Light therapy, also called phototherapy, is a beneficial health treatment option. There are multiple different colored light therapy options that all have different benefits. The color of light that we see correlates to the type of wavelength of the light. This is why different colored lights will produce different benefits. In general phototherapy is used to treat conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, itch, newborn jaundice, vitiligo, mycosis fungoides, and morphea. Light therapy can be done at a dermatologist’s office or at home using products including light boxes, light face masks, light wands, and light visors.
Blue Light Therapy
Blue light seems to have a negative connotation now with blue light blocker glasses becoming popular to block the blue light from our phones, televisions, and computers. It is true that blue light can impair our sleep if we are looking at it too close to bedtime but it does have benefits as well. Blue light affects the uppermost layer of the skin.
Benefits
● Treat Jaundice
● Treat sun damage
● Treat Non-melanoma skin cancer
● Reduce skin cancer risk
● Improve acne
Blue light therapy can be used to treat jaundice, sun damage, and non-melanoma skin cancer, and reduce skin cancer risk. It can also improve acne by killing acne causing bacteria such as p. Acnes.
Side effects
● Redness
● Dryness
● Irritation
● Peeling
● Sun sensitivity
Blue light therapy can cause redness, dryness, irritation, and peeling. It also makes the skin more sensitive for 2-3 days after treatment so you should reduce sun exposure and wear sunscreen.
Red Light Therapy
Laser lights are a form of red light. Although lasers may seem intimidating, red light has many benefits. The red light travels further into your skin and therefore can have more than just surface level benefits. Yellow light is also very similar to red light.
Benefits
● Stimulate collagen production
● Treat wrinkles
● Reduce redness
● Treat acne
● Reduce scars
● Improve circulation
● Reduce inflammation
● Improve wound healing
● Improve sun damage
● Improve hair growth
● Improve psoriasis
● Improve rosacea
● Improve eczema
Majority of people who try red light therapy experience benefits after 6-8 treatments but it can take as long as 25 treatments for benefits to occur.
Side effects
Red light can damage the eyes if they are not protected.
Green Light Therapy
Green light therapy is a much less popular light therapy then red and blue light but it still has good benefits. Green light Penetrates further past the epidermis and reaches the papillary dermis.
Benefits
● Reduce chronic pain
● Used for fibromyalgia
● Accelerate wound healing
● Relieve migraines
● Boosts mood
● Improve sleep
● Support skin healing
● Reduce skin irritation
● Has a calming effect
No side effects have been found.
White light therapy
White light therapy, also called bright light therapy, is used to simulate the sun. There is no specific wavelength for white light since it is a combination of all colors and therefore it can vary in how deeply it penetrates the tissue.There are products called sun lamps that can be used for this. Recommended usage is to have a 10,000 lux bulb sun lamp placed 2-3 feet away from you for 30 minutes in the morning.
Do not look directly at the sun lamp. Majority of people using sunlamps see benefits in the first 2-4 days.
Benefits
● Improve mood
● Decrease depression
● Improve sleep
Side effects
● Headache
● Nausea
● Eye strain
Avoid using sunlamps if you have macular degeneration, connective tissue damage, skin cancer, diabetes, or lupus.
Light therapies can be combined for added benefits. Such as combining blue and green for cyan or red and blue for purple.