Tag Archives: does red light therapy work for acne

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.