Luminous Skin: phototherapy for healthier skin
Many people want clear and youthful skin, and phototherapy has shown great promise in helping to achieve this. It's a treatment that uses special types of light to target common skin issues like acne and signs of aging.
A growing amount of research has shown that using red and blue light in this way can be very effective. Blue light is particularly helpful in treating acne, reducing redness and spots without needing to use any invasive treatments. This makes it a great alternative to traditional acne treatments.
On the other hand, red light has been recognised for its skin rejuvenating properties. It helps in improving skin texture, reducing wrinkles and promoting collagen production which makes the skin look smoother and younger.
Because of these benefits, both skin professionals and people who love skincare have become more interested in using light therapy. It is non-invasive, painless, and is considered to be a promising approach towards clearer and youthful skin.
Acne
Acne vulgaris, or just acne, is one of the most common skin problems. It develops due to several reasons, like hormones causing oil glands to be overactive, skin cells clogging up hair follicles, or inflammation. Traditional treatments can be less than ideal because acne-causing bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics, and some treatments can have unwanted side effects.
Scientists have shown that blue light can help fight off bacteria. Blue light can interfere with bacteria communication, prevent them from forming a protective layer called a biofilm, and generally facilitates the process of killing bacteria. When light is used at higher levels, it can work against many different types of bacteria and some viruses.
Blue light therapy, which uses these properties of blue light, has been accepted by the medical community as a useful tool in the fight against C. acnes, one of the main bacteria that cause acne.
Skin rejuvenation
Research has shown that treatments using red and near-infrared light can help improve how skin feels and looks. These treatments can smooth out the skin, reduce wrinkles, and make skin more firm by increasing collagen (a protein that helps skin stay elastic and youthful).
Red light therapy in particular, boosts the production of collagen and encourages the skin's natural healing process, which can make the skin look smoother and younger.
Light treatments are not painful, there is no cutting or injecting involved, and they are safe. They work for all skin types. The special wavelengths of light used in this treatment go deep into the skin, stimulating skin circulation and cell rejuvenation thus promoting healing from the inside out.
This treatment process can improve blood flow in the skin, reduce swelling and redness, and help produce more collagen. These are all important factors in achieving clear, healthy, and younger-looking skin.
Learn more...
Here is our more in depth review as a PDF file:
Luminous Skin: phototherapy for healthier skin
Some relevant studies:
5. Avci P et al. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring. 2013
7. Yu W et al. The effect of laser irradiation on the release of bFGF from 3T3 fibroblasts. 1994
