Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is a treatment that is used to treat acne, wrinkles, sun damaged skin, age spots, and rosacea. It can be used to treat the entire body for cases of eczema, neuropathy, muscle pain, nerve pain, joint issues, blood circulation, stiffness and more. There are two main kinds of red light therapy: light box therapy and targeted phototherapy. Light box therapy does not target a specific area of the body, while targeted phototherapy will treat specific areas of the body using an excimer laser. Red light therapy can be done at your skin specialist’s office or in the comfort of your own home. Salons will most generally offer red light therapy in tanning beds. This is a form of the light box therapy. Specific areas to be treated are generally done at a professionals office.
Red light therapy was discovered by NASA astronauts when they desired to grow plants in space. This type of therapy is used around the world in spas to help rejuvenate skin as well as in medical facilities to help heal cancer patients.
How does red light therapy work?
Red light therapy works by using an infrared light which will penetrate the skin to repair any damaged nerves and tissue under the skin. Energy will be delivered to the skin in bursts, which will make the skin heal from the inside out. None of the body’s tissues will be cut during this process. These wavelengths will be delivered between 630 to 660 nanometers. This damaged skin will be rejuvenated by energising the cells that help to boost collagen. Collagen is the protein found in the human body that essentially holds the body together and is found not only in the skin, but also the bones, muscles and tendons.
Red light therapy does take some time to see the effects. Daily treatments are often needed to see the desired results for the first few weeks of treatment, followed by 3 to 4 times per week after that. The skin will gradually be repaired over time. The results will be dependent on how damaged the skin is, how many treatments are used, what skin type a person has and the age of the patient receiving the treatment.
What are the benefits to using red light therapy?
There are many benefits to using red light therapy. To name a few, wrinkles can be reduced and the skin will be firmer. Acne scars can be treated using red light therapy. Redness and blemishes on the skin can be fought naturally using this kind of therapy.
Are there any risks with using red light therapy?
According to the TGA, there are not many side effects or risks associated with using red light therapy. However, it is recommended that those with photosensitivity use caution when using red light therapy. This treatment is not dangerous as it does not produce any wavelengths that are outside of the UV range. It is also equally important to discuss any medications and prescriptions that are being taken before beginning any red light therapy treatment with your skin specialist. Some of these medications can cause photosensitivity, which in turn will only damage the skin. Make mention of any vitamins as well that are used as this could also cause the body to be sensitive to any light.
Are at home red light therapy devices safe and effective to use?
At home red light therapy devices can be purchased over the counter. They can only treat small areas at a time, so they may not be the most effective. For best results with an at home red light therapy device, the person will need to sit still to be the most effective, often for longer periods of time.
I am interested in learning more about red light therapy. I think that it would be nice to have a machine at home to turn to, but I am assuming that the professional ones are more high tech and produce better results? I have some rosacea that I am interested in getting rid of. I have tried many different creams for this, as well as altered my diet, but my face is still pretty red, which is very disappointing to me.
I have been using an at home device for a while now. I have some dark spots on my skin that I wanted to get rid of. I am slowly lightening them, which is amazing me. It does take some time each day to do, and while the efforts might seem like they are not helping, they really are. I think that if I continue to do these treatments, I will see my dark spots gradually fade away completely, which is my desired effect.
I have been using red light therapy for a few months now and am so far pleased with the results. I used to be a smoker, for over 20 years. So that really damaged my skin and made me have fine lines around my mouth. Well I decided to give this treatment a shot and long behold, after a while of having sessions, I am seeing results. They are slow but I am OK with that. I know that the wrinkles did not form overnight, so I do not expect them to diminish overnight. I will say that my skin also appears to be more radiant then it has ever been, which is truly nice for me. I would urge anyone that is thinking about having this done to go ahead and just do it.
I have severe acne and nothing really is helping me. I have tried different face products, washing more or less, using toners, just about everything. And nothing seems to help me. I would like to give red light therapy a go and see if it can work on my face. Does anyone know if it would help a person that has severe acne? Or do you think that this is a lost cause for me?
I have an at home red light therapy device. I use it all the time and love it. While it does take some time, it is worth the effort in my book. I take some time each night after I put my toddler to bed, sit quietly and let the machine do the work. For me, it is a time to relax. I use this time to reflect back on my day or meditate. So therefore, I am getting two things done. I do feel that I would be lost without this machine. The results did not happen overnight but gradually I am seeing the wanted and desired effects.
I have always been interested in doing therapies for my skin that are safe. I like the sounds of this red light therapy. My skin needs help. I have some sun damage from my younger years when I was not at all interested in taking care of my skin. I would be interested in checking into this at my dermatologist office. I wonder how much each session is? Or how long each session would take? The sun damage is primarily on my face, so that is the area that I would want to be treated.