LED Light Therapy
Picture courtesy of Darling Esthetics
What is it?
LED light therapy is a painless, relaxing, non-invasive skin-care treatment that has multiple benefits. LED treatments work by using an array of bright light-emitting diodes (originally developed by NASA!) that send low-level light energy into the deeper layers of the skin. Professional LED treatments are given at select day spas, usually those with a serious focus on skin care, or from estheticians with their own skin care studios.
The recommended professional LED protocol is six treatments a week or two apart, followed by a maintenance treatment every month or two. LED treatments are painless and relaxing, and in winter have a side benefit of counteracting seasonal affective disorder (SAD). LED treatments last about ten to twenty minutes, and can be a stand-alone treatment or part of a facial. They are given by an esthetician and usually cost somewhere between $75 to $125 a treatment as a standalone, more if part of a larger treatment such as a Hydrafacial.
Depending on the type of LED machine the spa has, it can take anywhere from five minutes to thirty minutes. Some machines have a small head (about three inches wide) that has to be held in place on the skin for a few minutes before moving on to the next spot. These treatments take longer. Other machine have a seven-inch square that the therapist holds over your face in three sections, so the treatment is done much faster.
Your eyes can't be hurt by LED light so they don't have to be covered. LED light therapy treatments are a good choice for people who want to boost collagen or treat mild to moderate acne. Unlike IPL or laser treatments, LED treatments carry no risk of burning. An IPL treatment delivers a bright blast of light at very high energy levels through a hand-held device, and can be uncomfortable, even painful. LED treatments are actually very soothing. An LED photofacial is a very gentle light therapy treatment suitable for the face, neck, chest, back, or all of those areas
How does it Work?
Here’s how each of the different colors, or wavelengths of light, work to promote various different results in a photo facial
Blue Light for Acne & Blemishes
Blue Light Therapy – (405 nm to 420 nm) Blue light in this wavelength range has proven to have highly powerful bacteria fighting properties. Moreover, this light can kill P. acnes, one of the primary acne causing bacteria, meaning that it can be a very effective treatment for mild to moderate acne conditions. Blue light photofacials can also help to stabilize oil glands, ease inflammation, and purify the skin.Learn more about blue light for acne treatment.Learn more about the product shown.
Green Light for Hyperpigmentation, Freckles & Age Spots
Green Light Therapy – (495 nm – 570 nm) Green light is absorbed by the melanin producing cells of the skin, slowing melanin production, and gradually breaking up excess melanin collections which are then reabsorbed by the body. Green light is known to have a highly calming effect on the skin. It can also brighten the complexion by helping to lighten areas of hyperpigmentation, freckles and age spots. At the same time, green light photo facials can soothe the skin’s surface with its anti-inflammatory properties.Learn more about green light therapy.Learn more about the product shown.
Amber Light for Spider Veins & Red Spots
Amber Light Therapy – (570 nm to 620 nm) Amber light is used for its reduction in inflammation, swelling, and redness on the face including broken capillaries and spider veins. It is often chosen for the treatment of sunburns and other types of burns, as well as conditions such as rosacea. Amber light therapy can help to bring vitality back to complexions that have become dull looking. It can bring back a more youthful “glow”.Learn more about amber light therapy.Learn more about the product shown.
Red & Infrared Light for Collagen Production & Elimination of Fine Lines & Wrinkles. Red Light Therapy–(620 nm to 700 nm) Red light Red light photo facials are used for reducing scarring, wrinkles, deep lines, stimulates cellular activity, including the fibroblasts that produce collagen, which gives young skin its plump look. This unique ability to penetrate deeply into the skin, stimulates collagen production, rejuvenates the face, encourages cellular repair, and boosts the circulation to the face so that the complexion appears more youthful and vibrant. Thus helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles, treat sun-damage and stretch marks, and reduce redness after more and evens out the skin tone.
However, if your treatments work best in conjunction with a regular skin care routine that you develop with your esthetician.
Do they really work?
Yes, but not overnight. It's not a cure. It's a treatment. Low-level light therapy (LLLT) with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is emerging from the mists of black magic as a solid medico-scientific modality, with a substantial buildup of corroborative bodies of evidence for its efficacy and elucidation of the modes of action. It has a great effect on skin cells in both the epidermis and dermis and enhanced blood flow. Thus, LED-LLLT is a safe and effective stand-alone therapy for patients who are prepared to wait until the final effect is perceived.
Protocol
The LED light by itself can stimulate specific cell lines and improve certain aspects of the skin, and the technology can be further improved when combined with light-absorbing chromophore gel, which allows the LED light to penetrate deeper into the skin.
Darling Esthetics uses Dermalogica IonActive treatments to achieve results. Here's how a typical light-emitting diode session unfolds: the patient comes in after having her picture taken and lies down on an examination table, where the esthetician uses a gentle cleanser to remove any makeup or impurities. There is an exfoliation procedure and then European massage, then a special gel is applied onto face. The multi-LED light system is then used to activate the gel, converting the light from the lamp into different color wavelengths. The light panels can also be used on other body areas, such as the chest or back.
The good news?
This particular treatment lasts nine minutes (most LED treatments are over in less than twenty minutes), during which a warm, pleasant sensation can be felt over the entire face. While you're there you can listen to some background music, mediate, even take a nap. After the treatment, once the gel is delicately removed, a moisturizer is applied along with an SPF to protect the skin from UV rays. Flushing very rarely occurs. That's right, you're free to walk around town or go right back to work -- no one will ever guess what you were doing just a few minutes before!
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