Step Into the Light: The Benefits of Light Therapy

Think about how you feel after a day at the beach. Your skin glows and you feel more relaxed. This is due to the light the sun gives off. Of course, too much sun can be harmful to your skin and health. This is why light therapy is the way to go.

The infrared light used during light therapy has a stronger wavelength than regular light. This allows it to penetrate deeper into the skin, and provide many therapeutic benefits including improvements in the skin's appearance, moods, and relief from pain. The most common types of light therapy are Red Light and Blue Light.

Red Light Therapy repairs, renews, regenerates, and heals the skin and tissue. It also provides relief from pain and inflammation. With consistent use of Red Light Therapy, you can obtain younger, smoother looking skin. Blue Light Therapy does not penetrate as deeply as Red Light, but is able to kill the bacteria that causes acne. It heals blemishes without causing additional redness or inflammation.


According to the Mayo Clinic, during light therapy, you sit near a device called a light therapy box. The box gives off a bright light that mimics natural outdoor light.

Anti-Aging
Light therapy is used to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. The light also stimulates the production of ATP, an essential energy source used in the body tissues to promote rapid healing. Other benefits include: Relief of eczema, eliminates rosacea, lifts and tones skin, creates more moisture within the skin, decreases pore size, and increases circulation to provide a healthier skin tone.

Pain Management
Aside from cosmetic and anti-aging benefits, light therapy also provides relief from chronic and acute pain including muscle pain, joint pain, arthritis, high blood pressure, tissue and nerve damage, and can decrease injury healing time by stimulating white blood cell production. It is even used by professional athletes to promote healing with powerful results.

Mental Health
Exposure to light activates the hormone control center of the brain, and reduces the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin, which is directly linked to your mood, sleep patterns, and mental disorders such as depression. By reducing the production of melatonin during the day, your body is able to produce more at night, leading to a restful sleep. Light therapy can also reduce stress, increase productivity, and decrease the symptoms associated with jet lag.

Light Therapy has been proven to be effective in all three areas. While the effectiveness of using light boxes vary from person to person, it's important to always be done in the presence of a licensed practitioner, qualified doctor, or dermatologist.