LED Light Therapy aka Holistic Skin Magic
I am continuously amazed by this modality! It really is one of those things, the more you dig into it, the more impressed you are! LED Light therapy has become an insanely popular treatment over the last few years. And so many of my clients are curious, (if they haven’t tried it yet) just what the f does that do? And most important, does it actually work?!?
Well my inquisitive little witches, the answer is a definite YES IT SURE DOES! I have been a huge proponent of LED Light therapy since attending esthetics school. Dealing with acne, our school actually had a large professional panel! After many classes I would cuddle up underneath the bright lights and enjoy an LED cat nap!
A very breif history of Light therapy:
All throughout history- humans have known about the power of light & harnessed it for healing🌞 In ancient times, and across all cultures, you could find sun worship in some capacity. Not only in mythology and literature but certain cultures used it as medicine. The therapeutic approach to use sun light to kill pathogenic microbes were known to ancients since 1400 B.C. in the form of heliotherapy (use of natural sunlight to treat certain skin conditions.
Niels Fiesen, a Danish physician, is considered to be the father of photo therapy (treatment of disease by the influence of light) & he won the 1903 Nobel Peace prize for utilizing red and actually ultra violet light therapy application to treat diseases such as smallpox tuberculous.
Then in the 1990s NASA used red light therapy for plant growth experiments during shuttle missions. Eventually it was understood the lights could affect human cells as well! And more tests were ran! Then the technology was used for wound treating and tissue regeneration for astronauts in outer space! By now, LED light therapy has been studied quite extensively. Through this research, the body of scientific evidence has grown to amass thousands of studies in the last decades! Time and time again, it has been shown to have positive effects on cell functions within humans and animals! Becoming a go to modality for many estheticians, dermatologists, and wellness clinics alike!
WhAT IS IT
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. LED Light therapy is the application of specific wavelengths of light energy to tissue for therapeutic benefits. Diodes are semiconductors that convert electrical energy into light energy in the form of photons (packets of light energy). Photons can then be absorbed by light absorbing molecules within the bodies’s cells and tissues. Also this treatment is known as PBM (or photobiomodulation) which is the use of light to modulate or control biology. Light therapy is absolutely a holistic & completely non-invasive treatment. It is all about preserving and optimizing skin health! Results can be both immediate and also others are cumulative and build over time. There is no UV used in this therapy! So it is completely safe for almost all skin! And although we are advocating for it here in its capacity to help with skin conditions. It’s worth noting more and more research is finding LED light therapy helpful for so other conditions such as dengerative brain injuries, cardiovascular issues, muscle recovery, depression, anxiety, and more!
HOW DOES IT WORK
LED Light therapy uses different wavelengths of light to treat skin conditions. A wavelength is the distance between one peak or crest of a wave of light, heat, or other energy & the next peak or crest. Wavelengths correspond to color; shorter waves are less penetrating, while longer waves are more penetrating.
LEDS delivers light energy to humans in a similar way to how plants absorb photons of light from the sun! Numerous studies now show that light energy can stimulate the bodies cells, activating our own natural process for healing!
This happens by stimulating an increase in mitochondrial energy production. Mitochondria are found in almost all human cells and our vital to our survival. Mitochondria are considered the power house of our cells & also produce the “energy currency of our life” our cells all use called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is needed for most biological processes. Such as generating proteins, enzymes, and growth factors needed for healthy skin. Also for elimination of cellular waste, as well as cell proliferation & programmed cell death. Sadly, studies show as we age, our ATP production slows by 5-8% per decade after the age of eighteen. Utilizing LED Light therapy means cells can absorb light particles & transform that light energy into more ATP meaning an increase in cellular activity! They are now able to get more done more optimally and efficiently. To be clear, that are many many more biochemical processes LED light is shown to have a positive effect on throughout our body. . So perhaps I’ll dive further into this sometime soon! But this is to give you an overview of one major way our skin is able to use this light energy for good within our bodies & for our skin!
WHAT DOES IT TREAT:
Depending on the wavelength of light used, there are different skin condition benefits.
BENEFITS OF BLUE LIGHT:
*helps destroy acne causing bacteria
BENEFITS OF RED LIGHT:
*reduces inflammation and redness
* increase collagen & elastin production
*reduce appearance of lines & wrinkles
*improve skin firmness & resilience
*decrease oil producing activity
BENEFITS OF NEAR INFARED LIGHT:
*help with wound healing
*stimulating fibroblasts to produce more collagen
*reduce pain, muscle, & joint issues
ARE THERE ANY Contraindications?
LED light therapy is safe for most people. But there are a few contraindications to be aware of:
*pregnancy or breastfeeding
*history of seizures
*active cancer
*any photosensitive disorders
*on photosensitive medications or steroids. MANY medications can cause photosenstivity, if you are unsure always check with your medical provider!
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
LED is a holistic and noninvasive modality I’m so happy to finally offer my witches for homecare! I love using it in the treatment room, but as there are cumulative benefits as well! So I’ve brought two new devices to the studio! Both are from reputable companies with FDA clearance who also offer professional panels!
The Lightstim handheld comes in two options, one is for wrinkles using red & near infared light & one is for acne using red & blue light. This device is moved around desired facial area for 3 minutes at a time!
For a handsfree option, I will be offering the Omnilux Contour mask! This has mask has red & infared lights for wrinkles & of course also reducing inflammation & overall boosting of cell energy to performally optimally!
BOTH DEVICES WILL BE on sale from Thanksgiving 11/24 until Monday 11/28 night!
I truly hope this was helpful my witches! I am all about finding treatments that are kind to our skin in the long term & holistic in nature! If it isn’t sustainable skin wealth, we are gonna pass! If you have any questions regarding whether this modality is right for you, or what device to purchase- don’t hesitate to reach out!
XO,
KATIE
sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4272231/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Niels-Ryberg-Finsen
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326367879_ANCIENT_LIGHT_THERAPIES_A_BOON_TO_MEDICAL_SCIENCE
LightStim LED Certification
Miladys textbook
Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy Book