Red light therapy has been shown to help deliver versatile health benefits, including quicker wound healing, improving blood circulation, enhanced metabolism, and boosted cognitive functions. However, one advantage that this treatment method is extremely popular for is its effects on the skin.
Extensive research has revealed that red light treatments can help with numerous skin concerns. Considering that recent years have been a rise in the skincare industry, red light therapy’s popularity among many influencers rose. Aside from this, there is also a rising trend on the use of different red light therapy devices at home.
Having heard about RLT’s long list of pros, many people still wonder whether it is worth trying or not. So we decided to give you the full scoop on red light treatments and how to incorporate them into your skincare routine.
The Mechanism Behind Red & Near-infrared Light
Red and near-infrared light are low-level light wavelengths that used in red light therapy. Compared to other forms of light, these two, characterized by powerful penetration – red and NIR light wavelengths can reach deep tissue layers and fight against various issues from within.
The main secret behind this is the fact that our cells love red light therapy! Once the red light particles enter the body, exposed cells get optimized. Thanks to accelerated cellular functions, our natural healing and regenerative properties are improved.
Skin Concerns That Respond Well To RLT
Before you decide whether red light therapy is worth adding to your skincare routine, let’s see what benefits it will bring if you do so. As mentioned before, red light therapy affects our cells on a fundamental level, aiding with acne, psoriasis, scarring, rosacea, eczema, skin dullness, and ageing.
Acne
Only in the US, over 50 million people are affected by acne, making it the most widespread skin concern. Even though there are numerous conventional acne treatments, getting rid of acne is still a complex and lengthy process.
If you are trying to tackle acne, starting red light therapy might help you a great deal. Red light and near-infrared light have proven to have anti-inflammatory properties, which come in handy in acne. RLT prevents bacteria from spreading, helps breakouts heal faster, and promotes new, more robust skin cells.
Psoriasis
Another great red light therapy benefit is that it aids in treating psoriasis. This autoimmune disease requires constant monitoring because, as of now, it has no cure. Psoriasis presents itself in red silverish patches on the skin surface. The psoriasis scales can appear anywhere and anytime. What’s more, in some cases, the patches can be itchy and even bleed.
Research shows that red light therapy is 80% effective for psoriasis patients. Continous light treatments help heal the psoriasis scales quicker and avert spreading. Additionally, red light exposure has proven to reduce psoriasis flare-up and make a living with the condition much more manageable.
Also Read: Benefits Of Wearing Sunscreen On The Face Every Day
Ageing
Not only does red light therapy aid in treating skin diseases, but it can also be an excellent addition to your anti-ageing efforts. Studies indicate that red light exposure increases levels of proteins that make up our skin – collagen and elastin. As we grow old, our body produces less of those elements, making our skin appear wrinkled and dull. Using anti-ageing stem cell therapy, collagen and elastin levels increase, and the skin becomes more youthful.
That’s not the only anti-ageing benefit of red light – it also increases skin cell turnover, which is often affected as we age. For instance, the skin cell turnover rate of a 20-year-old is approximately 21 days. At the age of 40, the time it takes us to shed old skin cells can increase to 60 days, meaning that we are producing new cells more scarcely. Therefore, increased cell turnover by red light therapy can significantly improve the quality of your skin.
Adding Red Light Therapy To Skincare Routine
Incorporating RLT into your skincare routine can be a life-changing experience. However, to optimize the treatment and ensure that you are getting the most out of it, you’ll have to keep a couple of things in mind:
- Stick to it – Red light therapy will be successful only if you use it continuously and routinely. If you can’t dedicate sufficient time to RLT, you likely won’t see any change to your skin.
We understand that going to a doctor’s office back and forth can be a bit of a hassle. But there is a more straightforward way – purchase your red light therapy device. Take a look at nuYOU LED for a wide selection of red light panels of different kinds.
- Be patient – When it comes to red light therapy, the first thing everyone wants to know is how long it takes to see results. The thing is, no one can give you a definite answer beforehand as it greatly depends on the issue you’re looking to treat, your current condition, and your medical history. Therefore, we recommend you to be patient. For most skin issues, it takes at least a month before you see any improvement.
- Keep your skin clean – People who have been studying and using light therapy for a while suggest that it works better when exposing bare skin to it. It means that to get optimal results, you need to do your session with freshly cleansed skin. Once you did with it, you can apply serums and moisturizers as you usually would.
