In this month’s article, I’m going to briefly touch on the risks associated with sunlight, before delving into the world of LED light therapy, which can help to correct some of the damage and ageing caused by the sun.

Sunlight

Most people are very aware that even being exposed to the sun’s rays for relatively short periods can cause damage to the skin, and in some cases this can increase the risk of skin cancer. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I always advocate using UVA/UVB sun screen all year round, but especially during the summer months when the sun is at its strongest.

LED light therapy

In 1903, scientist Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine for the use of light therapy, once known as phototherapy. Fast forward to the 1980s when the field expanded, and more clinics and medical science industries conducted studies with the use of red light therapy and infrared light therapy, discovering not only healing benefits, but improvements in superficial cosmetic conditions as well.

In the 1990s, many professional sports teams and athletes found LED light therapy could be used to aid sports injuries; therapists noted a recovery time of 50 times faster than without therapy.

Progress and improvement are ongoing. Now in 2024 we are fortunate to be able to take advantage of this technology in our own homes with LED light therapy products, saving us costly appointments at specialist locations.

Benefits

Purported benefits include an increase in the amount of collagen in the skin, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Light therapy has also been shown to help improve conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, rosacea, scarring and sun damage.

Different colour lights

Some products include several different lights, which offer various solutions. Yellow light penetrates very deeply and triggers the lymphatic system, helping to remove toxins, and assist in wound healing and skin hydration. Blue light is used to help with bacteria and acne, whilst red light is the most popular for anti-ageing, improving blood flow and oxygen to the skin.

If you are light sensitive, it is better to shield your eyes and always do a small patch test first. If you invest in any of these products, I suggest you take a before photo so you can compare the results.

Endorsements

I would need pages to list all the celebrities who use light therapy. A few years ago, both Kim Kardashian and Jessica Alba opened up about using this type of therapy, and they were both honest enough to share pictures of their results. Naturally, this created huge interest and the at-home market took off.

The market is now saturated with products offering light therapy for the face, neck, one to improve eyebrow growth, and even caps to improve hair growth. This technology understandably does not come cheap, so you get what you pay for. Several brands include CurrentBody, Cleopatra, Lux Therapy, and Opatra.

If you do decide to invest, be prepared to use the product regularly and always follow the directions carefully.