Author Archives: Bambi

Red Light Therapy for Restless Legs Syndrome

Posted on by Bambi

red light therapy for restless leg syndromeIf you have Restless Legs Syndrome, or RLS, you already know that the treatment options available are frustratingly few. The most common doctor-prescribed treatments are medications that act on dopamine and ummm….movement. (Yeah. Gee, thanks, Doc!)

Fortunately, there are a few treatments you can try for yourself, including LED light therapy or LLLT and near infrared light therapy.

Near infrared treatments have shown some success. In a four week study at Brigham Young University, researchers found that exposing the legs to near infrared light gradually decreased RLS symptoms over the course of the study. Participants did three 30-minute sessions each week. Interestingly, even after the treatments were stopped, the decrease in symptoms remained one month later. The researchers also did another study comparing infrared devices to determine whether there was any difference in effectiveness. Despite the devices having different wavelengths, frequencies and one including red as well as infrared, the devices were deemed to be equally effective.

Fortunately, trying near infrared therapy for RLS is relatively easy. There are near infrared bulbs and devices on the market which you can use at home. There are also doctors and clinics that can administer the treatment for you. Although the treatments are likely to be effective, you may have to be patient to see results. And obviously, you should discuss it with your doctor first before using near infrared therapy to treat your RLS.

Other Possible Treatments for RLS

  • Gabapentin/Pregabalin – prescription alpha-2-delta ligand medications.
  • Dopamine agonists – prescription medications such as pramipexole, rotigotine, ropinirole or cabergoline.
  • Anti-convulsants – prescription medications.
  • Compression stockings.
  • Iron supplementation if you are deficient in iron.

How to Use a Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) Bulb for Red Light Therapy or Blue Light Therapy

Posted on by Bambi

low level light therapyUsing an LED light therapy/LLLT bulb is pretty easy. Simply take the bulb and screw it into a lamp or light fixture, the same way you would screw in a regular light bulb.  I recommend a gooseneck clip lamp because it can be attached to an object and then adjusted easily (leaving your hands free). The best lamps are those with a plastic shade, which can be removed.

Another solution is to use a lantern cord, which is a bulb socket on a long cord. This allows you to move the bulb around very easily, but the downside is that using it hands-free could be difficult.

Turn on the lamp or light fixture you’re using and place the bulb directly on the skin. Some people prefer to keep the bulb very close to the skin instead and seem pleased with the results they get. Personally, though, I think it is best to have the bulb as close as possible to you. Since it is painless, I see no problem with doing it this way, except that for 5 to 10 minutes after a treatment, you are going to have little dimples in your skin where the LED’s were.

To keep the bulb surface clean, you may cover it with a single layer of plastic wrap each time you use it. I think it is best to do this each time you use your bulb because cleaning the bulb is difficult.

Keep the bulb on your skin for the duration of time recommended by the manufacturer. For most LLLT bulbs and devices, this will be anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes per session.

The manufacturer should say how many sessions per day you should use. Typically, up to 3 sessions per day on the same area are recommended.

Take care not to overuse your LLLT bulb. Not only will excess use produce no additional benefit, but it could even reverse the benefits you’ve gained for the day. More is NOT better when it comes to LLLT.

Cleaning and Care for an LED Red Light Therapy or Blue Light Therapy Bulb

Because it is a bulb, it cannot be immersed in water or any other liquid. You should also not spray water or any other liquid on the bulb.

Therefore, preventing dust and dirt from accumulating on the bulb is important.  For this, I recommend covering the bulb’s light emitting LED’s with a single layer of clear plastic wrap.  Do not put plastic wrap on or around the metal part of the bulb that is screwed in.  Change the plastic wrap on the bulb each time you use it, especially if you are using it for acne or wound healing.

You can use a slightly damp cloth or Clorox/Lysol cleaning wipe to gently wipe clean the bulb housing. Make sure to remove the bulb from the socket before attempting to clean it.

To keep dust off of the bulb, use a soft microfiber dusting cloth.

Safety for LLLT Bulbs

Safety first! Read the instructions that come with the LLLT bulb before using it. You can also read more general safety tips here.

While an LED light therapy/LLLT bulb may become warm during use, it should never feel hot or cause pain or discomfort of any sort.  If the bulb becomes hot or causes discomfort, discontinue using it immediately and contact the manufacturer.

Does Red Light Therapy Work for Acne?

Posted on by Bambi

red light therapy for acneThe short answer is yes, red light therapy is effective in treating most cases of acne, especially when combined with blue light therapy.

In a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, combination red and blue light therapy produced a 76% improvement in acne pimples and inflammation after 12 weeks. Participants used light at 415 nm and 660 nm for 15 minutes each day.

Scientists have known for some time now that certain wavelengths of blue light, when concentrated enough and applied in a particular way, kills bacteria. This is the basis for blue-light bacteria killing air filtration systems. The biggest problem with using blue light to kill bacteria is that the light must be extremely bright. Usually, any bulb that produces such bright light gets hot and would burn you if you tried to put your skin near it.

The solution, then, is to use powerful light emitting diodes (LED’s). These produce very bright light without the heat, so your skin can get very close to the light source. There are many devices on the market that use blue light therapy to treat acne.

Most of these devices are expensive. A much better option is an LED light therapy/LLLT bulb which is far less costly and can be used with any regular lamp.

Photodynamic therapy is similar to low level laser/light therapy, except that it involves applying a chemical to the skin to make it more reactive to the light or laser treatment. Blue light is usually used for photodynamic therapy. The effects are about as good as those of Accutane (an anti-acne prescription medication). Photodynamic therapy treatments are believed to work by normalizing the sebaceous glands and by killing bacteria. Unfortunately, these treatments can be expensive and may not be gentle enough to use on sensitive skin, which many acne sufferers have.

Red Light Therapy and Blue Light Therapy for Acne

Red light therapy and blue light treatment are effective for most people when used correctly. It kills off the bacteria on the skin that is associated with acne, speeds up the healing of pimples and some cysts and increases the body’s ability to heal and regenerate scarred areas.

Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) for Acne and Skin Wounds

Low level light therapy (LLLT) has many benefits for the skin. It uses non-laser light at specific wavelengths to achieve different effects.

LLLT bulbs and devices use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to produce light that is powerful enough to be effective, without becoming too hot for the skin. For acne, blue light is typically used, often in addition to red light therapy. Blue light kills bacteria, which is why it is used in some hospital HEPA filters and in dental tools. As an added benefit, blue light kills viruses, so it makes cold sores heal much faster. For most people with acne, blue light therapy is the most useful.

Red light LLLT devices also produce benefits for acne-prone skin, but red light doesn’t kill bacteria. It increases the skin’s ability to heal itself, increasing circulation and stimulating immune response. For this reason, it is useful for healing skin wounds and relieving pain. If your acne is not entirely due to bacteria or you need wounds to heal faster, red light therapy might be more useful than blue for you.

Infrared Light Therapy for Acne

Another major category of LLLT is infrared light therapy. Near infrared light penetrates the skin deeper than red light and greatly reduces healing time. Infrared light isn’t visible, but it does produce warmth, so you can tell it’s there. If you have cystic acne, which is deeper under the skin than regular acne, near infrared light would be a good choice for you. It makes your body heal the cyst much faster, which often includes bringing it to a head so it can rupture and drain on its own before healing up. Infrared and red lights also ease any pain you may have in the area.

Near infrared light also improves or heals scars. It strengthens the collagen in the skin, leading to less sagging, fewer wrinkles and improved appearance of scars. The only downside is, ladies, it’s going to make the hair grow faster wherever it’s exposed. While that’s fantastic if you’re pointing it at your hair, it’s not so fun when you’re pointing it at your face. You may have to wax, pluck, shave, etc. more often.

All of these LLLT types- blue, red and infrared- can be used more than once per day. You could even use all three types to achieve maximum benefit if you like.

With infrared light therapy, be sure to use proper eye protection to protect your retinas. Infrared light therapy is very safe, but staring into the light repeatedly could damage your retinas, which are fragile because they’re meant to absorb light.

If you have any medical condition, it’s important to check with your doctor before using light therapy. While light therapy is very safe, it is quite powerful and some with medical conditions or those who are pregnant should err on the side of safety when it comes to using any new treatment.

Does Red Light Therapy Work?

Posted on by Bambi

red light therapyNow you see red light therapy everywhere- on TV, in doctors’ offices, in med-spas. Despite its growing popularity and glowing reviews, only one questions really matters. Does red light therapy work?

The answer: yes and no. Does red light therapy for pain or skin rejuvenation work? Yes. Does red light therapy work for promoting hair growth? Yes. Red light therapy, a type of Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) has been found to be effective for many different conditions. Is LLLT effective for everyone? No. Is it some sort of new cure-all? No. So as you can see, the question does red light therapy work doesn’t have a simple answer.

Does Red Light Therapy Work for Pain Relief?

Yes, there is evidence that LLLT, in particular red light therapy, can temporarily relieve pain and speed up the healing process. The initial effect of pain relief usually lasts for several hours.

LLLT is easy to use and may be combined with other treatments (such as pain medication), making it an ideal adjunct treatment. It’s always advisable to consult your doctor before adding any sort of new treatment and LLLT is no exception. If your doctor approves, LLLT can be an excellent addition to your pain management plan.

Does Red Light Therapy Work for Skin Care?

Yes, in most (but not all) cases, LLLT in the form of red light therapy is very helpful for skin issues. Skin rejuvenation, acne, acne scars and stretch marks are some of the most popular uses for LLLT.

Red light therapy usually works for reducing wrinkles and fine lines. You can multiply this benefit by using other types of light therapy, especially near infrared therapy. If you can spend a little time in a near infrared sauna AND you use LLLT, you’ll be golden. Not tan. What I mean to say is that you will look fantastic! Red light therapy and near infrared exposure improves skin elasticity. Red light therapy also increases collagen production.

Red light therapy works on most people to trigger collagen repair, healing and restoration of the skin. Sagging skin tightens and regains some of its plumpness. Under eye circles due to aging may be improved if they are caused by the skin thinning in the under eye area (letting the blue veins show through).

Another effect of LLLT is that it can improve scars, although the degree to which it helps seems to vary from person to person.

What Does Red Light Therapy Work For?

Red light therapy has been used for these skin problems:

  •  Improve fine lines and wrinkles– yes
  •  Heal acne scars- yes, although the effect varies
  •  Make skin look tighter, smoother and plumper- yes
  •  Encourage the production of new collagen– yes, LLLT has been well studied for its effects on collagen
  •  Heal or prevent blemishes- yes, for the majority of people
  •  Reduce skin redness and inflammation- yes
  •  Heal scars from burns or cuts- yes, although the result varies.

Red light therapy works for other conditions as well. In one study published in Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, scientists determined that for angiogenesis (the development of new blood vessels), low level lasers and LED light sources were equally effective.

A study published in Lasers in Medical Science found that LED-based red light therapy was effective for increasing periodontal bone levels and concluded that “collagen matrix deposition and realignment appeared to be accelerated” in rats. (2)

But How Does Red Light Therapy Work?

Scientists have known for a long time that light affects the human body. We produce vitamin D when we are exposed to sunlight. And we wouldn’t be able to see if it wasn’t for the way light affects our eyes. So it isn’t surprising that researchers have discovered that LLLT, including red light therapy, has an effect on our bodies.

Overall, scientists don’t agree on an explanation for how LLLT works. Yet it is clear that light at certain wavelengths gives your skin the energy it needs to repair itself. Placing a powerful source of light of the proper wavelength close to the skin cells transfers to them the energy they need to carry out their repair processes. Cellular energy is the rate-limiting factor in many processes, so this infusion of “free” energy can be put to use right away in most cases.

Dermatologists used to believe that the skin stops repairing itself after a certain age, but this has turned out to be incorrect. We now understand that the skin constantly works to repair itself- it’s just that as we age, it’s not so easy for energy to get to our skin cells anymore. LLLT appears to donate energy to cells, which is increasingly useful the older a person is.

Red light therapy is being used in doctors’ offices and spas with promises that it relieves pain, promotes healing and reverses the signs of aging, among other things. It’s natural to be skeptical that such a simple idea could possibly be effective. The most important thing you need to know before considering whether red light therapy is right for you is: does red light therapy work? And the answer is that for most people, yes, it does.

Benefits of Sauna Bathing

Posted on by Bambi

sauna bathingHere, I’m going to talk about the benefits of sauna treatments (often called sauna bathing) in general, although personally I have a strong preference for near infrared saunas because they take the benefits of sauna bathing and add the benefits of light-based therapy. The benefits of sauna bathing are many-fold.

Biggest Benefit of Sauna Bathing: Sweating

Saunas can be up to 180 degrees, which quickly induces profuse sweating. But what are the benefits of sauna-induced sweating? For starters, sweating is one of the body’s methods for removing toxins. Many people don’t sweat much at all, so this kind of sweating can really make an impact. Of course, your body removes many toxins through the urine and feces. But considering the vast surface area of the skin, sweating in a sauna offers a boost in detoxification. Some toxins/waste products’ primary route of elimination is through the sweat.

Some of those toxins are heavy and toxic metals. In a University of Connecticut School of Medicine study published in Clinical Chemisty, researchers found that “sweating is a demonstrably significant route for excretion of trace metals, and sweating may play a role in trace-metal homeostasis.” The researchers concluded that sauna bathing could “provide a therapeutic method to increase elimination of toxic trace metals.”

Sweating in a sauna helps the body naturally remove toxic metals such as lead and cadmium. This has been documented in numerous studies, including this one, in which researchers found that sauna bathers excreted significant amounts of zinc, lead, copper and cadmium during sauna sweating. As an aside, they also found that among the women in their study, those taking oral contraceptives excreted more copper and lead than women who weren’t.

If you’d like to read more about the arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead excreted during sweating/sauna bathing, check out this comprehensive review done by Canadian researchers. If you scroll down to Section 3.1, they give a listing of studies done on arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead excretion.

Other research from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine has shown that when it comes to the body’s regulating of amino acids, sweating plays an important role in the excretory system. Upon analyzing sweat collected from sauna bathers, the evidence showed that some amino acids are eliminated almost entirely through sweat. The scientists of this study concluded that the “mechanisms controlling excretion of amino acids in sweat differ fundamentally from those regulating renal excretion of amino acids.”

A study from researchers in Warsaw compared the loss of certain nitrogen compounds in sauna bathers’ sweat to blood concentrations of the same compounds and published the results in the Polish Medical Weekly. They found that in the sweat they collected:

  • Concentrations of ammonia were 77 times higher than blood levels. Interestingly, they also found that after 30 minutes in a sauna, plasma levels of ammonia increased 60%. Sauna bathing appears to trigger a detoxification reaction in the body.
  • Levels of urea in the sweat were 3.5 times higher than plasma levels.
  • Concentrations of creatinine were nearly twice as high as blood concentrations.

Sweating in a sauna has long been associated with beautiful, glowing skin. Sauna treatments make the skin softer and healthier looking.

Second Biggest Benefit of Sauna Bathing: Heat

No matter which type of sauna you choose, it’s going to be hot in there! The temperature itself is a benefit of sauna bathing.

The reason? Heat kills germs. The body’s natural response during an infection is to raise its temperature and cause a fever. The reason it does this is because many germs cannot survive the heat. They also tend to be inhibited the hotter their environment becomes. This gives the immune system a leg up.

For those with infections, this could be a huge benefit of sauna bathing. Personally, whenever I feel an infection coming on, the sauna is the where I head. For me, sinus and airway infections have been particularly helped by sauna heat. And of course, it also helps with the diseases that got me into saunas in the first place- Lyme disease and co-infections.

The heat is well known to relax muscles as well. When you are tired or have a back ache, a sauna bath can help ease tension and make you more comfortable. Sauna heat also helps make stiff joints more flexible.

Heat also causes vasodilation, an increase in blood vessel size. Circulation is greatly enhanced by the heat. Blood flow is generally good. (You know, if you’re alive and all.) In addition to bringing needed nutrients to all parts of the body, it encourages oxygenation and allows for toxins and waste products to be removed.

One thing the sauna heat is not good for is your hair. Wrap your hair up in a towel before using the sauna.

More Benefits of Sauna Bathing: Enhanced Immunity

A study from the University of Iowa College of Medicine found that sauna bathing caused the release of Interleukin-1 from the sweat glands. Interleukin-1 is a cell-signaling protein that is vital to the body’s response to infection. It appears that one benefit of sauna bathing could be that it triggers a type of immune system response.

Other research points to this conclusion as well. For instance, a study done by the Shiseido Company found that human sweat contains kininase II and kallikrein, two blood proteins involved in inflammation and pain responses (among other things).

Benefits of Sauna Bathing using Near Infrared Saunas

The benefits of sauna bathing I mention from here on out are specific to near infrared saunas. These are my favorite type of sauna, since they multi-task. You can do infrared light therapy and sauna treatment at the same time.

Near infrared saunas work a bit differently than furnace heated saunas. While they do make you sweat, the temperature of the air in the sauna will be lower than that of other types of saunas. That is because instead of heating the air in an effort to heat you, near infrared saunas use infrared light to heat you up directly. You can compare these two types of heating like this: furnace saunas heat you up the same way an oven would, while near infrared saunas heat you up the way the sun would on a hot day.

While you are sweating (it’s not as uncomfortable as it sounds- sauna heat is so dry) in a near infrared sauna, your body is taking in the infrared waves, which have the benefits of a sauna and more. Infrared light has been shown to temporarily relieve pain and to speed up the body’s own healing process…some experts say infrared light can speed up healing by 60-80%. In animals, infrared light can speed healing by up to 100%.

The benefits of sauna bathing using a near infrared sauna are becoming more well known and as a result, these types of saunas are becoming more popular. Many people are building their own sauna of this type.

Anti-Aging and Red Light Therapy

Posted on by Bambi

anti-aging and red light therapyIn studies, red light therapy has been shown to greatly speed up skin healing and repair. It is not clear exactly how it works, but it seems to have multiple effects at the cellular level. It appears to increase the amount of energy available to the cell, and this is key in reversing aging of the skin.

 

The two main culprits of skin sagging, thinning, discoloration and wrinkling are damage from UV rays and a slowing metabolism.

The body does have cells working constantly to repair the skin, but they don’t work as well as we age. This decrease in functioning isn’t from wear and tear on those cells, though. It’s because the cells receive less and less energy due to our slowing metabolism. Over time, not only does our metabolism slow, blood flow to the cell decreases. The slower a person’s metabolism or the worse her circulation, the more signs of aging typically appear.

The skin has cells called fibroblasts that are responsible for producing collagen and elastin. As we get older, not only does a fibroblast’s work load get bigger, but our slowing metabolism deprives it of the energy it needs to function to the best of its ability. So even though the aging fibroblast can produce lots of collagen and elastin, it doesn’t because it doesn’t get enough energy.

Part of the solution, then, is getting adequate energy to skin cells. Enter red light therapy, which is believed to work by increasing the energy available to cells.

Another issue is that aging skin produces larger quantities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), an enzyme that destroys the structure that makes the skin look firm, plump and tight. The more MMP the skin produces, the more its collagen and elastin weaken and break down.

To add insult to injury, MMP also degrades dentin, contributing to the natural darkening or yellowing of the teeth that occurs with aging.

Red light therapy, because of its ability to energize cells, can be helpful in reversing aging. It provides the needed energy to repair the damage that occurs in the normal course of aging. Indeed, anti-aging related skin care is one of the most popular uses for light therapy, particularly red light therapy and near infrared light therapy.

 

About

Posted on by Bambi

anti-aging and red light therapyI first learned about red light therapy, low level light therapy, and near-infrared saunas researching ways I could help myself deal with Lyme disease and co-infections. As I incorporated my findings into my treatment, I improved a great deal. But back then, these therapies weren’t cheap. Devices for at-home use started at $200. Full-body treatments required $8K and weeks-long stay in Germany. Such high costs put these valuable therapies outside the reach of many people.

I strongly felt that red light therapy and other forms of LLLT should be more affordable and more people should know about them. These beliefs ultimately led me to start a business and to start this website. My hope is that more people will learn how red light therapy, LLLT and near-infrared saunas can help them. And since I know many people believe “pics or it didn’t happen”, I have posted before and after red light therapy photos of various problems LLLT has helped me with.

This site is part of my efforts to spread the word about LLLT and sauna therapy. Everything stated here is strictly my own opinion or the opinion of the article’s author. I am not a medical professional. Nothing mentioned on this site should be taken as medical advice. Instead, I invite you to consider the information you read here as a starting point for your own research and for discussing the matter with your doctor.

I hope you will find this site interesting and helpful.

– Bambi