Red Light and Lumiere Light Therapy-Effective Anti-Aging Treatments
Red light therapy and lumiere light therapy are a form of photorejuvenation; a category of ‘anti-aging’ processes doctors use to combat wrinkles, blemishes and chronic skin disorders. Photorejuvenation skin treatments include thermal, chemical, and intense pulsed light, such as lasers, and blue or red (infrared) lights. Light therapy sessions are non-invasive and usually do not cause side effects. It is also an outpatient procedure requiring little or no downtime.
How it Works
Light therapies have been used for various medical applications for several decades, but only recently for cosmetic applications. Red light therapy, like laser therapy or other light therapy, works by penetrating skin layers with measure wavelengths of light, causing controlled damage to underlying skin cells, stimulating the healing process and producing new skin cells.
The popularity of red light therapy and similar treatments has exploded, but some cosmetic surgeons caution that no photorejuvenation therapy is intended to be a substitute for more invasive procedures.
Rather, it is suggested photo rejuvenation procedures be used as a supplemental therapy to semi-invasive chemical peels and the like. Patients should also keep in mind that it may take several sessions to get the desired results. In addition, each patient will be different, so of course results may vary.
Thermal photorejuvenation such as red light therapy works well for crows feet, lines and wrinkles, and is an excellent method of eliminating visible vascular lesions. Established benefits include:
-Help with rosacea
-Elimination of acne and scarring
-Reduction of eczema
-Help for visible vascular lesions
-Stimulates healing process by damaging cells, which stimulates collagen production
Other red light therapy benefit claims are:
-Healthier looking skin
-Better (younger looking) skin tone
-Slows melatonin production
-Improves skin moisture content
-Restores natural collagen ‘activity’
-Tightens pores
-Increases circulation to skin cells
There are a host of others including ‘lessens skin coarseness,’ ‘reduces overall redness’ and ‘helps sun damaged skin,’ but these are redundant. Suffice it to say that this therapy really has, well, therapeutic value in the clinical setting. Numerous home therapy lights are on the market, some with FDA approval. However the home red light consumer may need to spend additional time under their lamp to make up for the weaker output.
To Lumiere, or Not to Lumiere?
Lumiere light therapy is based on LED lighting. That is, ‘light emitting diodes.’ A cosmetic treatment touting the anti-aging benefits of all other light therapies combined, lumiere light therapy treatment is non-invasive, non-thermal (unlike red or blue therapies,) and non-laser.
An average 20 minute session under ‘lumiere’ lights is supposed to combat wrinkles, fine lines and crow’s feet, as well as firming skin, tightening pores, lightening age spots and even diminishing those dreadful under-eye dark circles.
Lumiere and infrared (red) light therapies are backed by clinical research (one example here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16414908) and the technology is constantly improving.
Perhaps one day we can all maintain smooth, tight skin, free of blemishes with a regular appointment at the light therapist. As the doctor said, though, photorejuvenation and other non-invasive therapies should only be one aspect of our anti-aging regimen.
Using natural skin maintenance practices daily, we can have healthy, glowing skin, and a healthier body. See the sidebar below for natural skin maintenance tips!
Top 5 Skin Maintenance Tips
1.) Use a soft, natural fiber dry skin brush before showering. Using small, gentle circles in the direction of your heart, brush your skin from head to toe. Avoid thin, broken or irritated skin.
2.) Eat a healthier diet. Skin suffers when we do not drink enough water or eat enough fiber. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains improve digestive health, which leads to healthier skin.
3.) Exercise! Exercise improves circulation, which improves muscle tone, removes toxins and reduces stress. All of this adds up to better looking skin.
4.) Skip the Sugar. Extra sugar causes a process called glycation, in which a sugar molecule bonds with proteins or lipids without hormonal controls. This is bad, as it interferes with important biomolecule activity. Bottom line? All that extra sugar causes wrinkles and sagging.
5.) Eat good fats. Omega-3’s, olive oil, fats from unsalted almonds and other nuts. You can also get your good fats from fresh fish such as sardines and salmon, or put some flaxseed in your cereal. Good fats are essential, and essential to healthy skin, so eat some every day.
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