LED Light Therapy
What is LED light therapy?
LED light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes different wavelengths of infrared light to help treat various skin issues such as acne, fine lines, and wound healing. LED light therapy is growing in popularity in both aesthetician offices and at home. Using varying LED wavelengths, this skincare technique purportedly helps:
- treat acne
- reduce inflammation
- promote anti-aging effects
You may be a candidate for LED light therapy if you have these types of skincare concerns and haven’t gotten the results you want from over-the-counter (OTC) skin products. LED therapy is also safe for all skin colors, and it doesn’t cause any burning. LED light therapy does not use ultraviolet light.
LED light therapy uses skin-safe, low-level light in different wavelengths and colors. These include:
- Amber
- Blue
- Red
- Green
Color Benefits
Red / Infrared - is used for treating the epidermis, which is the outer layer of skin. When the light is applied to your skin, the epidermis absorbs it and then stimulates collagen proteins.
In theory, more collagen means that your skin will have a smoother and fuller look, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Red LED light is also thought to reduce inflammation while improving circulation, which can give you a healthier glow!
Blue - targets oil glands under the hair follicles and make them less active. Oil glands are necessary for lubricating your skin and hair so that it doesn’t dry out. However, when these glands are overactive it leads to oily skin and acne. Upon reducing this activity you may see fewer acne breakouts. Blue light can also kill acne-causing bacteria beneath the skin, which can help treat severe acne pimples, including cysts and nodules.
Green - targets the pigmentation skin cells and prevents them from traveling to the skin’s surface. It breaks up melanin clusters to get rid of existing skin discoloration or age spots. Green LED therapy treats dilated capillaries, sagging skin around the eyes, dark circles, hyperpigmentation and sunspots.
Treatment Outlook
In-office LED light therapy requires up to 10 sessions or more, each spaced out about a week apart. You may start to see minor results after your first session. Results will be more dramatic and noticeable once you’ve finished all of your treatments.
Even after you’ve achieved the recommended number of sessions, results are not permanent.
As your skin cells turn over, you may lose some collagen and start to see signs of aging again or acne breakouts. It’s recommended that you go back for maintenance treatments once a month to maintain results.
10 sessions are recommended for noticeable results.
Risks & Side Effects
Overall, the American Academy of Dermatology deems this procedure safe. Since LEDs don’t contain UV rays, this is considered a safer form of light therapy that won’t cause long-term damage to your skin. The procedure is noninvasive and has few risks.
You are not a good candidate for LED light therapy if you currently use Accutane, Tretinoin, isotretinoin, or any other powerful drug derived from vitamin A that increases your skin’s sensitivity to light or sunlight as it may cause scarring in some instances.
