When talking about skin treatments, nothing sounds as futuristic as LED light therapy. If you thought the name was cool, then the process is even cooler. Just picture: Ironman’s mask illuminating all the colours of a Star Wars lightsaber. All we need is a space suit, and we’re just about ready for the future! Luckily for us, we don’t need to travel light years away to experience it for ourselves.
LED light therapy has become a buzzing topic of discussion in beauty forums, YouTube beauty channels, and celebrity ‘ultimate skincare’ guides in the past few years. While its easy to see how one would be initially captivated by its cool device and fancy colours, many have come to love the trend for its amazing benefits on the skin!
But, the big question is, does this luxury skin treatment truly work? Or is it simply a case of trends that have come and gone? Spoiler alert: It’s just as cool as it sounds! Here’s what you need to know!
What is an LED Light Therapy Facial?
LED light therapy is short for light-emitting diode light therapy. We know, it sounds like quite a handful, but the technology behind is actually pretty straightforward! This skincare procedure uses different wavelengths of light to penetrate the skin at varying levels. The goal is to trigger certain biological processes that stimulate the skin cells and facilitate healing and rejuvenation. It’s crazy to think how something as abstract as light can produce physical results on the body – we’re definitely living in the 21st century!
An even more interesting fact: This concept has actually been around since the 60s! A round of applause for the geniuses at NASA for developing the LED technology, although originally intended for growing plants in outer space. It wasn’t until the 90s that the US Navy SEALs found it effective in healing wounds and damaged muscle tissues. Now, LED lights are used for various things – street lamps, Christmas lights, energy-saving home fixtures, skincare procedures, and – the most impressive one to date – machines for cancer treatment.
For skincare, in particular, LED devices typically come with 8 LED colours, each set at specific wavelengths to correct specific skin problems. Just think of a rainbow and how each colour brings something unique to the sky – but in this case, each colour delivers unique benefits for the skin. Blue light, red light, and infrared light are considered to be the most effective and beneficial, which is why most professional treatments focus on these three light therapies.
Other colours are mostly found in at-home LED devices, which – while effective to a certain degree – are less intense and don’t deliver the same results as professional machines.
But just say the same, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the different LED colours and how they work in light therapy!
LED Light Therapy Color Benefits
Red LED Light for Aging
- Stimulates the production of collagen and elastin in the skin, which play a key role in healing scars, wrinkles, and other signs of aging
- Regulates blood circulation and reduces skin inflammation, which are common causes of rosacea
Blue LED Light for Acne
- Regulates the excessive production of oil in the sebaceous glands, which often occurs in acne-prone skin
- Kills acne-causing bacteria, as well as certain microbes that further inflame acne
Green LED Light for Hyperpigmentation
- Breaks down clusters of melanin that cause hyperpigmentation like dark spots, sun spots, and age spots
- Soothes inflammation in the skin, which is the root cause of many skin conditions
Purple LED Light for Cellular Damage
- Combines red and blue wavelengths to address biological processes that cause acne and wrinkles
- Triggers cellular regeneration to induce faster healing of damaged skin tissues
Cyan LED Light for Irritation
- Combines blue and green wavelengths to calm the skin against inflammation and acne-causing bacteria
- Triggers the healing process of swollen capillaries
Yellow LED Light for Redness
- Triggers the production of red blood cells and improves circulation in our lymphatic system (our body’s network of tissues, blood vessels, and organs), which can ease facial redness, swelling, and other symptoms of rosacea
Orange Light for Dull Complexion
- Reduces toxins in our skin, which are common culprits in lackluster and dull complexion
Infrared Light for Holistic Healing
- Similar to red LED light, it stimulates the production of collagen and elastin
- Penetrates into deeper layers of our skin for more holistic healing
LED Light Therapy Benefits: What Does It Do For Your Face?
With all these colours available in LED light therapy, this skin treatment can appeal to nearly anyone facing skin conditions related to skin tone or texture. By revitalizing our skin processes on the inside, it offers total skin rejuvenation on the outside! Depending on the wavelength of coloured LED light you use, you can experience these skin benefits:
- Reduces signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles
- Kills acne-causing bacteria and prevents acne breakouts
- Heals skin texture problems like scars and acne marks
- Treats inflammatory skin conditions that lead to skin roughness, like dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis
- Lightens hyperpigmentation like dark spots, age spots, sun spots, melasma
- Reduces symptoms of rosacea like redness and broken capillaries
- Brightens skin complexion and produces a more youthful glow
- Promotes overall skin rejuvenation, health, and vitality
Process: How Does LED Light Therapy Work?
These days, LED light therapy comes in different forms like portable devices for at-home use, or more professional treatments offered by beauty salons and skin clinics. You may have seen beauty influencers or celebrities showcasing their cool LED masks, switching between colours to target different skin problems. While they are legitimate products that do work, don’t expect results to come as fast or to look as dramatic. Light frequencies in these machines aren’t as high as those used by professionals. Plus, some people may not get the best results due to their lack of knowledge on the right settings and procedure – which is why we always encourage our customers (especially first-timers!) to explore LED light therapy with a certified skin therapist first. That way, you’ll be able to seek expert advice and experience the best results!
Here at Lovoir Skin Body & Beauty, our LED light therapy treatment makes use of the Celluma Pro, a machine equipped with three wavelengths that work together through multiple layers of the skin. Its award-winning technology is patterned after NASA’s original concept with a more innovative approach to design and capabilities. Impressed yet? Wait til hear how our whole process goes!
- Step 1: We start our treatment by cleansing and exfoliating your skin. This will allow the light to seep in without any distractions!
- Step 2: We will then place the LED machine over your face. It will emit a specific LED light at different depths, depending on our assessment of your skin condition. For the next 30 minutes, you can lay back, relax, and think of all the amazing things happening to your skin! You will experience some heat from the light, which contrary to how it sounds, is actually pretty relaxing. Feel free to doze off into lala land!
- Step 3: Once you’re done with the LED therapy process, we’ll end the treatment by applying SPF on your face.
- Step 4: Wake up, walk out, and enjoy the rest of your day!
After the procedure session, you’re free to go about your usual activities as you please! It is one of the only treatments that do not come with loads of rules, limitations, or a lengthy recovery period. You can grab a drink, hit the gym, or both!
LED Light Therapy Side Effects: What To Expect
With so many rave reviews about LED light therapy, you must be thinking: What’s the catch? Truthfully, there isn’t much!
This non-invasive does not cause any pain or burning sensations, which cannot be promised by most skin treatments offering the same benefits. Plus, it doesn’t emit any UV rays – a common misconception – so you’re assured that no damage is done on your skin.
That said, LED light therapy is safe and can generally be used on all skin types and colours. Even those with sensitive skin can get in on the fun! The only people who may not benefit from LED treatments are those with a history of epilepsy or currently taking light sensitising medications – in that case, we recommend getting the go signal from your doctor first!
So really, for the majority of you, the only thing you should worry about is picking the right provider to do the treatment for you – and that’s why we’re here!
Can You Do LED Light Therapy Every Day?
Now that you know how amazing (and safe!) an LED Facial is, you might be tempted to do it everyday. The bad news is – you shouldn’t. But the good news – you don’t need to!
You’ll begin to see some changes in your skin after the first treatment, though significant results will be more visible after several sessions.
We offer treatment plans of 4 or 8 sessions, wherein we recommend completing a session every 2 days for best results.
Once you’ve finished the full course, you’ll be in awe of how vibrant and youthful your skin looks!
Do note, however, the benefits of LED light therapy are not permanent, so you will need to come in for regular maintenance sessions. But that shouldn’t be a problem given how impressive the results are!
The Best LED Light Therapy Facial in Christchurch
Our skin therapists at Lovoir Skin Body & Beauty have performed our LED light therapy on countless of customers, and all have enjoyed improvements on their wrinkles, acne breakouts, complexion issues, and overall skin vitality! If you’re ready to join the gang, book an LED light therapy facial here.
Book an LED Light Therapy Facial here
To further brighten up your new look, try our Teeth Whitening treatment after your LED facial! Those pearly white teeth will pair perfectly with your fresh, flawless skin. Now, that’s the ultimate glow up!
Book Teeth Whitening here
If you need more clarity on the right treatment for you, book a consultation with us, and we can start by getting to know each other! We’ll assess your skin condition and the goals you want to achieve, and you can ask us anything on your mind. Whether it’s LED light therapy alone or a combination of other beauty treatments, we’ll be sure to give you exactly what your skin needs.
Visit our Beauty Salon & Day Spa at Lovoir The Crossing:
