If there’s a golden rule in skin care, it’s to mind your sun exposure. It’s no joke that 80% of the signs of skin aging come from UV damage– so when you see people placing those trendy, light-up masks on their face, you may raise a brow. Seems like a recipe for sagging skin, no?
Actually, what you’re seeing is LED light technology, and LED lights do not contain any UV rays. In fact, many estheticians incorporate these hi-tech tools into facials to help smooth fine lines, fade hyperpigmentation, and also combat acne. How so, you ask? Here, we tapped the experts for everything you need to know about LED light therapy facials, whether you opt for a professional or at-home treatment.
What is an LED Light Therapy Facial?
Several kinds of facials will also include a few minutes of LED light therapy, as the technology works in tandem with other treatments and can even improve certain results. However, you can opt for a specific LED light therapy facial– here, you’ll likely spend a lot more time under those lights.
A professional might integrate LED light therapy at any time during a facial; usually, though, they’ll use it after cleansing and exfoliating the skin, so the LED can penetrate deeper into the dermis. After the therapy, they’ll end with serums and moisturizer.
LED Benefits for Skin
How, specifically, LED light therapy benefits the skin is still not fully understood, but professionals have seen great success for a variety of skin concerns, such as acne, sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and lines.
Additionally, different colored lights may have different targeted results. The most common colors you’ll see are red, blue, green, and yellow (or amber), and they represent various wavelengths that enter into the skin at different depths– which means they can help treat various skin problems:
Red: Red light therapy is great for stimulating collagen production. One study found that individuals receiving red light therapy on their face two times a week for 30 whole sessions experienced improved skin complexion, skin tone, skin smoothness, and collagen density (as measured with an ultrasonographic test).
Blue: Blue light affects the epidermis, which is your uppermost layer, and kills acne-causing bacteria/controls sebum regulation, and soothes the skin.
Yellow: Yellow (or amber) is known for rejuvenating skin cells, promoting lymphocyte production, and targeting pigmentation. That makes it A+ for addressing signs of photodamage.
Green: Similar to yellow, green LED light is also hailed for reducing hyperpigmentation. Green light also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help calm redness.
Professional vs. At-home Treatments
OK, so we’re talking about professional LED light therapy treatments here, but we can’t ignore the onslaught of at-home, hi-tech devices that promise to provide the same, glowing results. Do these hold any weight?
Much like any other professional versus at-home tool, a professional LED therapy treatment has a stronger wavelength of light and also has more LED coverage, meaning it has the ability to target your entire face, neck, and chest. At-home LED tools are great for use in between services, but you can only treat certain areas at a time, depending on the device.
The wavelength is usually a lot more powerful on a professional tool– that’s why you’ll likely wear a pair of very stylish eye goggles to shield your eyes. With at-home devices the light source may not reach the proper wavelength, which is essential in LED light therapy treatment to be as effective.
Technically, you can find a high-quality handheld device, but it’s important to do your research. As you can probably tell, these tools can get rather expensive, so you might want to opt for a professional treatment first and be sure you love the results before you spend lavishly.
If you do use an at-home tool, make sure to follow the directions really carefully.
The Takeaway
LED light therapy 120v 240v adapter is a common addition to various types of facial services because the technology works rather well alongside a host of services. Depending on the color and wavelength, the benefits abound– think improved skin texture, less fine lines, and bright, rejuvenated skin. Furthermore, LED technology might have full-body benefits as well.
