Skin Problems: Benefits Of Light Therapy

Millions of individuals suffer from skin disorders ranging from moderately annoying to life-threatening. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, fifty million Americans undergo acne per year, and 7.5 million have psoriasis. The ability to cure such skin disorders is held by light therapy.

In dermatology clinics and spas, red and blue light therapy first became available. Patients will now get this technology into their own home-use units. Scientists, academics, and other experts in the fitness, wellness, and beauty fields are also researching the variety of light therapy applications.

Based on medical research and other respected sources, we explain what skin conditions LED light therapy has been shown to resolve.

Many different names refer to LED light therapy: photobiomodulation, laser therapy, and low-level laser therapy, to name a few. Red light therapy, near-infrared therapy, and blue light therapy provide more descriptive concepts. Wavelengths of the light spectrum may reach varying depths inside the skin, causing different outcomes, as the variety of colors indicates.

For its ability to promote cell regeneration and cell metabolism and minimize wrinkles or other symptoms of aging, primarily using red, near-infrared, and infrared wavelengths, light therapy was first heralded by health professionals. Blue light provides antibacterial activity at the other end of the visible spectrum that helps cure acne. Different types of LED light therapy may be adapted to particular skin conditions in people of all ages with this variety of diverse applications.

Now, let us take a look at how certain unique skin problems can be treated by red, blue, and near-infrared light therapy.

Acne can be treated with lasers by dermatologists. To help extract oil and dead skin cells from clogged pores and treat blackheads, they might use blue or red light to kill bacteria and treat pimples, or intensed pulsed light (IPL). Light therapy doesn't work for everyone. A less strong red or blue light may be used at home, too.

The most common form of atopic dermatitis is eczema, which is basically an umbrella term for skin inflammation caused by the immune system. Most of the research into light therapy for eczema has looked at UV light, as with psoriasis. However, the effectiveness of blue light for psoriasis has been demonstrated in some limited trials, some of which have been tested in conjunction with topical corticosteroids.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that induces rapid skin cell turnover. It forms rough or scaly, often painful patches called plaques because the skin creates new cells faster than it can shed them. There is no remedy, but to control symptoms, sufferers depend on different medications.

For now, much of the literature on psoriasis focuses on UV light, which, sadly, often ages early on in the skin and can lead to skin cancer. However, you should test your own personal outcomes at home since red and blue light treatments come with little or no chance of side effects. 

An erratic and sometimes frustrating hair loss is alopecia or alopecia areata. It can occur anywhere on the body, but most often on the scalp, causing baldness in the male or female pattern. The body attacks its own hair follicles with this disease, causing hair to fall out. Some studies show, according to Harvard Health, that red light can help to restore hair.

Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells caused by mutations in damaged DNA in the skin's outermost layer or the epidermis. Several forms of skin cancer may have different manifestations, including basal cell cancer, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Firstly, visit a dermatologist if you think you might have some sort of skin cancer.

For treating skin cancer, home LED light therapy is not currently available. However, to destroy cancer cells, medical practitioners may use a regimen of photodynamic therapy and pharmaceuticals. A doctor either adds a drug or injects it into the bloodstream in a topical treatment until the patient is treated with LED light.

Light therapy carries little chance of side effects, unlike UV lights that can prematurely age the skin or even cause skin cancer. Choose FDA-cleared LED products like Bestqool's 3 Color LED Photon Mask or 7 Color LED Mask Photon Light Therapy Device for the best outcomes and follow all the manufacturer's instructions on using light therapy treatments safely and efficiently.

While a home LED system can not treat skin cancer, you can treat several other skin conditions, all without exposing yourself to damaging UV light.

The body of any person is special and responds differently to light therapy. For that reason, when you purchase an LED light therapy unit, we advise everyone to run a baseline test. Test it for no more than three minutes on your forearm first, then watch for any redness or pain 24 hours.

If you do not see any unexpected reactions, start using the product regularly, obey the manufacturer's instructions, and wear eye protection as indicated. We also recommend talking to your doctor or dermatologist to rule out any individual risk factors before trying light therapy in your skincare regimen.