LED light therapy is a non-invasive and pain-free treatment used to rejuvenate skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines, treat acne breakouts, and limit visibility of scarring and rosacea. Plus, it can reduce redness and inflammation of the skin.
From Botox to chemical peels, there’s no shortage of ways to treat your skin these days. The perk of LED (light emitting diode) Therapy is that there are no needles involved and your skin doesn’t peel off in snake-like sheets following the procedure.
How Does LED Light Therapy for Skin Work?
Using LEDs as a skincare regime is a fairly new option with a growing cult following. It relies on varying wavelengths of light, red and/or blue. The red light is ideal for anti-aging, and the blue light is best for acne treatment.
The technology was originally used to treat skin wounds of U.S. Navy SEALS. In recent years, the unique light therapy has been adopted by aestheticians for its skin rejuvenating properties.
So, how does it work? The unique light frequencies are absorbed into the skin to help regenerate damaged muscle tissues, increase collagen and tissues, and smooth out skin. As a result, you may see a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, and acne, along with an overall improvement in the look and feel of skin.
Red Light Vs Blue Light
Red light, also known as infrared light, is used to treat the outer layer of skin (epidermis). When your epidermis absorbs this light, it stimulates collagen proteins. The ideology is that by adding more collagen, your skin appears smoother and fuller. This helps reduce the appearance of fine lines. It also adds a healthy glow and can reduce inflammation while improving circulation.
Blue LED light therapy goes after the sebaceous glands, or oil glands, which are tucked beneath your hair follicles. When these glands go into overdrive, they promote acne. By targeting these glands, they become less active and that makes your skin less oily and prone to breakouts. In addition, blue lights can kill acne-causing bacteria nesting beneath your skin.
In addition, a 2018 animal study reported that blue LED light helped heal third-degree skin burns.
How Long Does It Take?
On average, it takes around 20 minutes to perform LED light therapy on the skin. It is generally recommended to undergo treatment once a week for 10 weeks, and then you only need to return once every few months. It’s important to go back for maintenance treatments to maintain results.
What About At-home LED Light Therapy Kits?
While they do sell at-home LED light therapy kits, they use lower frequencies and have not been proven to provide the same results. That being said, at-home kits aren’t cheap. Therefore, it truly makes more sense to visit a professional esthetician.
Is LED Light Therapy Safe for Your Skin?
Since LEDs do not contain ultraviolet rays, it is considered safe for regular use on your skin. It will not cause you to burn or peel like other anti-ageing treatments such as chemical peels, laser therapy, and dermabrasion.
It is considered safe for all skin types and colors. Although, if you are prescribed Accutane, you should not get LED light therapy as it can cause skin rashes.
In rare cases, side effects may include inflammation, rashes and redness.
Interested in Getting LED Light Therapy Treatment?
Visit our in-house salon and spa for a custom facial, LED Light Therapy, and more. Right now, you can add LED Light Therapy to any of our facial and skin treatments for just $10! Learn more.
Want to Learn the Art of LED Light Therapy?
At Avenue Five Institute, our Esthetician School in Austin, TX offers hands-on training in all of the latest techniques for skincare, including LED Light Therapy. Come take a tour of our beautiful campus – we have one location in South Austin and one in North Austin.
Schedule Your Tour Online
We look forward to meeting you!