Hot Spot in particular have been rather positive. My skin always breaks out, so I decided to give the Zeno a try.

How It Works

The Zeno Acne Clearing Device is a slim, handheld gadget with a small wand on one end. The heated tip of the wand is held against a blemish for two minutes. This process kills the bacteria responsible for up to 90% of common acne blemishes. The acne fades or disappears after two or three such treatments spread over 12 to 24 hours. Reviews of the Zeno Hot Spot indicate that with proper use of the device blemishes disappear entirely within a day.

The Zeno is pretty easy to use. It takes 30 seconds to warm up. Once warm, it beeps to signal that it's ready to be held against a blemish. The hardest part is making sure the heated tip is right on top of the pimple. After two minutes pass, a tone plays to indicate it is done. The whole process takes about three minutes per blemish.

Rather than burn, the heated wand feels like a hot water bottle pressed up against my skin. After applying the heat, my skin developed a red spot that lasted about an hour. The spot eventually dried out and faded after a few more treatments. My smaller pimples went away after two to three treatments. Some of my larger blemishes required four daily applications before they were noticeably smaller.

Is the Latest Technology Automatically Better?

The cool design and technological features of the Zeno Acne Clearing Device convinced me to try it, but I can't say that it is better than conventional acne treatments. The process takes more time per pimple than simply applying benzoyl peroxide, but it is definitely effective on milder pimples.

How Long Does it Take to Treat Acne?

When I had three small pimples, I spent two minutes twice a day on each pimple, or 12 minutes a day. When I got two large blemishes, they needed four daily treatments of three minutes each, and that added twenty-four minutes per day.

In total, with five blemishes of varying sizes, I spent thirty-six minutes a day using the Zeno. In addition, the Zeno takes 30 seconds to recharge between treatments. It also requires a two minute pause after three uses.

Zeno Acne Clearing Device Refill Cartridges

The cost of replacement cartridges is another important factor to consider. Each two-minute treatment is considered a use, so users with more acne will go through the tips faster. Replacement tips range from $25 to $55 depending on the number of uses. When I had five blemishes, I used the product about 14 separate times per day for five days a week.

The Zeno Acne Clearing Device comes with a replaceable tip that is good for about 60 uses. Zeno Hot Spot, the disposable version, is good for 80 uses. I needed to replace the tip in the second week because my treatments had quickly added up to 70 uses in just five days.

Perfect for Mild Acne

Zeno Hot Spot and the Zeno Acne Clearing Device make acne disappear with side effects. What they don't tell you is that the heat treatment leaves a red spot on the skin for up to an hour before the blemish starts fading.

My skin was dry and blotchy after treatment. When the redness faded, not all the blemishes had disappeared, even after 24 hours. Some reviews mentioned only using the Zeno before bed to keep others from seeing the red spots. I think the ideal Zeno user has mild acne to treat emergency blemishes.

Zeno Acne Clearing Device Purchasing Tips

The Zeno Acne Clearing Device comes in a variety of models and prices.

The most basic model is the Zeno Hot Spot. It comes with 60 uses before the tip has to be replaced. The Zeno Pro comes with 90 uses, and the Zeno MD comes with 150 uses.

These models range from $149 to $200. Replaceable tips cost $25 for 60 uses, $35 for 90 uses and $55 for 150 uses.

The Zeno Hot Spot is a disposable version of the Zeno Acne Clearing Device, and it has 80 uses per device. All of the Zeno products are available on Amazon as well as Walgreens, Target and the manufacturer's website.

Pros

These products are great for anyone with occasional pimples.

They are FDA-approved for killing bacteria on all skin types without any topical treatment.

The devices come with a one year warranty.

There are different models for different needs.

Zeno Acne Clearing Device is great for traveling.

Zeno is very effective on mild acne.

Refill cartridges can be had for less than $30.

Cons

You can only treat one pimple at a time.

If you have a lot of blemishes, like I do, it will take forever to treat.

The Zeno Acne Clearing Device can only treat 60 to 80 blemishes before needing a refill.

Each application of the heated wand leaves behind a red mark on the skin for up to an hour.