Using LED Lights Can Slow Down the Aging Process
Dismayed to notice wrinkles on your face? Want to reduce the appearance of fine lines on the corners of your mouth? That is exactly why you need LED (Light Emitting Diod) therapy – it is a painless, relaxing, non-invasive skin-care treatment that has multiple benefits, particularly stimulating collagen, slowing down aging and treating mild to moderate acne.
How does it work?
LED treatments work by using an array of bright light-emitting diodes that send low-level light energy into the deeper layers of the skin. Red light LED stimulates cellular activity, including the fibroblasts that produce collagen, which gives young skin its plump look. That helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles, treat sun-damage and stretch marks, and reduce redness after more aggressive IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or laser treatments. The results won’t be as dramatic as plastic surgery, IPL, or laser, but it is a gentler, more natural, less expensive way to go.
How often should you get the LED treatment?
The recommended professional LED protocol is six treatments in a week, 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).
Depending on the type of LED machine being used, 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 machines have a seven-inch square that the therapist places over your face in three sections, so the treatment is done much faster. This is what we use here at Vanilla Sugar. LED treatments can be a stand-alone treatment or part of a facial.
Why opt for LED therapy?
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. They are non-invasive and safe for everyone. 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. Imagine 15 minutes relaxing- I know when I do it I usually fall asleep until the timer wakes me up.
Where can you try red light therapy?
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. Although there are quite a few facial gadgets and tools available for DIY LED therapy, it is best to steer clear from those due to imports and little to no regulation.
To put it in a nutshell, LED therapy is for reversing aging, reducing inflammation and increasing hydration levels in the skin. Your complexion will be more lifted, toned, and improved-resulting in younger-looking, smoother skin by increasing healthy cellular activity. For best results, a lot of people combine blue and red light therapy – the former deals with tackling acne. Here too, you shouldn’t take the DIY route; consult a professional instead.