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Shining a Light on Light Therapy
Within the past 10 years, light therapy has emerged as a trendy therapy for people suffering from mild to severe acne but controversy still surrounds the treatment.
There is no disputing that certain types of light can have disinfecting properties. For example, ultraviolet light is regularly used in air and water treatment to kill germs, bacteria, some viruses and even cysts. Unfortunately, there are cancer risks when skin is over-exposed to ultraviolet light, making it impractical as an acne treatment.
In 2000, the British Broadcast Corp. (BBC) reported that British scientists had achieved a breakthrough in treating acne with a combination of red and blue light. The research, which was conducted over a 12-week period at Hammersmith Hospital in London, exposed people with mild to moderate acne to the combination of red and blue light for 15 minutes a day. Researchers claimed a 76 percent decrease in the number of visible blemishes during that period.
The results of that study were subsequently affirmed in a Japanese study conducted using just blue light, according to Dermatology Times. Supporters of light therapy say that, similar to ultraviolet light, it kills acne-causing bacteria and can even promote the skin’s natural healing from acne. Opponents of light therapy wonder if some of the results are attributable to a ‘placebo effect,’ where people believe they are getting better and actually start to exhibit physical symptoms of improvement.
At any rate, the emergence of light therapy has not been helped by occasional fly-by-night operations and the production of some consumer products that have not worked as promised. If you are interested in learning more about light therapy, consult your dermatologist and make sure you receive your treatment from reputable sources. As even the most ardent supporters of light therapy will tell you, there are plenty of gimmicks out there and you get what you pay for.
Even with a few bad apples in the bunch, some medical researchers believe light therapy can play an important role in acne treatment and will emerge to become a treatment of choice for many acne sufferers.
There is no disputing that certain types of light can have disinfecting properties. For example, ultraviolet light is regularly used in air and water treatment to kill germs, bacteria, some viruses and even cysts. Unfortunately, there are cancer risks when skin is over-exposed to ultraviolet light, making it impractical as an acne treatment.
In 2000, the British Broadcast Corp. (BBC) reported that British scientists had achieved a breakthrough in treating acne with a combination of red and blue light. The research, which was conducted over a 12-week period at Hammersmith Hospital in London, exposed people with mild to moderate acne to the combination of red and blue light for 15 minutes a day. Researchers claimed a 76 percent decrease in the number of visible blemishes during that period.
The results of that study were subsequently affirmed in a Japanese study conducted using just blue light, according to Dermatology Times. Supporters of light therapy say that, similar to ultraviolet light, it kills acne-causing bacteria and can even promote the skin’s natural healing from acne. Opponents of light therapy wonder if some of the results are attributable to a ‘placebo effect,’ where people believe they are getting better and actually start to exhibit physical symptoms of improvement.
At any rate, the emergence of light therapy has not been helped by occasional fly-by-night operations and the production of some consumer products that have not worked as promised. If you are interested in learning more about light therapy, consult your dermatologist and make sure you receive your treatment from reputable sources. As even the most ardent supporters of light therapy will tell you, there are plenty of gimmicks out there and you get what you pay for.
Even with a few bad apples in the bunch, some medical researchers believe light therapy can play an important role in acne treatment and will emerge to become a treatment of choice for many acne sufferers.
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