Everything You Need to Know About LED Light Therapy
If you’ve been to a spa, beauty counter, or scrolled through Instagram lately, you’ve probably seen the unsettling and Michael Myers à la Halloween-esque LED face masks. The devices are kinda creepy, definitely futuristic, and promise all sorts of skin miracles like the reversal of “everything from wrinkles, redness, and signs of aging to acne, scarring, and dark spots,” according to Harvard Women’s Health Watch. That all sounds great, but the how and why behind all these benefits is far from obvious when looking at the colorful face mask in action. Good thing L'OFFICIEL is here to demystify the process and give so you you all the facts before you consider getting robo-masked up.
LED light therapy, otherwise known as Dermalux™ LED Phototherapy, is a non-invasive skin rejuvenation treatment. Using a narrow band of non-thermal LED light energy, the procedure stimulates your body’s natural cell production for an accelerated repair of the skin’s surface. By speeding up skin’s regenerative process, evidence of sun damage, acne, inflammation, or even more serious conditions like eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and rosacea is reduced. For people with wounds or other kinds of scarring, the regrowth of skin cells as promoted by LED Phototherapy can also be curative.
Though, it's important to note that these healing results take time and consistent regimens of treatments. A single LED facial will reduce inflammation, skin irritation, and boost the natural glow of skin, sure. But to see scars disappear, treat acne, or reduce wrinkles, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends at least several weeks of consistent sessions to start seeing results. Consistency ensures the progressive penetration of the LED light deeper and deeper into the skin with each new treatment. When new depths are reached by the light, more corrective results can be achieved.
Understanding your specific skin goals is also crucial to tailoring the LED light experience to your individual needs. There are three kinds of LED light: blue light, red light, and near infa-red light, each designed for different results. Blue light is an antibacterial treatment intended to address acne by reducing oil production and preventing future breakouts, without irritating skin. This colorwave is also a UV-free alternative to treating eczema and psoriasis. Red light increases skin’s hydration, reduces inflammation, redness, and the appearance of pores. Similar to blue light, red light can regulate skin oil, as well as increase the circulation of other vital fluids in order to speed up the repair of skin and correct rosacea (as medically-approved by your dermatologist, of course). Near infa-red light is the most intense form of LED Phototherapy, and reaches farther into the skin than the other two colorwaves. This color treatment is meant to increase the absorption capabilities of cells, smooth signs of age, and improve the elasticity of skin. It is also used to accelerate the healing process of cystic acne or wounds.
If any of those color coded methods sounds appealing to you, be further encouraged by the fact that there are very few risks or potential side effects associated with any of them. In a paper published in the US National Library of Medicine, the risks of redness, inflammation, tenderness, and or rashes are noted as occurring very rarely. So, if you're looking for a solution to a specific skin condition or maybe just want a glow boost for a special occasion, consider trying light LED Phototherapy.
