When considering home remedies for acne light treatments may not be something that comes to mind immediately, however it has been known for years that exposure to sun could diminish signs of acne, but it could also cause serious damage to the skin. This is why various research projects were conducted to figure out which parts of the spectrum really helped in destroying the Propionibacterium acnes or P.acnes, the bacteria that causes acne, making this home remedy very useful to Prevent Acne.
It was found that violet light rather than ultraviolet light could kill these bacteria without harming the surface of the skin. It is as a result of this research that various light-based treatments were developed that are specifically intended to treat skin problems like Acne.
The different light treatment’s for acne reach the deeper layers of the skin without harming the dermis. They target the bacteria that cause pimples and inflammation. Light treatments are known to be very effective in improving the skin texture and also reducing the scars & blemishes. Dermatologists currently recommend these procedures to people who don’t respond to other acne medications or who suffer from severe cases of acne.
Here’s a list of popular Light treatments, used to treat acne;
Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a medical treatment that involves application of a photosensitizing drug and a light source to activate the drug. This method is widely used for treating cancerous cells, and is now also being used as a light therapy for Acne.
PDT is a non-invasive, light-based treatment that basically involves three steps –
1) Application of a photosensitizer such as 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), that makes the skin more susceptible to light.
2) Incubation Period of either a few minutes or few days, to let the drug set in the skin
3) Light Activation that involves using light of a specific wavelength to target affected skin tissues
Photodynamic Therapy is found to be very effective in treating various skin problems such as acne, skin cancer, sun damage, wrinkles, oily skin, enlarged sebaceous glands and so on.
Blue Light Therapy
Blue light treatment is extremely effective in treating mild to moderate cases of Acne. The procedure involves targeting blue light on acne affected areas, which destroys P.acnes, the bacteria responsible for acne and pimples.
Blue light also controls future acne breakouts and normalizes the shedding of dead skin cells within a follicle. The equipment used for blue light treatment, projects a spectrum of blue light which is transmitted to a small and transparent hand piece, placed gently on the affected areas. This is a very readily available home light therapy treatment.
High intensity, narrow-band Blue Light can treat skin conditions like dark circles under the eyes by increasing the elastin protein in the skin. It also helps in improving the skin’s overall texture and diminishing scars and blemishes, it is probably the most widely used light therapy for acne.
Red Light Therapy
Red LED Pulse Light treatment is known for its excellent anti-aging effect and is a non-surgical solution for virtually all skin problems including Acne. It has anti-inflammatory properties that work well in eliminating injured skin tissues, pigmentation, Acne and acne scars.
Red light also promotes collagen production which offers additional protection to skin tissues that have become weak due to environmental pollution and skin infections.
The light can needs to be around 660nm and can come from any source including fluorescent tubes, LEDs, or a monochromatic filtered bulb. The results might vary depending upon the severity of acne, but it is a completely safe procedure with no side-effects and minimal discomfort.
Combination Light Therapy
As the name suggests, this involves using both red and blue light treatments for treating your Acne and pimples. Both these lights penetrate deep into the skin, without causing any harm to the surface of the skin. A lot of patients suffering from severe forms of acne, benefit greatly by the Combination Light Therapy.
While blue light targets the bacteria causing acne and inflammation, red light promotes healing and controls oil secretion. This offers a complete solution for Acne and acne scars.
Intense Pulsed Light Treatment
Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a non-surgical procedure that involves producing a light of high intensity during a very short period of time. IPL offers a wide array of benefits from painless hair removal to the treatment of acne and to the reducing hyper pigmentation to diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. It can in some cases provide permanent relief from acne.
Light-based treatments are undoubtedly very good home remedies for acne not only are they safe but also very effective. When used in combination with other home remedies for acne you will achieve results in reducing breakouts, and scarring.
