An image of a woman laying down and getting red light therapy treatment on her face An image of a woman laying down and getting red light therapy treatment on her face

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Red Light Therapy For The Face

by John Tsenekos | September 29, 2022
Red light therapy (RLT) was first used by NASA to boost plant growth in space. It was then used to help heal wounds on astronauts. RLT has been used for many different applications since then and it is widely regarded as a valid therapy for reducing wrinkles, acne, scars, and redness on the face and body.

What is red light therapy?

Red light therapy uses a low-frequency red light to shine on the skin in sessions of 15-20 minutes to help kill harmful bacteria in the skin. When used in combination with a photosensitizer drug, the red light can be used to reduce some of the damaging effects of skin cancer, psoriasis, or warts.

How does red light therapy work?

Red light therapy works with the mitochondria in your skin. Mitochondria generate the energy needed to boost the cells' chemical reactions and spur them on to work harder. They soak up the red light and use it as energy to reduce the damaging effects of things like ageing, disease, and environment on the cells.  

Ways light therapy works for the skin are:

  • RLT stimulates the cells that produce collagen, a chemical that gives the skin its elasticity and strength. You will see the word collagen used a lot in advertisements for skin creams.
  • Boosts the production of fibroblasts, the cells that contribute to the formation of connective tissue in the skin.
  • Boosts the blood circulation of the skin, giving it a nice healthy glow.
  • Lowers the inflammation found in cells that can cause a puffy appearance.

Conditions that can be treated with red light therapy

Wounds

Improves the healing process for wounds. RLT does this by directly stimulating the regeneration of healthy cells in the wound. It is used as a less harsh method of treatment.

Stretch marks

An image of a person holding their belly fat showing their stretch marks
Reduces the appearance of stretch marks. The red light is focused on the stretch marks and causes the marks to reduce in intensity by softening the appearance.

Signs of age

Reduces the appearance of age spots and wrinkles and improves the skin’s elasticity.

Skin conditions

Reduces the damage and irritation caused by skin conditions. Itchy, painful skin conditions like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema can be greatly improved with red light therapy treatment.

Other conditions it can improve:

  • Scarring
  • Sun damage
  • Hair growth
  • Acne

Ways to use red light therapy for your face at home

An image of a lady getting red light therapy treatment at a spa
Some red-light therapies require a large time commitment. It may not be possible to go to a clinic or doctor’s office every single time. That is at home red light therapy products are so popular. Items such as a red-light therapy wand can be used in your home for 15-20 minutes without having to leave your living room.
The red-light face wand is small, compact, and can be used anywhere when you want a little lift in your skin. Other red light face therapy devices come in a light that you can use at your desk while working for a few minutes every day. When you go online and see the red light therapy before and after pictures, you can see a noticeable difference in tightness and clarity of the skin on the face. Red light therapy at home is the perfect way to get that rejuvenating benefit and keep your busy schedule on track.

Other benefits of red light therapy:

It is widely believed by users of red light therapy on a regular basis that it can reduce the amount of healing time after workouts with just 10-15 minutes of use a day. With the red light panels that beam the healing light over your entire body at one time, the cells get that boost of energy to work harder and they help regenerate tissue and muscle after exercise.

Helps with sleep

A women stretching in her bed smiling and feeling energized
It is a well-known fact that electronic devices emit a blue light that disrupts our natural sleep rhythms. A lot of us use our devices for most of the day and then to relax before going to bed. Red light therapy will reduce the effects of blue light and promote a natural circadian rhythm that will relax you and lull you to sleep. There are clinical studies online that show this to be the case.
It is not surprising that red light therapy is popular for those who want to look and feel younger. The non-invasive therapy has few side effects, no downtime, and can be used for as little as 10 minutes a day to see the results. Give red light therapy a try and notice the difference.

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