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 was Madonna and had the financial means to do so, I’d without a moment of hesitation, have my very own blue light.
What was Maddona doing?
Bathing in LED light. LED is an acronym for Light Emitting Diodes, which for the last twenty years or more has presented many uses to us, from the reduction in pain to accelerating the benefits of some cancer treatments.
But in the world of beauty? LED stands for better, far healthier skin.
NASA – The real mother of invention.
We can thank NASA for many things, velcro, John Robinson. Oh no wait, that was Lost in Space. Anyway, when they need some kind of space thingy, they invent it and then we use it for some kind of human thingy.
And so this happened. LED light was born, initially as a replacement for natural light to stimulate the photosynthesis needed for plant growth. Cool, right? After much discussion and further research, it was eventually discovered that LED light was very useful providing targeted treatments for inoperable skin cancers and brain tumours. Even cooler. Love NASA.
Finally, the discovery and link were made on the effect of LED light and the acceleration of wound healing. Wound healing = Collagen Synthesis. For you and me that means a stimulation of collagen in the skin. Now you’re talkin’ Nasa!!
Now, if you’ve been following you know, we lose a whole lot of collagen as we age and even more if we spend too much time in the sun. Any remaining collagen becomes brittle and leads to wrinkles. We don’t want that. We 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 absolutely no pain nor is there any heat, it feels uncomfortably oppressive.
Why? It’s the light. It’s all consuming and despite the goggles you’re given to 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, fskis few moments, unexpectedly and strangely, it does become a very relaxing experience. After 20 minutes of intense light, you’re done. 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 it 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.
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?
If you want skin that just looks, well, better, healthier and more luminous.
If you want to stimulate the normal healthy functions of the skin.
Eliminate the bacteria that causes acne.
Minimise inflammation of any kind.
Reduce the bluish scarring caused by acne.
Stimulate more collagen to keep your skin flexible and wrinkle-free.
And, if you want brilliantly well-functioning skin year after year, and avoid disharmony and dysfunctions 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 will be coupled with other treatments, like a chemical peel and a topically applied nutritional supplement for antioxidant therapy. In which case, you can expect to spend around $250 – $300 per treatment.
Sounds good? Go forth into the light. Enjoy.
And now you?
Are you a regular to LED light therapy treatments? What’s your experience been? Leave a comment below or if you liked this article why not share it with your friends.
But how does it work?