When I first heard about the new Tanda Zap ($50 at TandaZap.com), a battery-powered, 3-inch-long device that promises to clear away blemishes within a 24-hour period, the skeptical side of me prevailed and I emitted a disbelieving grunt, followed of course by the classic "Yeah, right!" eye roll and the requisite sarcastic remark. But I couldn't just dismiss the claims as some untrue marketing ploy. What if this tubular sensation was the next Clarisonic? What if it could, in fact, kill the acne-causing bacteria inside pores, reduce redness, and visibly clear the skin within a day? Wouldn't that be amazing?
As a frequent victim of Murphy's Law, I tend to break out at the worst possible times — a big date, a scheduled TV appearance, and a do-or-die business meeting are all fair game for my scheming, timing-challenged, oft traitorous skin. I might have clear skin for months at a time but, if there's a photo shoot slated for a specific day, it's almost guaranteed that an enormous crater will surface at the eleventh hour. Sure, there are plenty of blemish gels and creams, but even the best ones take 3-4 days to really clear the area (particularly if you're fair-skinned and need to conceal any remaining redness in addition to the actual pimple itself). And let's face it: even industrial-sized concealer can't fully disguise a bad breakout.
So what if you could stop a breakout right in its tracks, before it becomes an even scarier, more traumatizing situation? Well, that would definitely be worthy of some deafening applause.
The science behind the Tanda Zap is sound enough — the clear tip of the device features six domed, bubble-like shapes that emit a saber sword-esque, laser-like, 414nm neon blue LED light that kills acne-causing bacteria (staring at the light is not advisable since it might just temporarily blind you). The surface also warms up a bit, helping to open up the pores so that the LED light can penetrate them an kill any bacteria lurking therein. And last, thanks to a sonic vibration technology,the skin's microcirculation activities are boosted, which help to accelerate the cell renewal process, reduce redness, and diminish inflammation.
I was therefore eager to take the Tanda Zap for a test drive and when a pimple emerged on my chin at an inconvenient time, I quickly reached for the miracle-promising device. Utilizing it was a cinch — all I had to do was press the orange, triangle-shaped button on the side of the device, place the surface directly above the blemish and wait until the zit-zapping session was complete (like the Clarisonic, the Tanda Zap shuts off on its own after a given amount of time). I used the device after cleansing my face in the morning and again at night, before retiring to bed. When I awoke, I practically darted to the nearest mirror to examine my complexion. And, to my horror, the blemish was still there. Yes, the surface area was arguably smaller and the redness had dissipated to a degree, but the pimple was still there, taunting me like a buzzing fly zooming above one's head. I felt like a kid who unwrapped a box on Christmas morning only to find a pair of socks.
Thinking it might have been a fluke, I kept using the Tanda Zap twice daily as specified by the instructions. How long did it take for the blemish to clear up? Five to six days — the same amount of time it would have taken had I done nothing at all.
And it wasn't a one-time thing. I kept giving the Tanda Zap second, third, and fourth chances — mainly out of my desire to believe in its acne-busting superpowers. And each time, the blemish I wanted to vaporize lingered for much longer than the promised 24 hours.
Sure, it's not a useless device. It does prevent these breakouts from inflaming further, and it does minimize redness to a degree, but given the $50 price tag, you're better off with a trusty spot cream and a healthy dose of patience.
