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Have you read my previous article about acne? If you have, then you’ve already known what is it and how to cure acne. Well, let me introduce you to a modern way in treating your skin especially when your skin has been attacked by bacteria causing acne. It is called blue light therapy.

Blue Light Therapy is an FDA approved skin treatment that harnesses specific bands of the light spectrum in order to target and eliminate acne bacteria. For years, it was clear that direct sunlight could help diminish the signs of acne, but for obvious reasons, sustained exposure to the sun could also do as much damage as good. This is why scientists set to work on pinpointing which parts of the spectrum helped trigger the chemical reaction that was breaking down Propionibacterium acnes. They found that it was visible violet light, rather than ultraviolet light, that was killing the bacteria. This meant that acne patients could be treated with high intensity, narrow-band Blue Light Therapy, without having to worry about the skin damage risks of UV light.

Recently, the Journal of Neuroscience reported that this specific bandwidth of light is up to five times more effective than other wavelengths at causing this neurochemical shift. A joint National Institute of Health (NIH) study with Thomas Jefferson University was also conducted to determine the antidepressant response of blue light therapy. This study demonstrated recovery and remission rates equal to or higher than similar studies with standard bright light therapy.

The NIH study was conducted in accordance with FDA guidelines for ocular safety. Dr. David Sliney, the NIH physicist responsible for ocular safety testing, reported that blue light therapy was well below Governmental threshold levels for ocular safety. Since the risk of ocular damage diminishes exponentially with increasing wavelength (AACGIH, 2001) blue light therapy poses no risk of ocular damage (Ocular damage occurs in the range of 340 – 390 nm, ultraviolet and near ultraviolet light).

In cosmetic clinics and living rooms from Los Angeles to New York, Blue Light Therapy is a safe, highly effective means of treating P. acnes, as well as acne vulgaris. By using a florescent lamp, dichroic filament bulb, light-emitting diode, or store-bought light box, Blue Light Therapy treatments activate the skin’s natural porphyrin, which in turn destroys the acne bacteria. While it’s a very skin-safe acne treatment, Blue Light Therapy can be dangerous for the eyes, so eye protection is always recommended. Some more severe acne cases might also not respond as well to treatment. Customers have the option of buying their own Blue Light Therapy light box for home use, or getting the stronger treatments available at a clinic or dermatologist’s office.

Patients receive blue-light therapy in sessions. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness. The duration of your results depends on the treatment plan you undergo. Blue Light Therapy results generally last 3-4 months. The cost of this treatment is around $40 for a single treatment and $1500 for a full treatment package.

You can also find more resources related to this subject from these sources: Light therapy or Laser Treatment for Acne .

Blue Light Therapy is only an option, not the only way to eliminate acne. I have explained the procedure, side effect and the cost, the decision is still in your hand.

the blue light photo by Stefanie L.

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