When you entrust your skincare and skin health to a Juvenate Regenerative Skin Therapist, you may find they make some recommendations that you hadn’t previously thought of.
Your Skin Therapist is well aware that LED has long been recognised as an efficient and versatile in clinic treatment, and also that an increasing array of benefits are still emerging.
Light, in general, is a frequently overlooked natural health tool, despite the fact that we all need it to survive and thrive. And with the average person spending about 93% of their time indoors, it’s a therapy many people can benefit from.
LED light (in particular, the most widely studied lights of Red and Near Infra Red) works by restoring the energy to your mitochondria. Mitochondria are often referred to as the “battery pack” of the cells and are responsible for ensuring cells can function and metabolise efficiently. One of the mitochondria’s surprising functions is to supply the majority of the body’s melatonin (much more than the pineal gland produces) When exposed to red and near-infrared light, receptors will absorb the light energy and increase the energy levels of the cells and the increase of melatonin, while melatonin is primarily thought of as a sleep hormone – it also functions as a strong antioxidant, minimising damage to the body from both internal and external stressors. Another welcome benefit of mitochondrial activation is the production of nitric oxide, which in turn improves blood flow. This is great for your entire body because good circulation ensures your tissues are getting a sufficient supply of oxygen, and nutrient rich blood. By enabling cells to operate at maximum productivity and boosting circulation, Red LED therapy has a unique restorative effect on your body.
- LED Boosts Collagen & Fights Multiple Signs of Aging
Red LED therapy is surprisingly potent when it comes to creating health, youthful-looking skin. It is a non-damaging, non-chemical way to combat wrinkles and rejuvenate skin.
One benefit of red LED is its ability to boost collagen production. Along with boosting collagen, red LED has been found to increase skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, AND improve skin roughness. It is important to note that these benefits take time and were seen after using red LED consistently for at least 4-6 weeks. However, the end result is still very impressive and came about with no adverse effects.
- LED Helps Combat Acne & Other Inflammatory Skin Issues
Inflammation plays a big role in acne and numerous other skin disorders. By calming both internal and external (skin) inflammation, Red LED can help with breakouts and may calm other inflammatory skin ailments, such as rosacea, excema and irritations as well.
The benefits of red light therapy for acne seem to increase even more with the addition of blue light, which has antibacterial effects specific to the c-acnes bacteria. Using the two together has proved to be very safe and effective for treating acne. One caveat is that blue light has been implicated in reported increased pigmentation post treatment in darker skin tones and these skins will need to be prepped with appropriate products.
- LED Promotes Wound Healing & May Fade Scars
According to one small study, the use of Red LED improved the healing of wounds when compared to a “sham device” group. Other studies have confirmed these results and suggest that Red LED therapy can be helpful for burns, skin grafts, and healing wounds.
Researchers have also discovered that Red LED therapy may be able to fade the appearance of scars, including those that form from acne and skin trauma. Red light appears to achieve scar reduction by down-regulating fibrotic (hardened, irregular) collagen, which accumulates and contributes to scar formation.
- LED Reduces Inflammation and Pain
One specific benefit of improved cellular energy and blood flow is reduced inflammation. As we know, inflammation isn’t always bad, but chronic, non resolved inflammation (increasingly referred to as Inflammaging) is implicated in many skin conditions. Multiple studies have demonstrated that utilising Red LED therapy is one way to naturally calm inflammation. It has shown an ability to reduce many different types of inflammation, including in the brain, lungs, spinal cord, and skin.
- The even better news is that Red LED therapy can fight pain as well as inflammation.
A large meta-analysis determined Red LED effectively reduces musculoskeletal pain, easing pain from rheumatoid arthritis and possibly reducing stiffness. Studies have documented pain relief from fibromyalgia, plantar fasciitis, and temporomandibular disorder (TMD)
- Are there any contraindications with Red Light Therapy?
You should always consult your healthcare professional before starting a new therapy if you have a serious medical condition, or a condition requiring medication.
You should avoid using LED during the healing period after LASIK eye surgery.
LED treatment is contraindicated for Roaccutane/Isotane users
There is no evidence that LED is dangerous during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, there are also no clinical trials proving its safety in humans, so be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before using it in either situation.
The Benefits of Combination Therapies and Introducing Cosmedical Actives with LED Therapy
Juvenate PhytoProtect Mist – your Regenerative Skin Therapist may use this with LED to enhance the health of the skin biome with ingredients that balance and protect your skin microbiome, especially beneficial as there are proven communication pathways between the gut microbiome and skin microbiome .
Red LED can more efficiently heal and calm skin when coupled with Juvenate
Reactivating Complex – The specific Copper peptide used is the perfect partner for Red LED with clinical studies showing 12.5x increased cells ability to survive and function well, along with an increase of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor by 230% ( growth factors for the cells that make the proteins and structure within our skin) when copper peptide is combined with Red LED. Do be aware though, that not all copper peptides showed this result in clinical trials, the star ingredient in this blue serum is the copper peptide that showed best results.
B-Hydrated 4D – the activation of mitochondria by Red LED optimises activity of the 4 different weights of Hyaluronic acid in this formula, ensuring repaired barrier, enhanced ceramide release, stem cell support and Fibroblast activation. Suggesting a combination of hyaluronic acid and red light therapy may be the best way to help your skin reach its fullest potential.
PhytoFuse Renew Face and Neck Mask – The cellulose delivery system of Juvenate’s cooling face & neck mask not only enables LED light to penetrate to layers of skin more efficiently, it actually amplifies the results of active skincare ingredients.
Some of the other surprising, and validated benefits of LED Therapy include optimising gut health
When we think of gut health, we often think of probiotics.
However, probiotics are far from being the only available tool for improving gut health. Red and near-infrared LED therapy is increasingly being recognised as a viable alternative.
An unhealthy microbiome weakens the immune system and can be a factor in developing disorders and dysfunction of body, mind and skin. Studies show that direct application of Red & NIR light to the abdomen has many beneficial effects.
How Does Red Light Therapy Help Gut Health?
Red light therapy offers the gut microbiota much needed energy to enable gut to function properly and stay in balance.
LED Boosts the Number of Good Bacteria
A recent study showed that red light therapy increases the bacteria associated with a healthy gut, while the proportion of bacteria associated with an unhealthy gut decreases. The gut harbours a complex community of over 100 trillion microbial cells, representing over 1000 species and ensuring balance of these bacteria has been clinically linked to overall better health. Especially beneficial if you have used antibiotics for various ailments.
LED Helps Establish Better Circadian Rhythm
Circadian rhythm is commonly thought of as the 24-hour pattern sleep/wake cycle. This rhythm has a role in aligning biological functions as a regular, predictable pattern in accordance with day and night. But recent research also indicates that all cells, organs, hormones, and even systems of organs follow their own defined circadian rhythms, with “clock genes” being identified as crucial to cell health. Disruption of any of these circadian rhythms can result in metabolic syndromes, mood disorders poor healing, increased inflammation and a general decline. In health. Melatonin plays one of the crucial functions in maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm. Its job is to mediate dark signals and ensure healthy sleep. Without healthy sleep, there is disruption in all regular biological processes. Red light therapy boosts melatonin production and make sure it’s always there when your body needs it. Another benefit of this is that Melatonin is also an intense antioxidant that offers strong protective qualities for the body
It Stimulates the Production of Serotonin in the Gut
Serotonin is a crucial hormone for stabilising mood, feelings, and overall mental well-being. This hormone impacts the entire body because it enables all cells in the nervous system to communicate successfully. Deficiencies in diet result in a tryptophan deficiency that leads to lower serotonin levels, which can cause mood disorders, anxiety and feelings of overwhelm, which then further disrupt sleep which sets up a vicious circle.
With all of these advantages proven and with more benefits emerging, it’s no surprise that your Juvenate Regenerative Therapist will recommend LED use as part of your skin health programme.