LED skin treatments based on NASA technology

Alternatives to facial surgery have emerged from ground breaking research using LED light to treat the side effects of cancer and other serious illnesses. Dr Spock would never have believed it

Leading on from initial work at NASA where LED’s were used to speed up plant growth – doctors have successfully treated some of the worst effects of chemotherapy just by shining high intensity light in varying colors on skin ulcerated by the harsh chemicals used to kill the cancer cells.

As an off shoot of the medical research LED equipment has been developed for use in skin clinics to treat a range of skin disorders like acne and rosacea and as a pain free alternative to facial surgery for skin rejuvenation.

Light Emitting Diodes – or LED’s – are familiar to us all. Just look at the digital display on your TV, microwave, washing machine or clock-radio. But not many of us would be aware that the same technology that tells us the time first thing in the morning or how hot our wash is can be used to help fight aging or disease.

In light therapy treatment – LED’s are used to apply concentrated doses of light to patients. LEDs are not lasers so tissue does not get hot, and the treatment is pain free.

“It represents a quantum leap in medicine….a change from the standard medical models of drugs and surgery, where you are basically either poisoning or cutting the patient.” Harry Whelan MD Professor of Neurology Medical College of Wisconsin

LED light works on human tissue at a cellular level – transferring energy deep into the cell structure of the skin to help the human body repair itself. Light can also speed up or slow down natural chemical processes in our cells.

When it comes to the effects of LED equipment – color matters. Different colors of light have different wavelengths and each has a different effect on human tissue. From the point of view of anyone interested in improving their skin – two colors of LED light are most important – blue or red.

“Light therapy…has revolutionized the treatment of skin” David Goldberg, MD Director Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists, New York

Red light helps wounds heal and can remove precancerous cells without scarring. But what many of us of a certain age will find fascinating is the capacity of red light for skin rejuvenation. Red light – especially in conjunction with the deeper penetrating near infrared light – promotes collagen formation and smooths wrinled skin.

“You’re not going to take somebody who is 60 and turn them into a 20 year old but it is very clear that you can take people’s skin and make them look younger and more vibrant.” Dr Goldberg

Blue light has an anti inflammatory effect and can kill bacteria making it an ideal and highly successful treatment for acne. Blue light boxes are also the most effective form of light therapy for treating the winter blues – seasonal affective disorder.

LED skin treatments are still in their earliest days – the original discoveries by NASA were comparatively recent and the science has moved on extremely quickly as more and more applications of benefit to human kind have been discovered.

What is for sure is that LED technology is a major new form of effective anti aging treatment and it is already available in a skin clinic near you. Even more exciting perhaps is the recent development of portable LED devices like Baby Quasar and PerriconeMD Light Renewal for at home skin rejuvenation.

It seems as far as anti aging goes – the choices for us all just get better and better!