LED light therapy, also known as light emitting diode therapy, refers to a non-invasive skin resurfacing treatment available through most dermatologists. LED light therapy has become just one alternative to laser resurfacing treatments that can leave behind redness and tender skin, requiring longer recovery times. Carrying anti-aging and cosmetic health benefits, LED light therapy is also being used in skin disease treatments with high success rates, according to CareFair.com.
Cosmetic Benefits
Skin maladies such as acne and premature wrinkles can be addressed and treated with LED light therapy treatments. They may even help with skin discoloration, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. By increasing collagen production and circulation to your skin, LED light therapy is used in lieu of many traditional dermatological treatments such as ablative laser therapy and botulin injections. This is because it uses low-intensity lights to reach the deeper layers of your skin, states CareFair.com.
Skin Diseases
In conjunction with cosmetic benefits, people suffering from skin conditions such as eczema and scar formations also found improvement through LED light therapy. The light is absorbed into the skin rather quickly, increasing the natural healing process. The light energy boosts your body's natural response to skin irritation and wound formation. According to CareFair.com, doctors are using LED light therapy in cancer treatments to speed wound healing and fight otherwise unreachable brain tumors within their patients.
Procedure
During LED light treatments, a handheld lighting device is aimed at the treatment site. The LED light is then administered to your skin, with little or no discomfort, and penetrating deep into skin layers and tissue formations. Shelley Hancock, owner and operator of Real World Esthetics, states on her website that LED lights are strong enough to repair damaged tissues but so strong that they harm them in any way, leaving the patient and dermatologist with peace of mind. The levels of light energy speed bodily reactions, showing that LED treatments do provide results with no recovery time needed. The procedure may need repeated in some patients, depending on the severity of the skin ailment being treated.
History
Although light therapy may seem to be a new idea, history indicates that this is far from the truth. According to Shelley Hancock, light therapy can be traced back to 1500 BC where records indicate that light exposure was necessary for optimal health. Hancock also points out that in 1805, the Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to a Danish physician, Dr. Niels Finsen, for his success using specific wavelengths to treat tuberculosis. NASA has also used LED light therapy to treat muscle and bone atrophy in astronauts, while the U.S. Navy has long used this therapy to treat crew members aboard deep sea submarines.
Considerations
LED light therapy uses no chemicals and is non-invasive, therefore posing no risk of contracted infection or complication. While undergoing treatment, thermal discomfort may be experienced however it is not painful, according to ProLight Aesthetics International. There is no recovery time and LED procedures are FDA approved. LED light therapy has been approved for use on all skin types and at home kits are available through local beauty supply stores.
Member Comments