Image Pop Up
Image of Chase Vorwaller

A Guide to LED Light Therapy Colors for Pain and Wellness

Light is not just illumination – it behaves as a wave and a particle, playing a crucial role in various actions.

Beyond visible light, light has brought about significant medical advancements similar to X-rays. Infrared, radar, microwaves, and radio waves are all useful technologies used in everyday life and military applications.

But visible light has more properties for humans than being “visible.” Light therapies use specific wavelengths of light that affect our bodies. Some professionals use LED Light therapy Colors for pain, to kill cancer cells, and even to improve sun damage.  

Discover the power of LED light therapy colors for pain relief, cancer treatment, and skin rejuvenation. Please read our guide to learn more!

Types of LED Light Therapy Colors for Pain

A few different kinds of LED light therapy colors utilize luminosity in the visible spectrum; other kinds of light each have a different effect. These three types this therapy are common:

  1. Red & Near-Infrared (NIR) Light: Red and near-infrared wavelengths stimulate your cells’ mitochondria, promoting cellular energy production and various wellness benefits.
  2. Blue Light: Researchers have found that light in the blue wavelengths has an antimicrobial effect. Dermatologists use it as a standard treatment for severe acne and to improve sun damage.
  3. Green Light: Researchers are investigating the effects of green light on reducing the intensity and frequency of migraines.

How do you prepare your skin for light therapy?

Red & Near-Infrared Light Therapy

Red and near-infrared (NIR) light therapy comes in a few forms: red light LED beds and panels or laser therapy devices for a targeted approach. 

This procedure uses light in red and near-infrared wavelengths (635nm – 940nm), which can penetrate the skin and cause a phototherapeutic effect in other tissues. Photobiomodulation, another name for red ad NIR light therapies, affects our bodies at the cellular level, causing an increase in energy production and transport.

Red and near-infrared light therapy for pain can treat:

Red and NIR light therapy have minimal side effects and painless treatment.

As mentioned above, LED light therapy colors can boost skin tone and tighten it, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and make skin smoother.

To get the most out of red and NIR light therapy for pain, it’s essential to choose a reputable provider and device and follow the guidance of experts. While some machines are available for at-home use, it’s crucial to ensure that you purchase from a trusted source, that you must know who made the device, and that it’s registered with the FDA. Treatment is also widely available at wellness centers and medical clinics.

How do you know if you have oxidative stress?

Blue Light Therapy

Blue light therapy isn’t able to penetrate beyond the skin, but it does have a profound effect on skin conditions like acne and sun damage. Professionals use blue light to prevent skin cancer and remove cancerous skin lesions.

  • For acne, specific blue light wavelengths have effectively killed the bacteria. Propionibacterium acnes is the best treatment at your dermatologist’s office, as their blue light device has a more special power and is more effective than an at-home option. 
  • In this treatment, a topical photosynthesizing drug reacts with oxygen to kill cancer cells when exposed to blue light, effectively removing skin cancer lesions.

While comparable to red light in that the treatment is pain-free and has minimal side effects, blue light can cause redness and swelling post-treatment. 

Acne can also be quite painful and swollen on its own. Some dermatologists will combine red and blue light therapies when treating acne to help lessen the swelling and pain and attack the harmful bacteria.

Green Light Therapy

Researchers are testing green light therapy for its effects on migraines, although it is still experimental. The color green is associated with nature and is considered a calming color by many—this is why your wellness clinic may have green walls or accents, or you spent time in a “green room” before a stage performance.

However, researchers testing green light use devices similar to an at-home bright lightbox to lessen the intensity and frequency of migraines. 

Patients sit in front of a thin lamp with a green LED strip in an otherwise darkened room for two hours while the professional test the device.

Some patients found relief immediately in the frequency and intensity of the migraines. In contrast, others experienced no change for up to six weeks before experiencing fewer migraine days and less intense headaches. Patients also reported that green light was less likely to exacerbate migraine symptoms than other light colors.

The technology and treatment are still in development, and patients would likely still need any medications they take for migraines, however, in a lower dose.

Discover the Power of LED Light Therapy Colors for Natural Relief

Are you looking for the natural benefits of light therapy relief from different conditions? LED light therapy colors might be your answer. But it’s crucial to consult a medical professional to find the right therapy.

Our TheraLight providers are happy to help start you on your wellness journey. Click the link below to find one near you.

 

This blog was originally published on March 23, 2020, and was last updated on May 5, 2023.

What Is LED Light Therapy?
Previous
Pros and Cons of Red Light Therapy
Next