Eczema and psoriasis are prevalent skin conditions affecting millions of people worldwide. Current treatment options often fall short in providing satisfactory results. However, recent clinical studies have shown promising outcomes for the use of red light therapy in treating eczema.
Red light therapy has been found to alleviate itchiness, reduce redness, improve the appearance of skin rashes and flaking, and decrease inflammation associated with eczema. This non-invasive treatment option offers an alternative to prescription drugs, without the accompanying risks or side effects.
Table of Contents
What Causes Eczema?
Eczema isn’t caused by just one thing. It’s a mix of factors like your immune system, genetics, stress, and stuff in your environment. It usually shows up on places like your hands, neck, elbows, ankles, knees, feet, and around your eyes. Sometimes, it can look like psoriasis.
The good news is that more and more experts are realizing that red light therapy can help with skin problems, including eczema. Red light therapy might make your eczema symptoms like redness and itching better, make your skin rashes look nicer, and reduce swelling.
How Does Red Light Therapy Help Eczema?
Red light therapy, using light between 630nm to 700nm, has several benefits for people with eczema. Here’s how it works:
Improved Blood Flow: Red light goes deep into the skin and boosts blood circulation. This helps create new blood vessels and ensures more oxygen and nutrients reach the skin.
More Cellular Energy: Red light therapy boosts the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in cell mitochondria. This energizes skin cells, making them work better, regenerate, and heal effectively.
Less Inflammation: ATP also helps reduce inflammation, a common eczema symptom. By easing inflammation, red light therapy addresses the excessive skin cell replication seen in eczema.
Activating the Lymphatic System: Red light therapy activates the lymphatic system, which detoxifies the body and supports overall skin health.
DNA/RNA Synthesis Boost: This therapy stimulates DNA and RNA synthesis, aiding in the repair and maintenance of skin cells.
Overall, red light therapy helps restore normal cell function, reducing the frequency and severity of eczema flares. Patients often experience less redness, itching, flaking, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
Learn more:
Clinical Evidence
In a human trial involving 81 patients, researchers examined the effects of red light therapy on eczema symptoms over a span of nearly a year. The participants received only one 2-minute red light therapy session per week.
Despite the short treatment duration, significant improvements were observed in various common eczema symptoms, including the reduction of gooseflesh-like bumps, flaking skin, reddening, and pimples or swelling.
Itchiness levels also decreased, leading to a decrease in skin picking and the presence of fewer leathery patches. Notably, no side effects were reported during or after the red light therapy treatments. These findings align with numerous other trials and studies on red light therapy for skin and overall health.
The researchers concluded that red light therapy may become the preferred therapy for eczema due to its effectiveness and lack of side effects.
Combining Red Light Therapy with Other Treatments
Laboratory studies have demonstrated the benefits of combining red light therapy with other treatments for eczema. In one study, the combination of light therapy and an immunosuppressive drug resulted in reduced severity of skin lesions, decreased inflammation, and restoration of the skin barrier.
Another study explored the effects of red light therapy in conjunction with a hot water bath, which also led to a reduction in inflammation, development of skin lesions, and suppression of allergic reactions.
Moreover, a study utilizing the SCORAD tool, a clinical assessment of eczema severity, found that light therapy reduced skin thickness, allergy-related cells, and the accumulation of dead cells in the epidermis.
Overall Benefits
Red light therapy consistently demonstrates a reduction in inflammation levels, which contributes to a decrease in itching, pain, and chronic symptoms. The natural anti-inflammatory effects of red light therapy have been extensively documented in hundreds of peer-reviewed clinical trials.
This therapy is also FDA-indicated for pain relief and strain treatment. In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, red light therapy promotes the healing process and improves overall skin health.
Relieving Eczema at Home with Red Light Therapy
If you’re tired of the hassles and risks associated with UV light therapy from a doctor, here’s some good news: you can now safely use red light therapy in the comfort of your own home.
Choosing the Right Device and Wavelengths
Selecting the right device and wavelengths for red light therapy is crucial. Look for a medical-grade red light device equipped with LED lights, available in various sizes to meet your needs.
- For localized eczema (like on your elbows or knees), a smaller panel will work effectively.
- If your eczema is widespread, opt for a larger panel that can treat multiple areas or your whole body in one session.
The best part? LED light therapy devices are safe for home use and offer a pleasant experience, similar to tanning beds but without the risk of skin damage. To get the best results, choose an LED device that emits a combination of red and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. This combination can penetrate all skin layers and reach underlying tissues. One excellent option is the PlatinumLED BIOMAX series, which is backed by extensive research and features a powerful blend of five different red and NIR wavelengths.
Safety and Consistency Matter
To make the most of your red light therapy, it’s essential to stick to a consistent routine. Start with daily sessions lasting anywhere from five to 20 minutes. Keep in mind that regular treatments promote healing at the cellular level.
Be patient, as it may take several weeks or months (depending on the severity of your eczema) before you see significant improvements. The good news is that red light therapy is a safe option for moderate to severe eczema, and unlike UV light therapy, it’s supported by research for long-term use.
You can continue your red light therapy treatments over time not only to manage your eczema but also to help prevent flare-ups and reduce skin tenderness. It’s a reliable and convenient solution to ease your eczema symptoms from the comfort of your home.
Conclusion
Red light therapy is a promising and effective treatment for eczema. It can reduce itchiness, inflammation, improve skin appearance, and help with healing. It’s a safe option with few side effects compared to prescription drugs and invasive procedures.
While more research is necessary, the current evidence supports using red light therapy as a helpful treatment for eczema and similar skin conditions.