Just say NASA and everyone thinks it’s cutting edge technology. It must be because NASA takes something ordinary and makes it work in extraordinary conditions. One of the cool things NASA has been tinkering with may look like magic: Just flick a switch and red light is famed to cure anything from sore joints to spots and wrinkles. No chemicals, no surgery, no downtime. Sounds more like alchemy than science, don’t you think?
A little bit of background
Did you know how challenging space travel can be? Everything that’s normal and easy on earth suddenly becomes an enormous hurdle. Just take a small injury like a paper cut. No problem on earth. After this little ouchie, it’s healed in a few days. In space, it may still not be fully healed even when your mission has ended and you’re back on earth.
Everything has a hard time growing. So, NASA was originally studying ways to help plants grow in space and of course help wounds in astronauts to heal. It found that intense red light stimulated plant cells to grow.
Red light therapy has many different names
- Low-level laser light therapy
- Low-power laser therapy
- Non-thermal LED light
- Cold last therapy
- Photobiomodulation
It wasn’t the first time red light was researched. The “godfather” of phototherapy is attributed to the Hungarian scientist Endre Mester. He used red light therapy in 1967 while he studied how cancer cell act to radiation exposure. Nowadays it’s widely accepted as a medical treatment but more a fringe practice in wellness spas or gyms. Although it’s becoming more and more popular.
What is it
With red light therapy, you expose your skin to a device that emits red light. While we all know ultraviolet (UV) rays are harmful, the decides usually take the form of a face mask, light panel, or wand built with tiny LED bulbs. The lights that the LEDs emit are not in the UV wavelengths but in long low-energy wavelengths. Red light has the longest wavelength of visible light on the visible light spectrum.
How does it work
The device shines low-energy light onto your skin where it’s absorbed by your cells. Don’t worry, this process isn’t painful and can’t be felt because it doesn’t produce any heat. It’s not the same type of light used in tanning booths.
The red light reaches a depth of about 8 to 10 in your skin where it’s thought to activate the power banks of your cell, the mitochondria. It allows them to make more energy. With more energy, other cells can do their work more efficiently. They can repair themselves, boost new cell growth, and become healthier.
Another way that scientists think RLT works is that the light puts a temporary stress on the cells. It’s like when you do sports and that puts stress on your muscles. The temporary stress triggers an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant answer in the cells. It also boosts protein production and makes enzymes work (harder). Or in layman’s terms, makes them stronger and healthier.
For your skin
The use of RLT in skin care is growing in popularity since it noticeably improves the health and appearance of the skin. Being exposed to red light triggers a chain reaction in your skin. It prompts blood flow and reduces inflammation, pigmentation, and redness. It also stimulates cell repair as well as collagen and elastin production because it activates the cells known as fibroblasts. It may help reduce oxidative stress and lower inflammation reactions within the cells.
Research has shown that red light therapy can
- Improve texture
- Reduce pore size, wrinkles, and sun spots
- Improve elastin and collagen formation
- Improve sun-damaged skin
- Speed up wound healing (good for scars)
- Clear up spots (but not on its own)
- Reduce the appearance of stretch marks
Technically, this is not really a skin concern, but RLT can reverse hair loss and stimulate hair follicle growth. It’s the same basics as wound healing.
Similar treatments
The red light can go into your skin at about 8-10 mm depth, while blue light, the other main type of light therapy has a shorter wavelength and doesn’t go as deep. The blue light reduces acne count on your skin. Although it doesn’t go as deep as the red light, it activates a special chemical on your skin. This chemical, porphyrins destroys the bacteria that triggers zits to bloom. When combined with red light, it’s proven to zap zits.
Is it safe
Until now, RLT therapy seems to be saved and no side effects have been recorded. It exposes your skin to levels of light that aren’t harmful. That’s why it’s considered safe even if researchers aren’t quite sure how and why it works. They also have not nailed the precise dose yet. The same applies to blue light therapy.
It’s a nontoxic and noninvasive way to address your skin concerns as long as it’s used as directed. Of course, you also need to protect your eyes.
Beauty sleep
A perfect side effect is that RLT can help you fall asleep faster and better. Blame the constant presence of all kinds of screens in our lives. Computer and mobile devices’ screens emit blue light which makes our body think it’s day and so makes less melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy.
Using an RLT device in the evening can induce your body to reset its natural circadian rhythm and release melatonin. RLT with the soothing tones of the sunset makes your body think it’s time to rest.
Having a good night’s sleep is key to having beautiful skin. It’s the time your skin kicks into repair mode.
Bottom line
RLT is not magic or alchemy. It’s already used in medicine for different purposes. The science behind its skin care effects is promising and more research is needed although anecdotes paint a rosy picture: It can help reduce
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Dark spots
- Stretch marks
- Inflammation and spots
- Scars
Results are different for each person and after one session you may not see a difference. It’s best to use it consistently and you may see results in 10 to 12 weeks. You may want to make a series of before and after photos to document your progress: Take photos in the same position with the same lightning regularly and you’ll see your improvement over time.
RLT doesn’t require chemicals, is nontoxic and noninvasive. When it comes to wrinkles, your alternative is to use retinoids. These increase skin cell turnover and boost collagen formation.
Certain foods may also help or prevent inflammation and spots.
