How did LED therapy come about?
LED therapy in salons, clinics and beauty bars rounds off many treatments - especially cleansing, peeling and massages. “The healing effect of light on cells was clinically confirmed in the 90s. NASA tests have shown that light of a certain wavelength heals wounds and enhances collagen production. - explains Ilmira Petrova, head of the clinic "Lantan". - There are molecular chromophores in cells. They absorb light that stimulates beneficial changes in the body. On this basis, the method of phototherapy has become widely used in cosmetology”.
How did light therapy become popular?
“The popularity of light therapy was largely promoted by Hollywood stars when they began to actively share the results in photos. The skin looks healthier and more radiant after one procedure, so they like to do LED-therapy before going out on the red carpet,”says Irina Shapiro, aesthetic cosmetologist and founder of the Omny Beauty Spa beauty clinic.
What can be corrected or cured with light?
“You can reduce the depth of facial wrinkles, the severity of age spots, moisturize the skin, strengthen the capillaries. Also, LED-therapy is used to treat acne, prepare the skin for plastic surgeries, prepare for sunburn, and enhances the protective capacity of the skin,”says Natalya Frolova, dermatologist at the Golden Mandarin Health and Beauty Center.
How do LED lamps work?
Light of a different color spectrum has a different wavelength, which determines the depth of its penetration into tissues, providing an effect from the upper layers of the skin to the subcutaneous fat. “The therapeutic capabilities of the device directly depend on the width of the spectrum of the rays that it is capable of producing. For example, blue light has a short wavelength of 470-510 nm (about 0.6 mm), green and orange have a wavelength of 530-610 nm, and red light is the deepest, with a wavelength of 625-830 nm (about 7 –11 mm),”says Ilmira Petrova.
What effect do LED lamps have on the skin?
Cosmetologists most often work with blue and red lamps. “Blue light has a strong bactericidal effect. It promotes the regulation of the sebaceous glands and the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including acne. Red light actively affects the improvement of blood circulation in the dermis, has a thermal effect on fibroblasts, and enhances the synthesis of collagen and elastin. The procedure strengthens the skin's immune system and is useful for the prevention of premature aging,”says Evgeniya Ikonnikova, dermatologist at the Institute of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetology on Olkhovskaya Street, Ph. D.
What else?
“Green light restores skin color and fights pigmentation. It enhances the protective properties of the skin against UV radiation. Yellow light is used to relieve redness and generally soothes the skin, improves venous outflow and lymphatic drainage, frees the skin from toxins and free radicals,”adds Ilmira Petrova.
“Besides, waves can be combined with each other. Red and yellow give skin toning, blue and red have an antibacterial effect, recovery,”says Natalya Frolova.
How is the procedure going?
The procedure lasts about 20-30 minutes, during which there is a slight warmth. “Patients with sensitive skin may experience slight tingling or burning sensations. After therapy, slight redness and swelling may appear, which is a normal reaction of the body. These symptoms disappear on their own in about two hours,”explains Evgenia Ikonnikova.
The average cost of LED therapy is 1,500 rubles.
What can be combined with light therapy?
LED therapy can be a stand-alone procedure, a completion of others, or in combination with them. “Facial cleansing, comprehensive rejuvenation programs, laser technologies, injection techniques, care programs with special masks - all this works great in combination with light therapy,” says Natalya Frolova.
“After fractional thermolysis or chemical peelings, LED therapy removes redness and restores skin regeneration. It is also recommended for any injection techniques to relieve puffiness,”adds the head of the Lantan clinic.
How often can light therapy be given?
Optimally, a course of 8-10 procedures a couple of times a week. “Hardware techniques have a stimulating cumulative effect, so you need to tune in to the course right away,” explains Natalya Frolova.
How do you know that the lamps are new and will really produce results?
“For this there is a technical passport of the devices, where all the characteristics are spelled out. You can request this information from the administration of the center / clinic,”Natalya Frolova recommends.
“The minimum result from the procedure is visible immediately and increases throughout the course. If after the procedure it is not observed, then we can assume that the lamps in the apparatus are not new,”says Ilmira Petrova.
Are LED bulbs good for home use?
Experts are sure that devices with LED lamps are not powerful enough for use at home. “The wavelength in them is much lower than in professional devices. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve a significant effect from the procedure,”says Ilmira Petrova.
“The effectiveness of the method is directly related to the quality and quantity of lamp diodes, which means high-tech equipment. Therefore, I do not recommend them for home use,”warns a dermatologist at the“Golden Mandarin”health and beauty center.
What properties should a real lamp have?
“This lamp must be medically certified and have at least 1600 LEDs to be able to provide appropriate results for skin rejuvenation and healing. There is no effect from home lamps,”says Irina Shapiro.
