A little light relief.
Madonna recently posted an image on Instagram bathing her face in a comforting blue light.
I stared at the picture, daydreaming about what it would be like to have my very own blue light device. I imagined Madge strolling down to a purpose-built wing of her home where all manner of equipment for beautification and anti-ageing would be at her fingertips.
I don’t know if this is true, but if I were Madonna and had the financial means to do so, I’d have my very own blue light without a moment of hesitation.
What was Madonna doing?
Bathing in LED light. LED is an acronym for Light Emitting Diodes, which has presented many uses to us for the last twenty years or more, from the reduction in pain to accelerate the benefits of some cancer treatments.
But in the world of beauty? LED stands for better, far healthier skin.
NASA – The mother of invention?
We can thank NASA for many things, velcro, John Robinson. Oh no wait, was that Lost in Space? When NASA needs some space thingy, they invent it and then it ends up being utilised for some a human thingy.
And so this happened. The LED light was born, initially as a replacement for natural light to stimulate the plant growth photosynthesis. Cool, right? After much discussion and further research, it was discovered that LED light was beneficial in providing targeted treatments for inoperable skin cancers and brain tumours. Even cooler. Love NASA.
Finally, the discovery and the link between LED light and the acceleration of wound healing. Wound healing = Collagen Synthesis. For you and me, that means activation of collagen in the skin that breaks down as we age or with overexposure to UV Rays. Now you’re talkin’ NASA!!
If you’ve been following, you know, we lose a lot of collagen as we age and even more if we spend too much time in the sun, collagen becomes brittle, leading to the premature wrinkling of the skin. You don’t want that. You do want LED.
The first time I went under the spell of the light, the urge to push the machine away and run out of the room was hard to overcome. I’ve never really thought of myself as claustrophobic, and despite the fact, there is no pain nor is there any heat, it feels uncomfortably oppressive.
Why? The light. It’s all-consuming, and despite the goggles, you’ll wear during the 20-minute treatment, the light is still visible, no matter how tightly you close your eyes.
But take a deep breath, calm yourself down, take a few moments, and unexpectedly and strangely, it does become a very relaxing experience. AI It’s a good idea to lie there for a few more moments to allow yourself time to re-engage with normal light and your surroundings.
But how does LED Light Therapy work?
LED works with the body’s natural processes to counteract the effects and signs of ageing
But what does that mean?
Well, LED light works with what you’ve already got, fibroblast cells which stimulate wound healing and collagen production.
LED light stimulates this function to keep your skin behaving as it should or as it did ten years ago. Great! Right?
Blue light versus Red light.
If you decide to have an LED facial treatment, you have options, depending on your skin’s needs and what you want to treat.
Blue light is for the treatment of acne.
A red light will stimulate collagen and reduce wrinkles.
Then there’s infrared light. Which will give you, more collagen stimulus and promotes wound healing, this is especially useful when combined with blue light to minimise inflammation caused by acne.
Should you go to the light?
Yes, and for these reasons.
Better skin health.
Eliminate the bacteria that causes acne.
Minimise inflammation of any kind. Yes, LED is comforting to the irritated skin.
Reduce the bluish scarring caused by acne.
Stimulate more collagen to keep your skin flexible and wrinkle-free.
If you want well-functioning skin year after year, and avoid disharmony and dysfunctions that cause skin conditions like hyperpigmentation, then it’s a big fat YES!
How much will it cost you?
The average price for 20 minutes of LED light is around $90-100AUD. However, in most cases (and I highly recommend this), it’s combined with other treatments, like a chemical peel and a topically applied nutritional supplement for antioxidant therapy. In which case, you can expect to spend from $150 up to $350 depending on the treatment.
Sounds good? Go forth into the light. Enjoy.
See you next time,
