Introduction
Light therapy is increasingly being used in medicine to treat a range of conditions. Studies have long shown the beneficial impact of early morning sunlight exposure and it is not surprise that humans, like most mammals, benefit from a degree of natural sunlight exposure. Red lights are used for hair growth, collagen enhancement and wound repair. Blue lights have been used for decontamination and acne. Lasers involve higher levels of energy to disrupt cell layers, often to cause regrowth of a new layer of even skin on the face for rejuvenation. Each light therapy is different as it is targeted to treat a specific condition.
Introduction to Lasers and Light Therapy
Lasers and light therapy work by targeting a tissue in the skin to heat up and then cool down and thus stimulate its destruction and repair. This is called ‘targeted thermolysis’. Light will be absorbed by different ‘targets’ based on its shape, size and composition thus making the use of targeted light therapy possible.
Some lasers are used to ‘ablate’ an entire layer of the skin and cause it to regenerate. This is often used by experienced plastic surgeons to create excellent facial rejuvenation. Other lasers are non-ablative and target a small quotient of skin tissues for similar, less pronounced, effect.
Fractional lasers do not treat the entire skin surface, to have a more modest effect on regeneration and other lasers and lights are used for various indications such as lasers focussed on vascular lesions, blood vessels etc.
What conditions are lasers and light therapy used for?
- Skin texture and resurfacing
- Minor pigmentation
- Blemishes
- uneven skin contour
- Melasma
- Rosacea
What are the risks of laser therapy?
- Side effects of laser and light therapy include
- Temporary heat
- Swelling
- Pain
- Redness
Risks of the treatment include
- Trauma to the skin if too high a setting is used
- Failure to produce the wanted treatment results
- Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation: dark spots arising from areas of tissue trauma
Final Note
Laser and light therapy are not for everybody. If too much light is used, then sunburn can occur and this can lead to issues such as skin aging or even pigment spots in people with darker skin types who are prone. Those with darker skin types should be very careful having laser; special pigment appropriate lasers are the best choice for those with darker skin types.
Medical grade lasers should never be used unless by an experience clinician.
Simple red light therapy three times per week for the face and scalp is generally safe however all other light and laser therapy is best done under experienced supervision.
