Category Archives: Red Light Therapy

Red Light Therapy for Skin Rejuvenation

Posted on by Bambi

woman using red light therapy for skin rejuvenationIn studies, red light therapy has been shown to greatly speed up skin healing and repair. It isn’t known for certain how it accomplishes this effect, but it appears that the effect is due to more energy becoming available to the cell.

Does Red Light Therapy Work for Skin Rejuvenation?

Red light therapy works on the overwhelming majority of people to induce collagen repair, healing and restoration of the skin’s natural radiance. Sagging skin tightens and regains some of its plumpness. Undereye circles due to aging may be improved if they are caused by the skin thinning in the undereye area (letting the blue veins show through).

Red light therapy has been shown to:

  • Erase fine lines and wrinkles
  • Heal and improve the appearance of scars
  • Tighten and firm the skin
  • Induce the production of new collagen
  • Ward off blemishes
  • Improve skin redness and inflammation

Red light therapy itself was discovered by NASA. They had noticed that astronauts in space wouldn’t heal quickly if they got cut or hurt. NASA developed LED light therapy technology to help the body heal.

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 even more effects of light on our bodies.

Scientists 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.

The two main culprits of skin sagging, thinning and wrinkling are sun damage and the body’s own aging process. The body does have cells working constantly to repair skin, but they don’t work as well as we age. The decrease in functioning isn’t from wear and tear on those cells- it’s because the cells get less and less energy as we age. Over time, not only does our metabolism slow, blood flow to the cell decreases.

LLLT encourages renewed blood flow to the area, which helps skin cells acquire energy in their usual way. Studies also suggest that it has more than one mechanism of action.

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.

In addition, aging skin produces lots of an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). MMP are responsible for destroying the structure that keeps skin looking firm, plump and tight. The more MMP the skin produces, the more its collagen and elastin weaken and break down. Red light therapy inhibits the action of MMP.

It appears that it’s not possible to get these effects of red light therapy/LLLT with just any red light. The light’s photons must be powerful enough to reach the skin cell, even those beneath the surface. To be effective, the light has to be strong and the source must be placed as close to the skin as possible.

Red Light Therapy for Pain

Posted on by Bambi

red light therapy for painRed light therapy treatments are very effective at reducing pain and inflammation. They also speed up the healing process.

There are different types of red light therapy, such as those that use red or infrared light. Both are effective for pain relief and healing. The effect depends on the strength of the light, the length of time used and the type of tissue targeted (for example, skin or bone), among other factors.

Red light therapy technically only refers to light therapy using purely red light. However, many people also use this term to describe infrared light therapy. Both types appear to be effective for relieving pain and accelerating healing. Some studies show a slight advantage to using infrared light therapy, while others show red light therapy to be somewhat advantageous.

Red Light Therapy for Pain Relief

Many studies have established the red light therapy benefits (or of infrared or both). Some of them are discussed below.

The pain relief effects are temporary and last anywhere from a few hours to a day, while the healing effects can be more permanent (depending on the injury or condition). Since red light therapy can speed up healing time, you may achieve a higher level of pain relief for longer periods as your body heals.

Red light therapy can make an excellent addition to a pain management plan, provided your doctor approves. This makes it an ideal add-on treatment for many.

Many studies have shown the effectiveness of red light therapy for pain relief for everything from post-workout soreness to pain from orthodontics.

The U.S. Navy SEALs have reported that red light therapy treatments improved training-related injuries by 40% and that it decreased wound healing time among U.S. Navy submarine crew members.

Red light therapy has been used in diverse treatment scenarios, including to reduce mouth and throat pain from chemotherapy-induced ulcers in children. In a NASA-related study, red light therapy treatments were used to reduce the incidence of mouth ulcers in young cancer patients. These ulcers, in addition to being very painful, complicate treatment by making it difficult or impossible for the child to eat. For children who still got ulcers, red light therapy reduced their pain by 39-48%.

Curiously, red light therapy has been shown in at least one study to delay the onset of muscle fatigue, allowing study participants to lift 12 to 14.49% more weight.

Overall, it’s clear that red light therapy is useful for pain relief.

Red Light Therapy for Healing

Posted on by Bambi

body healingOne of the most exciting things about LLLT– both red and infrared light therapy– is the evidence that it greatly speeds up the body’s own healing process.

Scientists are not certain how LLLT does this, but they believe it speeds up healing through more than one mechanism of action.

Firstly, red light therapy has been shown to increase the growth of cells. In a 2004 paper, researchers noted that it increased the growth of human epithelial cells 155-171%. It increased the growth of animal cells by up to 200%.

In another study, red light therapy increased the growth of fibroblasts, cells that make collagen and other substances important in healing. This could partly explain why red light therapy is effective for speeding up healing.

Another reason is that red light therapy has been shown to increase cytochrome c oxidase and upregulate genes responsible for energy production and antioxidants.

Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Michael Hamblin says there are a few different ways red light therapy is thought to work. Increased ATP, or cellular energy, production; inducement of transcription factors; and effects on reactive oxygen species, he says, result in effects such as increased oxygenation of tissues, cell growth and migration and the regulation of cytokine levels, growth factors and mediators of inflammation. All of these are important to the body’s healing processes.

Numerous studies have shown positive results for red light therapy and wound healing. For instance, a study in Photomedicine and Laser Surgery in 2009 found that red light therapy treatments with a combination of red and infrared light healed large, chronic ulcers 40% faster per month than controls. These ulcers had been resistant to other forms of treatment.

Another study, published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, examined the treatment of leg ulcers in diabetic patients using a combination of red and infrared light therapy. After a month of twice-weekly treatments, ulcers had healed 79%.Participants who had received a fake placebo version of the treatment had ulcers that worsened over the same month. After three months, all ulcers in the red light therapy group had healed at least 90% (most had completely healed). In contrast, only one patient in the placebo group had an ulcer that healed completely in that time.

The evidence points to the conclusion that LLLT is useful in healing wounds and injuries.

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.

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.