Light therapy is getting increasingly popular in the healthcare business. In this article we will take a look at if it is worth it.
The use of LED therapy has exponentially grown in popularity in the last few years. The fun thing about the beauty industry is that a new trend is always something on the horizon and thus it is always exciting. The promise that LED therapy promises to keep is in fighting acne and the signs of aging. This promise along with its fancy equipment and gear has quickly made it a favorite among those seeking cutting edge beauty treatments. How does this form of therapy specifically help us though? Let’s find out.
If you face problems such as acne, sagging and wrinkling skin, inflammation, this therapy method is ideal for you. If you are considering using this treatment method, you will be happy to know that celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Kourtney Kardashian are among its most famous users. These types of innovative beauty are just that much more exciting and fun.
What is it?
LED is an acronym for light-emitting diode. How it worlds is by emitting infrared lights in a variety of wavelengths/spectrums. These have different benefits to the skin. Some lights such as Amber stimulate collagen and elastin. Other lights, such as red lights, are particularly good at helping circulation. White light, on the other hand, has the capacity to make the deepest penetration and it has the ability to tighten and bring down inflammation. Some lights, like blue light, help to kill bacteria.
During a session with an LED therapy device, the device does its job by emitting light waves that penetrate deep into the skin and hence it starts the process of reactions within the cells. The skin will respond differently according to the type of light it is put under. If it is red for example, then the skin responds by strengthening and building the cellular structure. This type of light therapy (with red lights) can also be used to target oil glands. This is done to reduce the occurence of cytokines. This is responsible for inflammation and it plays a vital role in the development of chronic acne. There are still more varieties of lights in light therapy and if the light is blue, it emits a specific wavelength of lights that stimulate production of radical oxygen that can destroy P. acnes bacteria. This is done without ever harming the skin.
These types of therapies are usually complementary to other forms of treatment but it is important to mention here that it is not too uncommon to get LED therapy by itself. The cost for a LED therapy session can go from 150 to 300 USD. So it is definitely not the cheapest.
How it works
There are now more companies than ever that are producing LED systems which can be operated at homes. Getting things done at home is kind of like working out at home whereas things that are done at the office are kind of like working out with a trainer. Both are good and serve a purpose. But it is almost next to impossible to get as intense a treatment when at home.
These are beneficial treatments that can be added to other treatment methods to provide benefits. Products meant for home use are usually not the same intensity as it is at a professional commercial installation. This can be great for maintaining the benefits of a full session at a light therapy clinic. It can also come in handy when a person has to space out the sessions at the clinic. Most professionals do recommend and prefer in-person light therapy sessions than doing one at home. If the user is not familiar with the entire process, it can be a gigantic waste of money.
If you do decide to indulge yourself in an LED treatment, all you really have to do is lie in the designated area or spot. After, for example, a microneedling session, LED panels are placed a few inches away from the face of the patient. Protection is also provided for the eyes as the lights being emitted are quite intense. The skin is treated for about 15 minutes. It will feel warm at first but after a while patients have been known to really enjoy the feeling of relaxation.
The light from this type of therapy does not damage or burn the skin. It is essentially painless and can be relaxing for those who like lights. It is recommended to get this type of therapy after every one to two weeks if some important event is about to take place. On the other hand, if it is for maintenance purposes, a monthly microdermabrasion or micro-needling will usually do the trick.
Benefits
LED light therapy has a whole host of benefits that make it a very popular beauty trend of recent times. As mentioned before, this type of therapy is known to fight acne and is also useful in fighting other issues such as age related problems of the skin. Certain types of light offer certain types of benefits. If we are to go through all the literature available on this therapy model, we will find that it really does help with a whole host of conditions. They are listed below.
- Fights back against sun damage
- Fights inflammation
- Cuts down on wrinkles
- Heals wounds
- Visible reduction of scars
- Destroys bacteria
- Better metabolism
- Pain reliever
- Reduces stretch marks
- Cuts back redness on the skin
- Battles with acne bacteria
- Improved and increased production of collagen
- Fights against blemishes and freckles
- Fights symptoms of psoriasis
- Helps with eczema
- Cuts down the appearance of spider veins
- Gives tighter skin by promoting elastin production
- Regeneration of cells
- Helps reduce swollen capillaries
- Improves blood flow
