ClassyND
2007-11-25, 11:02 AM
Blue Light Therapy!
***Disclaimer: I am not an expert and some of my information is taken from websites while other information is my own from being on message boards and trying the therapy myself. I used blue light therapy about 2 years ago and continued it for a year.***
What is it?
The FDA approved narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne.
Procedures are usually performed in a doctor's office by a dermatologist.
Most insurance companies will not cover the cost of the procedures. Out of pocket expense can go up to the $100s for one visit.
In my experience at the Acne.Org message boards, this therapy does not work for deep cystic acne. It DOES work for white heads and black heads and moderate acne/regular pesky bumps I get all of the time.
How does it work?
Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which was a staple of former light therapy used to treat acne.
http://www.quickcare.org/img/animations/acnea.gif
(Picture above) Skin oil accumulates in blocked hair
follicle pores, which become infected. The P. acnes bacteria thrive in this trapped oil, and the pore then becomes inflamed and turns into a pimple. A pimple may then develop into a whitehead or blackhead.
How can I get one?
Blue light therapy usually occurs in the doctor’s office. Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes.
You can buy a big lamp with red and blue light for about $200-$500 online. The hand held ones are a little pricey too…OR…. You can make your own like I did!
Side Effects?
For me, none! My skin was red because I sat too close to the lamp, but the redness went away in a matter of minutes.
What website say about effects from doctor’s visits: Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness.
How can I make my own?
I made my lamp and it cost about $50. (keep in mind, I made sure my items were on sale or not full price as listed on websites!)
If you will make your lamp, you will need:
- blue mono/di chromatic flood light bulb
- lamp for bulb to screw in that can hold the watts of the flood light
- sun tanning goggles to protect from retina damage
All of these things can be found at ACE Hardware and Home Depot. If they do not have the bulb, go to a store where they sell GE brand name flood lights.
Goggles:
http://www.tanxpress.co.uk/Images/tanning-goggles.jpg
Bulb - I believe mine is labeled "dichromatic" on the packaging like this one below:
http://www.servicelighting.com/catpics/ge/19465.jpg
Here is what the lamp with the clamp looks like:
http://ACE.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE-987921dt.jpg
I purchased the one with the clamp because I could put it on the side of my desk and lay on the floor, or on the kitchen counter and sit up straight or on the bed post and lay down on the bed. Very versatile.:yep:
Mine:
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/light-th.jpg
Can I use a regular blue bulb/party bulb? Why not?
NO! You cannot use any old bulb that is blue. Blue light therapy at home requires a monochromatic or dichromatic (either one or two light beams) light emitted at a certain wavelength so that all light is filtered except for the high intensity blue light needed for treatment. This wavelength has been said to be at the 460 - 465 nm range. Regular blue party bulbs are just painted the color blue. The filter in them is not what you can use for actual skin therapy.
How long does it last? How often do I have to do it?
If you do it at home, you CANNOT miss a day! A good distance to sit from the light is 3 feet. This keeps your face from getting too hot. I have sat 1 foot from the lamp and have not been burned.
You must do it everyday with the goggles on for at 15 minutes and rotate your head from side to side.
It did not hurt my eyes because I had the goggles on. With the goggles, I could safely look towards the light or even close my eyes during treatment.
I would do 5 minutes per side of my face instead of rotating - everyday. I don’t recommend just keep it on one side of the face for 5 minutes at a time because I use to fall asleep and leave my face burning hot when I woke up. No bad side effects or burns though…just a really warm face.
I stopped when I went overseas and it took about 3 weeks for my acne to come back.
What’s the difference between red light and blue light?
People at the Acne.org message boards would use red light therapy to heal scars left from acne.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41v1dEY12wL._SS500_.jpg
The blue light is to rid the acne. I have a hand held red light that is annoying! Do not buy hand held lights because they are too small to cover the amount of area you need to help your acne. It’s basically a waste of money. Get something you can sit in front of or under!
Example: http://content.nordstrom.com/ImageGallery/store/product/MediumLarge/3/_5373363.jpg
Results/Proof
Other products I was using during this time are my staples: Neutrogena foaming face wash and Clearasil Tint Cream.
Before
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/leftcheek-th.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/rightcheek-th.jpg
After
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/Rightcheek-th-1.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/leftcheek-th-1.jpg
These after photos were taken 3 months after I started using my blue light lamp at home for 15-20 minutes every day.
Sources! Case studies! Sites to Purchase Equipment:
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/article_lasers.html
http://www.nextag.com/acne-blue-light/search-html
http://www.sci-art-global.com/acne/blue-light-acne-treatment.htm
http://www.homephototherapy.com/acne/acne-default.htm
http://www.acnelamp.com/
http://www.beautyskinusa.com/
http://www.quickcare.org/skin/blue-light-therapy-acne-treatment.html
***Disclaimer: I am not an expert and some of my information is taken from websites while other information is my own from being on message boards and trying the therapy myself. I used blue light therapy about 2 years ago and continued it for a year.***
What is it?
The FDA approved narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne.
Procedures are usually performed in a doctor's office by a dermatologist.
Most insurance companies will not cover the cost of the procedures. Out of pocket expense can go up to the $100s for one visit.
In my experience at the Acne.Org message boards, this therapy does not work for deep cystic acne. It DOES work for white heads and black heads and moderate acne/regular pesky bumps I get all of the time.
How does it work?
Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which was a staple of former light therapy used to treat acne.
http://www.quickcare.org/img/animations/acnea.gif
(Picture above) Skin oil accumulates in blocked hair
follicle pores, which become infected. The P. acnes bacteria thrive in this trapped oil, and the pore then becomes inflamed and turns into a pimple. A pimple may then develop into a whitehead or blackhead.
How can I get one?
Blue light therapy usually occurs in the doctor’s office. Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes.
You can buy a big lamp with red and blue light for about $200-$500 online. The hand held ones are a little pricey too…OR…. You can make your own like I did!
Side Effects?
For me, none! My skin was red because I sat too close to the lamp, but the redness went away in a matter of minutes.
What website say about effects from doctor’s visits: Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness.
How can I make my own?
I made my lamp and it cost about $50. (keep in mind, I made sure my items were on sale or not full price as listed on websites!)
If you will make your lamp, you will need:
- blue mono/di chromatic flood light bulb
- lamp for bulb to screw in that can hold the watts of the flood light
- sun tanning goggles to protect from retina damage
All of these things can be found at ACE Hardware and Home Depot. If they do not have the bulb, go to a store where they sell GE brand name flood lights.
Goggles:
http://www.tanxpress.co.uk/Images/tanning-goggles.jpg
Bulb - I believe mine is labeled "dichromatic" on the packaging like this one below:
http://www.servicelighting.com/catpics/ge/19465.jpg
Here is what the lamp with the clamp looks like:
http://ACE.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE-987921dt.jpg
I purchased the one with the clamp because I could put it on the side of my desk and lay on the floor, or on the kitchen counter and sit up straight or on the bed post and lay down on the bed. Very versatile.:yep:
Mine:
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/light-th.jpg
Can I use a regular blue bulb/party bulb? Why not?
NO! You cannot use any old bulb that is blue. Blue light therapy at home requires a monochromatic or dichromatic (either one or two light beams) light emitted at a certain wavelength so that all light is filtered except for the high intensity blue light needed for treatment. This wavelength has been said to be at the 460 - 465 nm range. Regular blue party bulbs are just painted the color blue. The filter in them is not what you can use for actual skin therapy.
How long does it last? How often do I have to do it?
If you do it at home, you CANNOT miss a day! A good distance to sit from the light is 3 feet. This keeps your face from getting too hot. I have sat 1 foot from the lamp and have not been burned.
You must do it everyday with the goggles on for at 15 minutes and rotate your head from side to side.
It did not hurt my eyes because I had the goggles on. With the goggles, I could safely look towards the light or even close my eyes during treatment.
I would do 5 minutes per side of my face instead of rotating - everyday. I don’t recommend just keep it on one side of the face for 5 minutes at a time because I use to fall asleep and leave my face burning hot when I woke up. No bad side effects or burns though…just a really warm face.
I stopped when I went overseas and it took about 3 weeks for my acne to come back.
What’s the difference between red light and blue light?
People at the Acne.org message boards would use red light therapy to heal scars left from acne.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41v1dEY12wL._SS500_.jpg
The blue light is to rid the acne. I have a hand held red light that is annoying! Do not buy hand held lights because they are too small to cover the amount of area you need to help your acne. It’s basically a waste of money. Get something you can sit in front of or under!
Example: http://content.nordstrom.com/ImageGallery/store/product/MediumLarge/3/_5373363.jpg
Results/Proof
Other products I was using during this time are my staples: Neutrogena foaming face wash and Clearasil Tint Cream.
Before
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/leftcheek-th.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/rightcheek-th.jpg
After
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/Rightcheek-th-1.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/classynd/leftcheek-th-1.jpg
These after photos were taken 3 months after I started using my blue light lamp at home for 15-20 minutes every day.
Sources! Case studies! Sites to Purchase Equipment:
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/article_lasers.html
http://www.nextag.com/acne-blue-light/search-html
http://www.sci-art-global.com/acne/blue-light-acne-treatment.htm
http://www.homephototherapy.com/acne/acne-default.htm
http://www.acnelamp.com/
http://www.beautyskinusa.com/
http://www.quickcare.org/skin/blue-light-therapy-acne-treatment.html