Light therapy, or LED therapy, comes with many benefits for the skin and are great additions to skin care regimens. LED therapy uses light energy to penetrate through to the deeper layers of the skin. It stimulates collagen production, boosts cellular metabolism, and can speed up cell repair.
There are different colored lights, each with their own specific function for the skin:
- Red light therapy is great for treating both acne and wrinkles. It stimulates the fibroblasts to produce more collagen, which, in turn, plumps up the skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It also reduces inflammation, boosts circulation in the skin, and controls sebum production.
- Blue light therapy is used specifically for acne. The wavelengths of blue light kill the main acne-causing bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes.
- Green light therapy is used to treat hyperpigmentation by reducing the overproduction of melanin.
- Amber light therapy is used to treat redness and dilated capillaries but doesn’t penetrate as deep as the other colors, so is best if used in conjunction with other LED light colors.
The different LED colors can be used together in one treatment to treat multiple skin issues. They are, of course, best when used in conjunction with serums and creams to further treat the skin.
You can get light therapy treatment done at a spa, a dermatologist’s office, or through a personal handheld device to use at home. The LEDs on a personal device don’t tend to be as strong as those used professionally but are a more affordable option for more than occasional use.
