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Get the Real Facts on Red Light Therapy Plus Over 20 Benefits
Red light therapy, also known as LED light therapy, phototherapy, photo rejuvenation, and photo facial, is rapidly rising in popularity around the world! You will find this healing technology on the menu of exclusive spas, resorts, skin care clinics, celebrity facialists, doctor’s offices, and high-end salons. Even tanning salons are jumping on the bandwagon and offering red light therapy as a means to repair skin that has been damaged by tanning.
The beauty of this technology is not only in the fact that it significantly improves the skin, ease pain, and heals, but also that it does all of this without any downtime, pain, irritation, or risk. And thanks to its elegant simplicity and safety, it can be used in your own with professional results (and no training required!)
Seem too good to be true? How could sitting in front of some seemingly common place lights have any impact on your skin? Consider this; whether you yourself happens to frequent a tanning salon or someone you know does, the fact remains that specific lights have an undeniable and profound effect on the skin. The proof is in the fact that those who use tanning beds visibly alter the appearance of their skin by sitting under light.
Red light therapy utilizes specific healing and reparative wavelengths, minus the damaging UV (ultra violet) rays, to repair, heal, and improve skin and health. These wavelengths, ranging from yellow to red to infrared have been proven to penetrate through the many layers of the skin sparking a wide variety of benefits at a cellular level.
The Facts About Red Light Therapy
- The higher the nanometer range (a way to measure wavelengths) the deeper the penetration
- Skin cells may grow 150-200% faster when exposed to specific LED (light emitting diode) wavelengths
- Red light therapy stimulates the production of collagen and elastin
- Prompts cellular renewal
- Increases circulation (vascularity)
- Increases the formation of new capillaries, replacing damaged ones – New capillaries accelerate the healing process by carrying more oxygen and nutrients to the treated area and help to carry waste products away
- Increases lymphatic system activity – research has shown that the lymph vessel diameter and the flow of the lymph system can be doubled with the use of light therapy
- Stimulates the release of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) – ATP is the primary carrier of energy to all cells. An increase in ATP helps cells receive nutrients faster and discard waste products faster by increasing the amount of energy within the cell.
- Increases RNA and DNA synthesis which helps to replace damaged cells more rapidly
- Stimulates fibroblast activity which in turn aids in the repair process – fibroblasts are present in the connective tissue and are proficient in forming healthy collagen fibers
- Increases Phagocytosis – this is the process of scavenging for and ingesting dead, damaged, or degenerated cells helping to cleanse and purify the body
- Stimulates endorphins helping to encourage pain relief
- Blocks pain transmitting chemicals creating a drug-free analgesia (painkiller)
- Increases range of motion
- Repairs damaged tissue
- Originally developed for NASA space shuttle plant growth experiments and then found to speed up healing in outer space when astronauts incurred injuries and/or pain related issues
- Used by the U.S. Navy to treat chronic and acute pain as well as injuries
The Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Skin
- Minimizes fine lines and wrinkles
- Reduces crow’s feet
- Speeds up the healing of pimples and blemishes
- Evens out skin tone
- Helps restore the skin’s natural cellular collagen activity
- Repairs sun-damaged skin
- When used correctly, improves skin moisture and retention
- Lessens skin coarseness
- Reduces the appearance of pore size
- Smooths texture
- Reduces skin degradation
- Diminishes redness, flushing, dilated capillaries
- Fades age spots (liver spots) and scarring
- Helps ease the signs of Rosacea and Eczema
- Improves the firmness and elasticity of the skin
The Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Pain Relief
- Drug-free
- Increases endorphin production (a “feel-good” chemical)
- Blocks pain transmitting chemicals
- Accelerates healing
- Increases blood flow and oxygenation
- Helps with the management of sports and muscle injuries, as well as pain
The combination of red LEDs at 660 nanometers and infrared LEDs at 880 nanometers has been shown to help with the following conditions:
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Bone spurs bone
- Bone fractures
- Inflammation
- Nerve injuries
- Bone chips
- Leg pain carpal tunnel syndrome
- Wrist pain
- Shoulder pain
- Back pain
- Tight muscles
- Arthritis
- Tendon problems
- TMJ (jaw pain)
- Bruising
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bursitis
- Neuralgia
- Ligament and cartilage tears
- Deep muscle pain
It’s a very well researched technology that doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. The number of uses is truly astounding and only seems to grow.
When shopping for a home system look for a unit that is FDA cleared, is high quality, discloses nanometer ranges of all LEDs used, and comes with at LEAST a 1 year warranty. Click here to see my top recommended systems for home use.
An important side note: This isn’t an instant fix, you will need to take your treatments seriously. Be consistent, diligent, and patient and your actions will be greatly rewarded. Doing treatments every once in a while or just when the whim hits you won’t yield results. Regular and consistent treatments are vital if you expect to see changes. Making it a part of your lifestyle will help you look and feel younger and more vibrant.
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