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 reducing pain to accelerating 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, including velcro, John Robinson. Oh no, wait, was that Lost in Space? But I digress. When NASA needs some space thingy, they invent it and then it ends up being utilised for some human thingy.
And so this happened. The LED light was initially used to replace natural light to stimulate plant growth photosynthesis. Cool, right? After much discussion and further research, the discovery that LED light provided targeted treatments for inoperable skin cancers and brain tumours were made.
Finally, scientists linked LED light and accelerated 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!!
We lose collagen as we age, at least 1 – 2 per cent every year from around the age of twenty five, 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, and unexpectedly and strangely, it becomes a relaxing experience.
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’s already present in your skin. In this case, fibroblast cells stimulate wound healing and collagen synthesis.
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 gives 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 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,
