What You Need to Know About Light Therapy
Light therapy has changed the game for many dermatology patients. But how can it help you and what kind of treatments are available today? Here’s what you need to know about light therapy.
How Does Light Therapy Help Skin?
Light therapy is used as a treatment for a wide variety of conditions. From aiding in depression treatment to contributing to skin healing, light therapy has all kinds of benefits. These benefits are most pronounced for skin, in particular. For instance, light therapy can be used to help improve skin texture and to treat enlarged oil glands. This, in turn, can help reduce the appearance and occurrence of acne. It can also contribute to a better skin complexion overall. Let’s take a look at a few light therapy treatments you could invest in.
LED Light Therapy
LED (light emitting diodes) has been around for longer than you think, and it doesn’t actually have origins in skincare at all. This light therapy actually started out as a NASA project when a team of researchers discovered that LED light could actually help with wound healing in outer space. Fast-forward to today and that same technology has been further developed to aid wound healing during cosmetic dermatology procedures. There’s also light therapy for vitiligo and to reduce signs of aging, all using LED technology. It helps that LED is also the most gentle form of light therapy and requires little-to-no downtime after a treatment session. LED light therapy exists in two categories: red light therapy and blue light therapy. Let’s take a closer look.
Red Light Therapy
Red light LED therapy is most often used as an anti-aging treatment and to help soothe skin inflammation. That means it’s a good option for treating conditions like rosacea. Not only that, but red light may also help stimulate new hair growth in patients living with alopecia. The main function of this light therapy is to stimulate collagen production, which can help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.
Blue Light Therapy
Blue light LED therapy is typically used to treat acne. While this isn’t the same treatment used to treat acne scarring, it’s still effective at reducing the appearance of acne. Blue light focuses on the skin’s oil glands and also kills one of the biggest bacterial culprits for acne on the surface of your skin. In a controlled and sterile environment, blue light exposure can be an effective acne treatment. Blue light may also be used in combination with topical or oral medications to treat precancerous spots on the skin.
Laser Treatments
Laser treatments are involved in a wide variety of cosmetic dermatology services. Laser hair removal and laser tattoo removal are among the most popular, but as we covered earlier, laser treatment can also help with acne scarring. Laser therapies can also be used to treat a wide variety of skin cancers. The precision of today’s laser treatment technology makes it an excellent candidate for treating delicate tissue without causing excessive amounts of damage to the skin.
Light therapy has so many uses. If you’re interested in learning more or want to schedule a consultation for a light therapy session, contact SE Dermatology Specialists today.