Red & Blue Light Therapy for Acne Treatment
Red & Blue Light for Acne Treatment
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S. impacting approximately 50 million Americans (men & women) annually. And approximately 85% of those suffering from acne are between the ages of 12 and 24-years-old.
Acne can occur at any stage in life, even into a person’s 30s and 40s. The Academy has also found that acne in adults is increasing with 15% of sufferers being women. The inflammation and redness associated with acne can cause many young adults to suffer from self-esteem issues. Desperate for healing, many young teens and adults are looking for skin care solutions that will eliminate the blemishes and lesions that come with acne.
Acne Treatment: Costs, Symptoms, And Treatment Options
In 2013 alone, the Academy estimates that the “costs associated with the treatment and lost productivity among those who sought medical care for acne exceeded $1.2 billion” and the “lost productivity among patients and caregivers due to acne was nearly $400 million.”
The Academy states that it is “impossible to predict who will develop more severe acne but you have a higher risk if one or both of your parents (or other close blood relative) had severe acne that left them with acne scars.”
There are other contributions factors to acne including smoking, stress (which can worsen existing acne), getting too little sleep, eating certain inflammatory foods, and using inappropriate makeup or skin care products.
According to WebMD, acne symptoms include:
- Recurring red spots or swelling on the skin (also known as pimples), typically appearing on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper back.
- Dark spots with open pores in the center (also known as blackheads).
- Small white bumps under the skin (also known as whiteheads).
- Red lumps (known as papules) visibly filled with pus.
- Lumps under the skin that are inflamed, filled with fluid and tender to the touch.
Consulting a dermatologist is often the first line of defense for those suffering from persistent acne cases. The most successful treatments inhibit sebum production, limit the growth of bacteria, and unclog pores to clear up the skin. There are also prescription medications to treat the symptoms of acne, but these options often come with concerning side effects.
Will Blue Light Therapy Help Treat My Acne?
If you suffer from severe or even moderate acne and have done your own homework or asked a dermatologist about effective acne treatments, you may have come across research or products related to light emitting diode (LED) blue light therapy. Blue light therapy is a proven acne treatment for people who have tried other acne treatments, but still aren’t achieving the results they want.
Light emitting diode or LED light therapy used to only be available at a dermatologist or esthetician’s office, but with the advent of affordable, effective, at-home light therapy device design, blue light for acne is becoming a household treatment that’s non-toxic, non-invasive, and really, really effective.
How Light Therapy Works
LED light therapy works by killing acne-causing bacteria at the source, deep beneath the skin’s surface. As people across the nation are searching for more natural, chemical-free alternatives to traditional medical solutions, light therapy, particularly blue light treatments, fits the bill perfectly.
But What About Red Light Therapy?
Blue light, especially in combination with red light therapy, emits specific, clinically proven wavelengths of light to trigger an all-natural effect in human tissue, killing acne-causing bacteria, decreasing inflammation, reducing redness, and improving skin tone, texture, and clarity from the inside out.
However, not all light therapy is created equal. Blue light and red-light therapy is widely used as an effective option for the treatment of mild to moderate inflammatory acne vulgaris. One study concluded that “…blue light and red light may act synergistically in improving acne by combining antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action, rendering phototherapy with blue and/or red light an effective and safe treatment for acne vulgaris”. ₁
Red And Blue Light Therapy Is A Winning Combination
Another study examined the impact of both blue light and red-light phototherapy. Researchers found that “acne vulgaris represents both a challenge to the treating dermatologist and a major concern for the patient. Conventional treatments have proved inconsistent with often unacceptable side effects and high rates of recurrence. Non-thermal, non-laser, LED phototherapy for acne with a combination of blue and red light has recently attracted attention.” ²
The Celluma Light Therapy Difference
Celluma light therapy devices have the unique ability to mold to the treatment area to improve cellular performance on a microscopic level. Skin cells are then able to absorb even more light energy in less time, speeding up the acne bacteria elimination and skin healing process.
Celluma’s blue wavelengths kill the bacteria that causes breakouts, while reducing the inflammation, pimples, and redness associated with acne. A reduction in lesions and overall improvement in skin appearance is often seen in only a matter of weeks. Of course, outcomes vary depending on severity of the acne and patient compliance to recommended acne protocols.
Not only is Celluma blue light therapy naturally effective, it’s also affordable, portable, and hands-free, making it a convenient acne treatment at home or on the go. Celluma has more medical credentials than any other LED light therapy device, so you can rest assured you’re getting high-quality blue light acne treatment that’s backed by science.
Which Light Therapy Device is Best for Acne Treatment?
Celluma offers a variety of LED light therapy devices for specific needs, budgets, and lifestyles, making advanced skin care accessible for all. And unlike other light therapy devices that require multiple panels and accessories to treat a variety of skin conditions, Celluma offers all-in-one, scientifically backed systems that are as convenient as they are effective.
Learn More about the Celluma Products for Acne, all clinically proven to give you a more radiant complexion:
*Disclaimer: LED Light Therapy is safe and shown clinically to be effective for a range of indications, however individual results may vary, and there is no assurance of a specific benefit for any such indications.
References:
1.British Journal of Dermatology 2000; 142: 973 +/- 978. Phototherapy with blue (415 nm) and red (660 nm) light in the treatment of acne vulgaris P.PAPAGEORGIOU, A.KATSAMBAS* AND A.CHU Unit of Dermatology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, DuCane Road, London W12 0NN, U.K. Adreas Sygros Hospital, Athens, Greece 2. Effect of Blue Light on Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review Mara Lúcia Gonçalves Diogo 1, Thalita Molinos Campos 1, Elsa Susana Reis Fonseca 2, Christiane Pavani 1, Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini Horliana 1, Kristianne Porta Santos Fernandes 1 , Sandra Kalil Bussadori 1, Francisca Goreth Malheiro Moraes Fantin 3, Diego Portes Vieira Leite 3, Ângela Toshie Araki Yamamoto 4, Ricardo Scarparo Navarro 3 and Lara Jansiski Motta 1,* 1 Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences Department, Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), Vergueiro 245, São Paulo 01504-001, Brazil; dermatomara3@gmail.com (M.L.G.D.); thalitamolinos@gmail.com (T.M.C.); chrispavani@gmail.com (C.P.); acrth@gmail.com (A.C.R.T.H.); kristianneporta@gmail.com (K.P.S.F.); sandrakalil.skb@gmail.com (S.K.B.) 2 Physics Department Covilhã, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-354 Covilhã, Portugal; ersfonseca@gmail.com