Frequently Asked Questions: LED Light therapy
What is LED light therapy?
LED light therapy is a type of treatment that utilizes specific wavelengths to stimulate cellular metabolism by triggering intracellular photo-biochemical reactions to heal tissues and promote homeostasis.
LED light therapy is also commonly referred to as low-level light therapy (LLLT), phototherapy, photobiostimulation, photobiomodulation, cold laser therapy, soft laser therapy, and red-light therapy.
How does it work?
In simple terms, LED light therapy supplies compromised cells with added energy to enhance cellular performance, ultimately boosting overall cellular and body health. High-intensity LEDs, or light emitting diodes, discharge certain wavelengths of light to trigger a biostimulatory effect in human tissue. The cells within those tissues absorb the particles of light (photons) and transform their energy into adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. With the increase of ATP, DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes, and other products needed to repair or regenerate the cell are synthesized and our metabolic mechanisms are powered, ushering the cells and surrounding tissues into a homeostatic state.
What wavelengths are used?
Blue, red, and near-infrared are the wavelengths utilized in Celluma devices. Humans are able to see blue and red wavelengths as blue and red light, respectively, but near-infrared is invisible to the human eye.
Blue wavelengths are between 400-495 nanometers (nm), red wavelengths are between 630-700 nm, and near-infrared wavelengths are between 700-1,000 nm. With optimal measurements procured from extensive clinical research, Celluma devices offer their specific wavelengths at:
-Blue (465 nm) - generally used to treat acne
-Red (640 nm) and near-infrared (880nm) - generally used to reduce inflammation, promote microcirculation, usher in oxygen and nutrients to surrounding tissues, promote wound healing, and boost collagen & elastin production
Blue wavelengths penetrate the epidermis (outermost layer of skin) whereas near-infrared wavelengths penetrate past the epidermis, and dermis (middle layer of skin), going deep to the subcutaneous layer (innermost part of skin). To put this into perspective: near-infrared wavelengths can go as deep as 25 mm into the body, which is why they are used therapeutically to reduce pain, promote wound healing, induce muscle recovery, and rejuvenate skin.
Research has shown these wavelengths to:
-stimulate cellular metabolism
-increase ATP
-promote intracellular signal transduction
-modulate reactive oxidative species
-promote microcirculation
-activate fibroblast growth factors - increasing type 1 procollagen
-extend the remission intervals with recurrent herpes simplex infections from 30 to 73 days
-manage autoimmune skin conditions such as acne vulgaris, rosacea, psoriasis
-reduce sebum proliferation
-reduce erythema in tissue trauma
-stimulation of interleukin IL6 and synthesis of elastin
What about other wavelengths?
It is worth knowing that there are other wavelengths such as violet (400-450 nm), green (495-570 nm), yellow (570-590 nm), orange (590-620 nm), amber (approximately 590 nm), mid-infrared, and far-infrared. So why not use them? The answer lies in length of the waveform which directly impacts its penetrability into the target cells. If the wavelength is too short or too long, it will not reach the target cells, thus - no therapeutic effect.
Green wavelengths have been found to be too short to reach dermal chromophores - the molecules that absorb light energy. Yellow wavelengths are anywhere between 570-590 nm, and have been shown to decrease redness, swelling, and aging of skin, but there is little scientifically significant evidence to support their sole use.
Mid (1,400 nm-3,000 nm) and far-infrared (3,000 nm-0.1 mm) wavelengths are longer, and are not able to be absorbed by the cells. They are, however, utilized in heating lamps and saunas because of their ability to emit thermal energy.
Is it safe?
LED light therapy treatments are painless, non-invasive, can be used safely on all skin types, and require no recovery time. The devices we use at Energy Acupuncture and Wellness LLC are classified as Class II medical devices and are FDA cleared to treat:
-full face wrinkles
-inflammatory acne vulgaris
-diminished local blood circulation
-muscle and joint stiffness
-muscle tissue tension
-muscle and joint pain
-muscle spasm
-arthritic pain
-cleared for OTC use
Celluma is also CE Marked in the European Union (EU) as a Class IIa medical device for wound healing and was the first device of its kind to achieve such status.
Cautions:
-these devices have not been cleared for children under 12 years old
-confer with your doctor if you are taking photosensitive pharmaceuticals, have a history of epilepsy or migraines, are pregnant, or have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or pacemaker
How did light therapy originate?
From the beginning of time, the sun has been a source of light for the world. From ancient worship to sun gazing and heliotherapy, to modern-day research, the sunlight has always drawn people to its healing powers for physical, spiritual, and psychological ailments. It's led scientists and other curious minds to wonder - what is light doing for us, and how?
The study of modern phototherapy, has its roots dating back to the early 1900s. In 1903, a Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology was awarded to a Danish-Faroese-Icelandic physician, Niels Ryberg Finsen, for his work on the physiologic and therapeutic effects of light treatment in patients with tuberculosis, lupus vulgaris from artificial light sources. By the 1920s and 30s, according to the National Library of Medicine from the NIH (National Institute of Health), Europe and the United States were producing 'sun lamps' that cast ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths - the genesis of modern-day tanning booths. Here in the US in the early 1940s, a haemoirradiation machine was developed by Emmitt Knott to irradiate 50+/-100cc of blood with ultra-violet light, which was shown to dramatically improve the symptoms of herpes simplex, puerperal sepsis, polio, peritonitis, and encephalitis with a 50-80% success rate. Research shows, however, that overexposure to UV wavelengths is damaging, ultimately showing that the original idea has progressed, while nevertheless retaining the intrinsic design to use light to treat physical and psychological ailments.
Fast forward to the 1980s: the term Seasonal Affective Disorder was coined, and light therapy was being employed as a healing modality, while at the same time NASA began conducting research on red and blue light therapies after discovering that those two wavelengths were the most efficient wavelengths for driving photosynthesis in plants. Additionally, the NASA scientists who had spent many of their hours working with their hands under the lights, found that their hand abrasions healed faster than normal.
Today, much research is being done to evaluate the efficacy of phototherapy and propel us into greater understanding of the effects of light on our bodies and minds.
What about hair?
Light therapy offers a non-invasive treatment for loss of hair by stimulating the hair follicles to promote regrowth. Red light therapy has been shown to boost the biochemical processes in the scalp, and hair follicles resulting in the extension of the Anagen phase (growth phase of the hair cycle), reduction of inflammation, vasodilation via nitric oxide, and ultimately increased blood flow and nutrient delivery to the scalp and hair follicles. Light therapy has strong evidence to support the regrowth of hair for those with androgenetic alopecia and chemotherapy-induced alopecia, as well as aging.
How often should I do light therapy to see results?
For best results, 2-3 times per week is recommended, but more is beneficial too. The healing effects are cumulative, so longevity is helpful to both achieve and maintain results.
Sources
https://circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov/2016/12/20/dont-be-sad-a-very-brief-history-of-light-therapy/
https://www.celluma.com/blogs/blog/nasa-and-red-light-therapy?_pos=1&_sid=4ca3f9e86&_ss=r
https://spinoff.nasa.gov/NASA-Research-Illuminates-Medical-Uses-of-Light
https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/healing-power-sun-history-phototherapy/
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/history-of-light-therapy-1900-1950/