Why is it that in a world where people can downsize noses and chins, upsize boobs and butts, and rid themselves of deep wrinkles and overbites, there is no quick cure for something as minor as common acne? I see teenagers walking around with the latest gadgets and fashions, but the pimples on some of their faces are as retro as the 80s music playing on their mp3 players. I suppose it's like the common cold, and somewhere beyond our human reach is a mysterious, cosmic reason for the tenacity of this nasty affliction through the generations.

The Zeno handheld, portable, electronic medical device for at-home use treats acne by applying direct heat to each pimple. A pimple looks like this (yuck):

According to information on the Zeno website:

The proprietary Zeno technology triggers a heat shock response in microorganisms that cause skin lesions, bringing about the self-destruction of those bacteria and allowing the skin to return to a healthy, normal state. In the case of acne, the P. acnes bacterium is the root cause of 90% of all acne pimples.

The maker of this product, Tyrell, claims that it can rid your face of pimples in just hours with two or three treatments of two and a half minutes each over a 24-hour period. The Zeno Study Summary on Dermatology.about.com discusses the results of the Zeno clinical trial, which showed that it can reduce the time it takes to get rid of a pimple.

You can get the Zeno device, which sells for $225, through your physician or medi-salon, or online at these stores.

For some hilarious comments on the Zeno, go to the Opposable Thumbs journal on Ars Technica. Apparently, the concensus is that it looks cool, and would be a much bigger hit if it doubled as an mp3 player.