LED light therapy can have numerous benefits for the skin. It’s a procedure that is non-invasive. It’s generally used to help treat different skin issues. This type of therapy can be used to help with acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and more. There are also different types of light therapy to be aware of when it comes to considering this treatment. Because it’s non-invasive, there’s no worry about downtime or anything of that nature. Wondering if you should go ahead and seek out light therapy treatment yourself? Here are some of the top benefits that you could potentially get from getting light therapy.
Benefits Of Light Therapy:
1. Help With Acne and Other Skin Conditions
Acne is a condition that many people deal with. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just a skin condition that you deal with in your teens. There are plenty of people that suffer from acne beyond their teenage years. However, it does generally affect more of those who are 11 to 30 years of age. It’s estimated that as many as 80% of people that are aged 11 to 30 will have some mild form of acne [1]. How does light therapy help those suffering from acne conditions? It can help because bacteria aggravate acne. The bacteria that is known to play a significant role in acne is known as propionibacterium acnes [2]. Without the presence of this bacteria, a lot of acne issues won’t become problematic. Thus, anything that can kill off this bacteria can help ward off acne issues. Because the wavelength of blue light has antimicrobial effects, it can kill off a lot of bacteria that you may have on the surface of your skin. These are bacteria that can get trapped in skin pores and cause inflammation. There was a study of those who were treated with blue light for 5 weeks and 77% of them saw improvements in their acne skin condition during this time [3].
2. Anti-Aging Effects
Blue light therapy can also help by getting rid of free radicals on your skin. Your skin is exposed to pollutants and other free radicals that can cause oxidation. This oxidation can result in premature ageing of your skin. Thus, it can be a good anti-ageing treatment. The blue light can effectively help keep your face looking young by reducing free radical exposure. Another way that light therapy can be effective for those who are looking to experience anti-ageing benefits is through a reduction in wrinkles and fine lines. These signs of ageing are generally unavoidable. You get wrinkles as you age. However, there are things that you can do to minimise wrinkles and fine lines. One of those things is getting light therapy treatment. It can help to target these lines and minimise their appearance of them by smoothing out the skin.
3. Promote Healing
One of the best things about light therapy has to do with its ability to promote the healing of your skin. Our skin is constantly being exposed to all kinds of things that can result in inflammation and other issues. This is especially important if you already have a specific skin condition that can result in things like scarring. It can be difficult to get rid of scarring, red spots, and more. With light therapy treatment, you can promote faster and better healing in your skin. This is especially true as it relates to red light therapy. Red light therapy can speed up the healing of your skin and it can even reduce acne-related scarring. Red light can penetrate much deeper into your skin which can help to repair the tissue in it. This isn’t the same for other wavelengths that target the surface level of your skin more than the tissue level. Thus, if you do have chronic skin conditions, red light therapy could be more effective.
What Are Some Potential Risks For Getting Light Therapy Treatment?
It’s good to know what benefits you can get from a treatment or procedure, but it’s equally important to know if there are any risks associated with it. Because light therapy is non-invasive, you don’t necessarily have to worry too much about risks. The side effects that you can get from light therapy treatment aren’t too bad. As long as you follow the instructions, you’re generally not going to experience any significant side effects. However, there are mild side effects to be aware of when getting the treatment.
– Inflammation
While light therapy is meant to help combat inflammation, you could notice more inflammation because of it. This is a purely temporary side effect. However, your skin may respond negatively to it.
– Rash
This is another side effect that could occur after your light therapy treatment. A rash is a form of inflammatory response. This rash could come with both increased redness and perhaps some pain.
If you are interested in getting light therapy treatment, you aren’t alone. It’s becoming increasingly popular due to its effectiveness and because it’s non-invasive. If you have a skin condition that can be treated with light therapy, it could be a non-invasive alternative to some of the more invasive procedures or medications. You’ll want to speak with your dermatologist to figure out if it’s right for you. It’s a treatment that can deliver good results if your skin responds well to it. However, it’s not for everyone. You’ll want to speak with your dermatologist to figure out if you’re a good candidate for it.
References:
[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12233-acne
Author
Eileen Dover
Eileen Dover is a published author, a former award-winning journalist, and the former executive director of the South Carolina Press Association.
