You may have heard about it: the skin treatment called ‘red light therapy’. In 1800 it was mainly used to treat tuberculosis, but today red light therapy is a method that is widely used to reduce (skin) conditions such as acne, muscle pain and cellulite. We explain to you what RLT is and whether it is really as beautiful as it sounds.
Also read: Suffering from maskne? This is what you do about it
What is red light therapy?
Red light therapy delivers safe and concentrated wavelengths of natural light into your skin, which is absorbed by your skin cells. This has several advantages: it stimulates the production of collagen, elastin and fibroblasts, as it were. And that’s not all: RLT also stimulates circulation, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to your cells and tissues. Other benefits of red light therapy include that it makes your skin look younger, scars can become less visible and your muscles can be repaired.
This is due to the two wavelengths, one of 660 nanometers and one of 850 nanometers. These two wavelengths also provide the best results. The first wavelength of 660 nanometers is best for cosmetic treatments, and the other wave is best for more deep-seated conditions, such as muscle pain and joint pain.
You can have your skin treated with RLT by a dermatologist, but you can also treat your skin at home with certain red light therapy devices, if you consult with a dermatologist in advance.
Disadvantages of red light therapy
There are few disadvantages to RLT, but it is certainly not a treatment that only contains advantages. For example, having a defective device or too much exposure to infrared light is very bad for your skin: it can even cause burns and blisters. It is also not useful to use red light therapy at home if you are easily bothered by bright light.
Research
A lot of research is still being done into the treatment, but the results that RLT can provide already sound promising. Because it has not yet been fully investigated whether it really works and whether the above disadvantages are the only disadvantages, it is recommended to visit a dermatologist if you have questions about RLT. These people will help you best and you can be sure that you will receive good treatment.
