Photodynamic PDT Blue | Red Light Acne Therapy - Pt 4

The nature of the red light is that it is capable of penetrating deeper into skin causing the collagen (the protein found in connective tissue), elastin and certain enzymes to self-regenerate itself. This regeneration process strengthens and tightens the skin which causes fewer wrinkles and faster healing time, making it increasingly popular not only for acne pimples but also for beauty and aesthetical therapy.

Red light ( 600nm – 650nm ) has longer wavelength than blue light ( 400nm -450nm ), and the longer the wavelength, the greater is the penetration level. Why use the red light therapy, and not the green or yellow light? The reason is because

" The combination of red light and blue light has been proven to be an effective therapy in the treatment of acne pimples, where they acted synergistically as anti-inflammatory action by the red light and anti-bacterial by the blue light "

it has been discovered that the P. acnes produces the endogenous porphyrins that absorb light energy at 2 main peaks, at the Q-band’ (500nm–700nm), and at ‘Soret’ (400nm–420nm). This red light sits nicely at the ‘Q-band ‘and that is why it has been chosen and at the ‘Soret’ is chosen for the blue light. It is at these 2 bands that the porphyrins can experience strongest excitation by generating highly reactive singlet oxygen radicals to eliminate the lipids in the cell wall of P. acnes and killing it. The combination of red light and blue light has been proven to be an effective therapy in the treatment of acne pimples, where they acted synergistically as anti-inflammatory action by the red light and anti-bacterial by the blue light.

Although the number of individuals involved in the R&D studies is too small for the red and blue light therapy to draw any major conclusion, However, some studies do show that red and blue light therapy has positive effects on some individuals with the acne pimples on face.

Image Right - Hand Held Red LED Light