After hearing that UV light is one of your skin’s worst enemies since you were old enough to understand skincare, you may feel a bit skeptical about using other forms of light as a treatment option. However, LED light therapy is entirely different, as it uses safe, low-level wavelengths to address skin concerns without penetrating deeply enough into your skin to cause harm to your DNA.
With Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Institute’s recent addition of red and blue light therapies to our lineup of treatment options, we wanted to spend some time explaining what they are and how they work.
The Science Behind Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy uses low-level wavelengths of light, typically between 620 and 750 nanometers, to penetrate the skin’s surface and reach deep into the layers where cell regeneration and healing occur. Unlike UV light, which can damage the skin, red light is absorbed by the mitochondria, stimulating them to produce more energy. This boost in cellular activity encourages faster healing and increased collagen production.
Before red light therapy made its way into your dermatologist’s office, NASA was initially experimenting with it while researching sustainable space agriculture. During their tests, scientists observed that LED lights, particularly red and infrared wavelengths, had remarkable effects on cell growth and regeneration.
These red light experiments shifted to a potential therapy for astronauts because the low-gravity environment often led to slower wound healing and muscle atrophy. Again, NASA scientists found that exposure to red light promoted tissue repair and reduced inflammation.
We now use the principles that NASA discovered about LED light therapy to improve our clients’ skin health.
Would I Benefit From Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy benefits aging skin the most, as its ability to increase collagen helps correct wrinkles and plump areas of laxity. It’s also an excellent option for chronic redness, either from conditions like rosacea or post-inflammatory redness from acne. Because it’s noninvasive and gentle enough not to irritate, it’s also an effective part of an anti-aging treatment for reactive skin.
To encourage faster results, we recommend 15-minute LED therapy treatments twice weekly for 8 weeks, as well as a chemical peel or microdermabrasion regimen.
The Science Behind Blue Light Therapy
Blue light therapy wavelengths are even shorter than red light’s, at around 380-500 nanometers, which allows them to penetrate the sebaceous glands where your skin produces oil. to target your skin’s surface layers and kill the P. acnes bacteria that cause breakouts.
In addition to being bactericidal, blue light also targets the sebaceous glands to reduce excess oil production, helping to prevent clogged pores.
Dermatologists can use blue lights alone or with a photosynthesizing drug called Levulan for “photodynamic” acne therapy. This process requires the doctor to apply the light-sensitive ointment to your skin and then shine the blue light on the area of concern to activate the ingredients that destroy oil gland cells, shrinking them and decreasing sebum production.
Would I Benefit From Blue Light Therapy?
If you have oily, acne-prone skin, blue light therapy, combined with a dermatologist-recommended daily skincare routine, could reduce breakouts. However, the results will vary from person to person and take time to see.
If you’re ready to see what light therapy can do for your skin, we encourage you to contact our providers to schedule an appointment!
ADCI offers package pricing so that our patients can receive a discount on the whole series of LED light treatments. We’ll also work with you to determine the right combination of products and LED therapies to address your skin concerns.
