5 Benefits of Blue Light Therapy

What is Light Therapy?

Light therapy, also known as phototherapy or heliotherapy, is a process that uses LED lights on various parts of the color spectrum to heal and rejuvenate your skin.

Some forms of light therapy are used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition that contributes to mood disorders when sunlight availability is low. This type of therapy uses UV lighting to provide small amounts of artificially created sun exposure in a controlled setting.

Other types of light therapy are on the blue-to-red spectrum and target specific skin issues without the potential damage caused by UV rays.

How Blue Light Therapy Works

Blue light therapy is an alternative treatment for conditions that are present on the skin surface or caused by problems just below the epidermis. This type of treatment uses the power of natural violet or blue LED (Light-emitting diode) light to kill surface bacteria, promote healing, and help control chronic acne breakouts.

Light on the blue spectrum at 470 nm has been shown to positively affect biological systems by influencing levels of nitrous oxide, decreasing keratin-1 mRNA levels, and elevating the level of keratin-10 mRNA.

5 Amazing Benefits of Blue Light Therapy

It’s a painless, non-invasive, and even pleasant, tranquil way to spend 30 minutes or so of your day, and each session will run you less than $50. The recommended course of action is one to two treatments per week for four to five weeks to get the best results.

Your clinician will advise you during your initial consultation. When used alone or in combination with our other skin treatments, you’ll enjoy a healthier-looking, more radiant complexion.

But, that’s not the only benefit of blue light therapy.

1. Blue LED Lighting Reverses the Effects of Sun Damage

Sun damage is one of the leading causes of premature aging. Not only that, sun exposure increases your risk of skin cancers.

Using blue light therapy reverses many of the outward signs of damage from UV exposure. These benefits are multiplied because it also helps prevent skin cancer.

It does so by removing precancerous cells as part of the wound healing process. However, the effectiveness goes beyond prevention because treating skin with blue LEDs removes skin cancer lesions that haven’t yet metastasized.

This benefit is aided by the addition of a photosynthesizing drug to the skin surface that creates a photodynamic effect.

The process works in two ways.

First, the drug reacts to oxygen on the skin surface, which kills the cancer cells. Then, the blue light permeates the skin and triggers an immune response that’s been shown to starve the blood vessels that feed the cancerous lesions.

Keep in mind that this is not a substitute for medical care. It’s effective mainly in non-melanomas, such as basal cell carcinoma, that are localized to specific areas.

2. Using Blue Light Therapy Will Help Control Acne

This is an effective way to control acne breakouts and reduce scarring from past eruptions. This approach also works in two ways.

1. By creating an antibiotic effect that removes the surface bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) that contribute to acne.
2. By transforming molecules below the skin surface.

The result is a reduction in the appearance of scarring and better control overproduction of oil in the sebaceous glands. This is one of the main causes of clogged pores that worsen acne.

3. Bathing in Blue Light Helps You Sleep Better

In addition to the benefits of blue-enhanced LED light on mood, it also promotes sounder, more peaceful sleep. What’s more, blue light therapy has been shown to reduce feelings of agitation in those with dementia and fatigue in people with brain injury.

4. Blue LED Lighting Improves Chronic Skin Conditions

Acne isn’t the only skin problem addressed by a regular session under blue lights. Those with psoriasis and rosacea experienced relief, and it reduced itching from atopic dermatitis.

In clinical studies, this type of treatment also reduced the appearance and severity of skin lesions caused by eczema after as little as five sessions.

5. Light Therapy Isn’t Just for Facial Skin

Although many people enjoy laying back and bathing their face in this beneficial light, this type of treatment will work on problem areas all over your body.

Indications include:

• Acne on the back and chest
• Eczema, psoriasis anywhere
• Sun damage on the chest

Even if you don’t use it to treat skin problems, the soothing blue hues of these LED lights will help elevate your mood.

Is Blue Light Therapy Right for Everyone?

As safe and beneficial as this treatment can be for those who need it, not everyone should try blue light therapy.

For example, those taking medications that cause skin to become photosensitized should avoid any kind of light therapy, or at least temporarily discontinue its use if it’s medically safe to do so.

This includes people taking:

• Melatonin
• Lithium
• Phenothiazine antipsychotics
• Antibiotics

People who have a history of melanomas or Lupus should check with their doctor before undergoing light therapy as well. It’s also important to make sure that you use proper eye protection during your session. Most spas will provide goggles if you don’t have your own.

If you do choose light therapy, make sure to undergo treatment at a medical spa that’s staffed with trained, certified aestheticians.

Personalized Skin Care is Just a Phone Call Away

Why bother with ineffective treatments or risk going under the knife when Vesper Gray Med Spa is just a phone call away. We’re a top-rated beauty and skincare salon in Denver, Colorado, and we’re proud to bring cutting-edge treatments to our friends in the local community.

If you want to give blue light therapy a try, give us a call at (720) 682-2269 or visit our website to book your appointment today.