Does Red Light Therapy Help Acne?

Red light therapy (RLT) is a treatment that uses low-wavelength red light to improve the appearance of the skin, such as reducing wrinkles, scarring, redness, and acne. This type of therapy helps promote healing and may decrease the visibility of acne scars. Some home lighting devices are FDA-approved to treat mild to moderate acne. These products use blue, red, or both. Overall, evidence suggests that the combination of blue light and blue-red light is effective in treating mild to moderate inflammatory acne lesions.

However, more trials are needed that compare blue and blue-red light therapy with conventional treatments for acne, such as topical retinoids and antibiotics, and that study their effects on severe acne. In addition, a longer follow-up with a delimitation of long-term benefits, relapse and adverse effects would be useful. Wavelengths of red light allow body cells (especially skin cells) to produce more energy. This stimulates mitochondria, reduces skin inflammation and increases collagen. Mitochondria are the nerve center of skin cells.

The red light acts as a potent dose of espresso or a dose of vitamin B12, without dropping it. This makes the cells work at an optimal level and for a longer time. As a result, your cells are better suited for things like tissue repair and regeneration. And this is exactly why red light therapy treatment is perfect for moderate acne to severe acne. These properties are also excellent for other skin care needs, such as reducing wrinkles, fine lines and age spots (hyperpigmentation).Chapas says LED light therapy only works on inflammatory acne showing signs of inflammation of red bumps and pustules.

It does not help cystic acne or hormonal variants or comedonal acne (clogged pores). LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, release energy in the form of photons and can emit different wavelengths corresponding to specific colors. The beauty of red light therapy is that it is cost-effective, natural and requires no recovery time. There is also evidence that PDT is effective in treating inflammatory acne lesions, although the adverse effects, mostly short-term and self-resolution, tend to be more severe than blue light. On the other hand, while home phototherapy is likely to work, there is no evidence to suggest that it works as effectively as a professional treatment. I spoke to Chapas and beautician Jillian Kibildis from Happy Skin in New York City about the benefits of consistent phototherapy treatments. If you are currently taking antibiotics, or if you are extremely sensitive to sunlight or get sunburned easily, you may not be the best candidate for phototherapy for acne.

Altogether, there is limited evidence of a greater benefit of PDL, whether used alone or in combination with conventional therapies for the treatment of acne, compared to conventional therapies alone. In addition, there was an improvement in acne healing and sebum production, which supports the hypothesis that the therapeutic mechanism of this laser involves reduced activity of the sebaceous glands. If you notice pus, blisters, or develop a fever after phototherapy, call your healthcare provider immediately. Darden also says that, as technology has advanced in the space of LED light therapy, it becomes more accessible and easier to use for people in the comfort of their homes. In general, and in my personal experience, LED lights will not give you miraculous results overnight. Home treatments with LED light range in price (can amount to thousands of dollars), so there may be an option that fits your budget. The absorption of light leads to the photoexcitation of porphyrins and the subsequent release of singlet oxygen and reactive free radicals that exert bactericidal effects on P. Similarly, a combination of blue-red light has been reported to reduce inflammatory lesions from 69% to 77% with a more modest effect on non-inflammatories. Battery.