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Red Light Therapy Benefits For Health
Cosmetic technology has come a long way in recent years, and one of the most promising emerging treatments is Red Light Therapy (RLT). It has been proven to show great promise in treating redness, acne, scars, aging, wrinkles, and other skin conditions. It is also known by other names such as Low-Level laser light therapy, Soft laser therapy, and Low-power laser therapy, to name a few popular ones. Read on to truly uncover some gems with this treatment.
What Is RLT?
In a nutshell, RLT uses low wavelength red light to treat any issues with your skin’s appearance, such as wrinkles, redness, acne, and scars. Additionally, it is also touted to treat other medical conditions related to human skin.
RLT was originally used by NASA, when they began experimenting with red light therapy to help heal wounds in astronauts and to promote plant growth in space. Over time, many other potential uses began to be found for this new technology, and we now have RLT widely accepted in mainstream medical use in photodynamic therapy.
How Does It Work?
RLT acts upon the mitochondria in your body’s cells – mitochondria is known as the “power plant” in your body. When exposed to the light wavelengths in RLT, the mitochondria in your cells generate more energy which in turn, allows them to do their work more efficiently.
This means normal skin functions such as repairing skin, new cell growth, and skin rejuvenation are enhanced due to the increased stimulation of the mitochondria in your body’s cells. Collagen production is stimulated, fibroblast production is increased, and inflammation is reduced while blood circulation is increased to the cells and tissues.
What Are Its Benefits?
The biggest benefit of RLT is in stimulating blood circulation, collagen production, and reducing inflammation to the applied area of skin. While that is the overall benefit of RLT, here are some of the targeted skin conditions that RLT is promoted as a treatment for:
- Wound healing
- Reducing wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines on skin
- Treating psoriasis, eczema, rosacea
- Treat scarring
- Lifting facial texture
- Reversing sun damage on skin
- Increased hair growth with people with alopecia
- Treating acne
While the list is substantial, it is not exhaustive either. There is still much research to be done on the full effectiveness of RLT, however, it has shown much promise in the use case of the above listed scenarios through medical evidence worldwide.
Is RLT Safe?
As far as current medical research is concerned, RLT appears to be safe and has no side effects associated with it. However this is assuming that this treatment is used short-term and only as directed by a medical professional. Always ease into anything new for you.
There have been a few reports of burns and blistering from the use of RLT units, however, this was because people have fallen asleep with their RLT units in operation, or due to broken wires and device corrosion.
With that said however, RLT has been proven to be non-toxic, non-invasive, and significantly gentler on the skin and body as compared to other topical skin treatments. RLT does not produce the same cancer-causing UV light found from exposure to the sun or in tanning booths, as it is a completely separate form of light wave.
Is RLT Right For Me?
Although RLT is perfectly safe in and of itself, there are always some precautions you should take before undergoing a medical treatment. If you’re considering RLT to treat a skin condition, it’s always best to consult your doctor for a diagnosis first to ascertain that there are no underlying conditions that might cause you to have side effects during treatment.
You will likely need to undergo several treatments, as this is not a one-time treatment that can cure skin conditions in one appointment. Consider the ongoing costs if you’re running a budget for your medical treatment. In most cases, RLT is typically not covered by regular health insurance, so contact your insurance company before you seek treatment.
If you’re using RLT treatment from a device that you’ve purchased for an at-home treatment, bear in mind that your results may vary. These consumer devices, while safe to use, generally have a lower wavelength frequency as compared to the devices used by dermatologists or trained skincare professionals. Follow all directions listed on the device you purchase and always shield your eyes for protection when using them.
Conclusion
RLT is a revolutionary new technology that has proven to show a lot of promise in the skincare field, and while more research is being done to ascertain its full effectiveness, the future seems bright for RLT in both medical and retail pharmaceuticals.
Don’t hesitate to ask your healthcare provider about your treatment options, and if this treatment is appropriate and safe for your skin condition so that you can get the best out of your treatment.
