Can light help improve your skin? Can it help heal your skin? Can light help rejuvenate your skin?

Light therapy (photobiomodulation) has been shown to help in areas from pain and inflammation to energy production, but can it help rejuvenate skin, help clear up skin and boost skin appearance? Also, what to look for when buying a light therapy mask


 

As you can see from the video above, there are a multitude of studies looking at skin health with the use of light. From "anti-aging" rejuvenation to improving the wound healing ability specific population, the utilisation of light can have profound effects.


The methods by which these lights work is complex to say the least, so I will attempt to put it as simply as possible. If we take red light, research has shown that light with wavelengths of 620-670nm acts on cells in the skin known as fibroblasts. These fibroblasts play a crucial role in production of collagen and elastin. These proteins make up a large part of connective tissue that helps the skin keep it shape and is needed when the skin in damaged. Light in the near infrared spectrum has also shown ability to help stimulate these proteins and their precursors to help recover from wounds and rejuvenate the skin (as well as other tissues).

As seen in the video, there is also blue light. Blue light works in a different way to red light in that it has the ability to inhibit (slow down or stop) certain bacteria and pathogens from forming and therefore can be effective in helping people with acne.

There are far more complex workings that are not mentioned in this blog post, but it is meant to give an idea of what light can do for you or those around you. Whether you are looking to improve the quality of your skin or want to improve the recovery time after operations, wound healing or help with skin conditions like acne, look at light therapy. Specific wavelengths of light have been shown to help in clinical and at home environments.

An important note. When purchasing a red light therapy device like a mask, make sure you are getting the specific wavelengths that are shown to help. Many mask sellers use RGB (Red, Green, Blue) LEDs in their masks that are not specific in the wavelengths the irradiate. This means that it might appear red, but how much of the right wavelength are you getting? That is why I only sell masks with two wavelengths red/infrared (rejuventation and health) and red/blue (skin clearance) in my masks here. Also if you are buying a mask then be sure to wear eye protection if using any blue light!


Thanks for reading and watching

Dominic Lamb