What are LED Blue Light Benefits?
Did you know that LED Blue Light is like "Ice in a Light?"
With over 6,500 scientific papers published on the therapeutic effectiveness of Photobiomodulation (PMB), the pain-free and non-invasive treatment is generating attention. Patients suffering from a variety of ailments and conditions can experience relief from their symptoms.
Photobiomodulation can use all types of colored light, from ultraviolet to near-infrared (NIR). It also includes LED blue light, but what are the benefits?
What are the Benefits of LED Blue Light Therapy?
Blue light is an effective treatment for individuals suffering from acute injuries. LED blue light reduces inflammation and has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Some of the benefits clients experience with LED blue light therapy include the following:
Treat Sun Damage
A common use for LED blue light therapy is treating sun damage. The light can minimize and even remove some sunspots. The severity or darkness of the discoloration on the skin will affect the results, but almost everyone sees improvement.
Skin Cancer Prevention
Prolonged exposure to the sun isn’t limited to dark spots on the skin. Premalignant and malignant growths are a risk. While not all types of precancerous and cancerous lesions are the result of spending too much time without protection in the sun, LED blue light therapy is proving to be an effective, non-invasive treatment option.
Photodynamic therapy works with an applied photosynthesizing cream. The combination of LED blue light and the prescribed medication on the skin reacts to oxygen, effectively killing the cancer cells. It is important to note that LED blue light therapy works on types of skin cancer that have not metastasized (spread to other parts of the body). When the cancer is metastasized, more aggressive forms of treatment are necessary.
LED blue light can also trigger the immune system or stop the blood vessels from supplying the cancer cells with oxygen.
Improve Skin Texture
Sunspots are not the only issue LED blue light can treat. It can reduce the size of oil glands and improve the texture of your skin.
Acne spots and scars can also be reduced or eliminated, leaving you with a smoother complexion.
Reduce the Symptoms Associated with Depression
LED blue light is being used as part of a treatment plan for depression. It is especially effective at treating symptoms associated with SAD (seasonal affective disorder). The condition known as SAD typically affects individuals during the winter when the days are darker. The limited amount of time spent outdoors during cold weather can also trigger symptoms associated with the condition.
Using light therapy to treat SAD is a non-invasive procedure that doesn’t require medications that can produce unwanted side effects.
Psoriasis and Eczema
Psoriasis is a condition individuals have for life. Unfortunately, symptoms can only be controlled and not cured. However, studies are showing that blue LED light therapy is effective at treating mild and moderate cases of psoriasis.
When the body is producing more skin cells than necessary, the condition is known as psoriasis. The color of the patches depends on skin tone. Individuals with brown or black skin typically experience purple or gray patches. The patches are frequently silver or red on people with lighter-colored skin.
Exposure to sunlight can minimize symptoms associated with psoriasis, but it comes with the risk of skin cancer. LED blue light therapy is a safer treatment option. Blue light LED therapy has also been shown to be effective at reducing the signs of eczema.
LED Blue Light Therapy at Home
LED blue light therapy is often performed at a skin treatment center or dermatologist’s office. Some individuals prefer to perform the therapy at home. Both produce noticeable results, but there are some differences.
Treatment sessions at a professional office typically last between 15 to 90 minutes, depending on your condition and its severity. Routine maintenance appointments are also necessary to maintain results. Over time, the cost of the treatments, consultations, and appointments can become expensive. It’s one of the reasons individuals often choose to perform blue LED light therapy at home.
The handheld device uses the same medical-grade LED light you receive in a medical setting. The device does come at a price, but it also benefits.
You can choose when to use blue light LED therapy and the length of the treatment time. Since the treatments are on your schedule, you may see results faster. Some individuals may also be able to take advantage of FSA or HSA insurance to help cover the cost of the device. Overall, it’s often less expensive to perform LED blue light therapy at home.
Something else to consider. Some LED light therapy devices come with different color settings to treat additional conditions. For example, red LED light combined with blue treats acne and scarring, along with the common signs of aging.
Improve the Appearance and Health of Your Skin at Home
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Will blue light LED therapy help minimize the appearance of wrinkles?
A. Blue light LED therapy does not treat wrinkles or other common signs of aging, beyond sunspots. The blue LED light may also reduce the appearance of age spots, but it does not treat wrinkles. Only red LED light can boost collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Q. How long will it take before I start seeing results from LED blue light therapy?
A. The type of condition and its severity determines how long it takes before you start noticing results. It takes longer to treat precancerous growths, along with other skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Most people see results in a few days when they are treating acne.
It’s a good idea to use the handheld LED blue light device once a day for at least three minutes.
Resources:
Can a wearable blue-light device clear psoriasis? (no date) American Academy of Dermatology. Available at: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/psoriasis/treatment/medications/wearable-light (Accessed: December 19, 2022).
Gotter, A. (2017) Blue light therapy: Uses and side effects, Healthline. Healthline Media. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/blue-light-therapy#purpose-and-uses (Accessed: December 19, 2022).
Roth, E. (2022) Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Symptoms and more, Healthline. Healthline Media. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder (Accessed: December 19, 2022).
Sadowska, M., Narbutt, J. and Lesiak, A. (2021) Blue Light in dermatology, Life (Basel, Switzerland). U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8307003/ (Accessed: December 19, 2022).
