A formulation comprising at least one sub-micron particle comprising a light absorbing material for use in the treatment of a skin condition, comprising the steps of: a. a first phase of treatment, said first phase comprising: i. topically applying the formulation to a subject's skin; ii. facilitating delivery of said materials to a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, sebaceous gland duct, infundibulum, eccrine gland, eccrine gland duct, apocrine gland, or apocrine gland duct of the skin by mechanical agitation, acoustic vibration, ultrasound, alternating suction and pressure, or microjets; and iii. irradiating said sub-micron particle, thereby heating the particle for treating the skin condition; and b. a second phase of treatment, said second phase comprising: i. between about 23 hours and 14 days after said irradiating step of said first treatment: a. topically applying the formulation to the subject's skin; b. facilitating delivery of said materials to a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, sebaceous gland duct, infundibulum, eccrine gland, eccrine gland duct, apocrine gland, or apocrine gland duct of the skin by mechanical agitation, acoustic vibration, ultrasound, alternating suction and pressure, or microjets; and c. irradiating said sub-micron particle, thereby heating the particle for treating the skin condition wherein said sub-micron particle is a nanoshell. a. a first phase of treatment, said first phase comprising: i. topically applying the formulation to a subject's skin; ii. facilitating delivery of said materials to a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, sebaceous gland duct, infundibulum, eccrine gland, eccrine gland duct, apocrine gland, or apocrine gland duct of the skin by mechanical agitation, acoustic vibration, ultrasound, alternating suction and pressure, or microjets; and iii. irradiating said sub-micron particle, thereby heating the particle for treating the skin condition; and i. topically applying the formulation to a subject's skin; ii. facilitating delivery of said materials to a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, sebaceous gland duct, infundibulum, eccrine gland, eccrine gland duct, apocrine gland, or apocrine gland duct of the skin by mechanical agitation, acoustic vibration, ultrasound, alternating suction and pressure, or microjets; and iii. irradiating said sub-micron particle, thereby heating the particle for treating the skin condition; and b. a second phase of treatment, said second phase comprising: i. between about 23 hours and 14 days after said irradiating step of said first treatment: a. topically applying the formulation to the subject's skin; b. facilitating delivery of said materials to a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, sebaceous gland duct, infundibulum, eccrine gland, eccrine gland duct, apocrine gland, or apocrine gland duct of the skin by mechanical agitation, acoustic vibration, ultrasound, alternating suction and pressure, or microjets; and c. irradiating said sub-micron particle, thereby heating the particle for treating the skin condition wherein said sub-micron particle is a nanoshell. i. between about 23 hours and 14 days after said irradiating step of said first treatment: a. topically applying the formulation to the subject's skin; b. facilitating delivery of said materials to a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, sebaceous gland duct, infundibulum, eccrine gland, eccrine gland duct, apocrine gland, or apocrine gland duct of the skin by mechanical agitation, acoustic vibration, ultrasound, alternating suction and pressure, or microjets; and c. irradiating said sub-micron particle, thereby heating the particle for treating the skin condition a. topically applying the formulation to the subject's skin; b. facilitating delivery of said materials to a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, sebaceous gland duct, infundibulum, eccrine gland, eccrine gland duct, apocrine gland, or apocrine gland duct of the skin by mechanical agitation, acoustic vibration, ultrasound, alternating suction and pressure, or microjets; and c. irradiating said sub-micron particle, thereby heating the particle for treating the skin condition