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Skin conditions can majorly affect a person’s self-esteem. One of the most common issues: hyperpigmentation. We've all heard the term before, but what is it, exactly?
Hyperpigmentation causes dark spots on the face, hands, and other visible parts of the body that have been exposed to the sun's rays. Not only can it cause insecurities, but it can be very difficult to hide as these spots form in different shapes and sizes, with colors ranging from light brown to black.
There are many types of hyperpigmentation, but the following are the most common:
Pigmentation spots are age spots that occur as a result of exposure to sunlight. This is why they mostly appear in parts of the body that are usually exposed, such as the face, hands and arms. These are usually small, darkened areas of skin.
Melasma or chloasma is often called a "pregnancy mask" because it affects 90% of pregnant women. It occurs as a consequence of hormonal influences during pregnancy and contraception. It causes dark spots of irregular shapes on the face or hands, which can be large in size.
Gradual hyperpigmentation occurs when a flat area of discoloration remains after the skin injury has healed. It is a common occurrence among people who suffer from acne, and it can also be caused by cosmetic treatments such as dermabrasion, laser treatment, and chemical peels.
There are other factors that can darken parts of the skin - such as moles, scars, scars, sun or actinic keratosis, and skin cancer - but they’re not considered forms of hyperpigmentation.
So, how does hyperpigmentation occur? It develops due to excessive production of melanin—a pigment that gives natural color to our skin, hair, and eyes—on certain parts of the skin. Many factors cause this overproduction, but the main ones can be related to sun exposure, genetic factors, age, hormonal influences, and injuries or inflammation of the skin. It can also be a symptom of certain diseases as well.
Naturally, limiting the time you spend in the sun, wearing protective clothing, and using sunscreen with a high protection factor, both UVA and UVB, can help reduce the risk of hyperpigmentation and prevent worsening of existing dark spots.
Battling hyperpigmentation is possible in many ways, but red light therapy has proven to be the most effective form of treatment. It’s no secret that most of us lack vitamin D, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, yet light therapy has done wonders in vitamin D production. But red light therapy has shown to be helpful in even more ways than you could imagine.
Red light therapy works by stimulating cells through red light. Mitochondria in the skin cells can absorb the light particles which emit through the red light, and this can help them produce more adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy source for all cells. By improving cellular energy, cells repair themselves quickly, returning the skin back to normal pigmentation levels.
In turn, collagen levels increase, working to reduce other skin conditions, including rosacea. Elastin levels also increase, which helps fight against aging, giving the skin a lift and youthful glow.
Though there are many ways to treat hyperpigmentation, ideally, you want a treatment that’s the least invasive and the most effective. Luna’s red light therapy devices are designed to treat a variety of skin conditions, including hyperpigmentation. Our devices are MDA-certified and FDA-approved, ensuring that your treatment will be safe for your skin while providing you the best results.
If there’s one thing both women and men are trying to achieve, it’s turning back the hands of time. This explains why the anti-aging industry is projected to be worth $83.2 billion by 2027. With anti-aging on everyone’s mind, people are looking for the best ways to maintain their youthful glow and complexion.
That said, many people interested in investing in anti-aging products are looking for non-invasive options that won’t require six weeks of post-surgical recovery time or monthly injections. While invasive options are anti-aging solutions, light therapy is an overlooked and underrated anti-aging therapy treatment in the skincare industry.
Light therapy uses varying wavelengths of light, emitting them onto the skin. The light penetrates through the layers of the skin, stimulating cellular regeneration and heals damaged tissues. While highly noted for its effectiveness for collagen production and tissue repair, it’s also ideal for reducing damage from acne, and eliminating wrinkles, inflammation, and age spots.
While there are various light therapy devices on the market, some are standing out among the rest. Aduro's highly-rated 7+1 facial mask, eyewear, and handheld devices help combat skin imperfections and reduce aging signs.
Aduro's light therapy uses different color and color combinations to target various skin conditions. In the 7+1 facial mask, each color offers a different treatment:
Red: increases collagen production for fuller and younger looking skin.
Blue: eliminates acne-casuing bacteria and reduces the appearance of acne.
Green: balances the skin’s complexion.
Yellow: reduces redness from inflammation and rosacea.
Orange: revitalizes the skin and adds glow.
Cyan: calms and soothes irritated skin.
Purple: promotes cell rejuvenation.
Infrared: amplifies desired results.
Users can either opt for one specific color or a combination of colors to tackle their skin’s needs.
“I originally purchased it to calm down my acne problem. And I am not getting any younger so all other lights, including wrinkle reducer will be a great help for my skin. The mask isn't heavy to wear. You can wear it while you are meditating, doing sit-down exercises and or other stuff.”
-Sandra G., verified buyer
As most people have more than one skin condition they’d like to treat, light therapy provides an all-in-one treatment for your clients. The 7+1 facial mask is intended for professional use, and gives equal coverage to the entire face. However, for clients looking for spot treatment on specific areas, handheld and eyewear devices can provide targeted treatment to areas with redness, inflammation, and discomfort.
“I purchased this for a recent flare of roceacea I got from using too many ordinary acids on my skin. I stripped the skin barrier and ended up with redness and red spots. I use the green, orange and blue and violet colour each morning for 1 minute each and notice skin evenness and definite reduction in roceacea I also use it after microneedling and it calm the red down.”
- Sonia M., verified buyer
As more celebrities are turning to light therapy, people are becoming aware of its capabilities as a non-invasive treatment and are looking at light therapy as a solution to their skincare troubles.
For clients looking for a relaxing facial experience with the added benefits of reducing their skincare imperfections, light therapy is the best solution. Kayian Medical produces medical-grade laser light devices for the skincare industry. All Kayian light therapy devices are MDA-certified and FDA-approved, ensuring your clients' high quality and results. Keep them coming back with skincare therapy that works.
We’ve all been in the search to help us achieve perfect skin. But is it just a dream, or can it really be achieved? It looks like having light shined on your face may be the most important part of your skin routine.
Red light’s anti-inflammatory and collagen-building effects on the skin have been documented for years, showing its healing abilities. However, light therapy is branching out, including other light spectrums such as green, blue, purple, and amber, for different healing abilities.
Ellen Marmur, a New York dermatologist, said, It has just enough variety that people stay excited to use it.” While many at-home devices are small and require multiple treatments to cover the entire face, masks help solve this issue.
“It makes people feel good, like they’re taking care of themselves,” Dr. Marmur said. “You can treat your skin while doing other things, so it’s easier to form the habit of doing it every day.”
LED therapy, known as photobiomodulation, can alter biological matter using varying wavelengths of light.
Jared Jagdeo, associate professor of dermatology and director of the Center for Phototherapy, SUNY Downstate Health Science University, studies LED therapy. “You can alter the skin through photo-damaging with lasers, or photobiomodulation, which is a much more gentle way of changing the way the skin functions,” he said.
When asked why red light works particularly well with skin, he said, “There’s a specific receptor in the mitochondria of the skin cells that red light specifically acts upon. And that’s why red light is an ideal wavelength for changing the way the skin functions.”
Red light can pass through the skin, deeply entering tissue and stimulating the cell’s mitochondria, which results in anti-inflammation and the skin’s rejuvenation. Collagen is also produced in the dermis, smoothing out wrinkles and plumping the skin.
While blue light doesn’t penetrate deeply into the skin, it kills acne-causing bacteria on the skin’s surface. Green light, on the other hand, focuses on melanocytes, reducing excess melanin production.
Eye safety is a valid concern, particularly because earlier this year Neutrogena recalled its LED mask over fears that it could cause eye injuries.
Brain S. Biesman, assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology, dermatology, and ENT at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, states that most red light therapy devices aren’t powerful enough to cause eye damage. “Just normal blinking and eye movements should be sufficient to protect the eyes,” he said. “But never stare at a bright light source.”
More Thoughts
“As far as the F.D.A. is concerned, if I use CO2 laser resurfacing, it better work because of the amount of risk involved,” said Suzanne Kilmer, a clinical professor of dermatology at the UC Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento and director of the Laser and Skin Surgery Medical Group.
“Compare that to a home device,” Dr. Kilmer said. “If it doesn’t kill you, blind you or make things much worse, it’s probably going to get approved. So it’s actually more incumbent upon the people selling home devices to show efficacy. You have to trust the people who are selling them.”
“LED is real, but it’s probably not optimized yet,” Dr. Kilmer said.
With light therapy, various factors help determine the amount of light your skin needs: the light’s strength, the distance from the skin, the length of time the device is used on the skin, and the natural color of your skin.
“Some of these lights on the market are very weak, and they may not have enough energy output to actually have a biological effect,” Dr. Jagdeo said. “Imagine a glow stick. It produces a color. But you could shine it on your face all day, and it’s not going to change the way your skin works.”
Moreover, the medical community hasn’t determined the standardized dose for treating skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation and acne at home. Dr. Marmur chose her MMSphere dosing on Blu-U, an in-office blue light typically used as an alternative therapy for precancerous lesions.
“Consistent Sphere treatment for seven weeks will equal the energy given in the office with the Blu-U,” she said.
Another device, the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, $435, releases red and blue light in a mask format, with each session lasting only three minutes. The mask’s LEDs are in contact with the skin, which may be a more effective treatment.
Dr. Jagdeo said, “This is a tremendously undertapped area in medicine. But LED light therapy is going to revolutionize the way home medical treatment is delivered for skin care over the next 10 to 15 years.”
If you’re considering developing your own LED facial mask, at Kayian Medical, our team of experts knows what they’re doing. We developed the Aduro mask, the top facial mask in the beauty industry with celebrities such as Julia Robert fans of the Aduro Mask. For more information, visit https://www.aduroled.com/.
Skincare doesn’t just affect the way you look. It also plays a huge role in your overall health — from body temperature to hormone regulation to your immune system. If you’re into skincare as much as we are, one of the many ways that can help you keep your skin healthy is red light therapy. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into why you should take care of your skin, and we’ll also discuss how red light therapy devices can help you achieve your skin goals.
Are you ready? Let’s go straight into it.
As the largest organ in our body, your skin is your body’s first defense line to bacteria, germs, viruses, etc. It’s a vital part of the immune system and some processes in your body, such as temperature control, blood circulation, and hormone production.
Main Functions of the Skin
Let’s take a look at the skin's main functions to help you understand how essential it is for you to take care of this vital organ.
1. Defense and Immunity
The skin is an active immune organ, and it serves as our physical barrier from the dangers of the environment. It helps protect our bodies from diseases, germs, viruses, dirt, UV radiation, and potential thermal and physical injuries. It also helps detect and fight off infection, toxins, allergens, hazardous substances, and carcinogens.
2. Temperature Regulation
Aside from protecting us from extreme cold or heat, the skin also helps prevent moisture loss, keeping us from being dehydrated.
3. Sense of touch
The skin has a somatosensory system that is composed of touch receptors and nerve endings. This system is responsible for the sensations we feel, including pain, pressure, vibrations, smoothness, roughness, heat, cold, tickle, itch, and more.
4. Storage and Production of Vitamin D
Your body also uses your skin's deeper layers to store metabolic products, fat, and water. The skin is also responsible for producing vitamin D, supplied in the body when the skin gets enough sunlight exposure.
5. Beauty
Need we say more? Your skin plays a huge part in your appearance. Of course, when your skin is healthy, you also look glowing, radiant, and definitely more attractive.
Before we proceed with the “how,” let’s first define what red light therapy is. Red light therapy is a non-invasive treatment option for different kinds of medical conditions. It is also used for health improvement and various aesthetic procedures.
Decades ago, red light therapy machines were only available in clinics, high-end salons, and spas. Nowadays, red light therapy devices can be bought and used by anyone. In fact, you can do red light therapy at the comfort of your home and incorporate it into your skincare routine.
Red light therapy works by delivering wavelengths of red and near-infrared (NIR) light to our cells and skin. Besides helping enhance cellular function, red light therapy also helps stimulate the mitochondria and produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) energy. This treatment option usually takes only about 10 minutes per session.
Our skin relies on millions of cells to be able to perform its functions. When our cells experience homeostasis or a state of balance, our skin and body perform (and look) better. And as mentioned above, red and NIR light enhances cellular function while also preventing inflammation and oxidative stress. Red light therapy helps make your skin look and feel softer, smoother, and healthier.
Besides, red light therapy also helps damaged tissues heal and regenerate faster. It also has anti-inflammatory benefits, potentially increasing blood flow to damaged and inflamed tissues and reducing oxidative stress.
Skincare is self-care, as keeping your skin healthy also produces multiple benefits to your health. Thankfully, aside from proper hygiene, regular exercise, a balanced diet, and an established skincare routine, red light therapy can also improve your overall skin health.
For more information about red light therapy or to view our catalog of red therapy devices, click here.
https://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/professional/causes/structure.htm
Light can be a powerful skincare tool, whether it’s an LED facial or light therapy for all skin. Light therapy can also seem a little mysterious if you’ve never done it before because light doesn’t interact with the skin in the same obvious way as, say, serum or moisturizer.
Here, we’re breaking down light therapy and melasma, explaining what they are, how they work, and experts’ advice for adding them to your skincare routine.
Melasma is sometimes referred to as the mask of pregnancy because it is sometimes triggered by an increase in pregnant women's hormones. But while the condition may be common among pregnant women, it isn’t limited to them.
“It’s not only associated with pregnancy but can affect women at all stages of life,”
Says Dr. Shadi Kourosh, director of the Pigmentary Disorder and Multi-Ethnic Skin Clinic at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. And it may last for many years.
“Women who develop melasma in their teens or 20s or 30s may see it stay around for decades,”
Says Dr. Barbara Gilchrest, senior lecturer on dermatology at Harvard Medical School.
Melasma is a common skin problem. The condition causes dark, discolored patches on your skin.
It’s also called chloasma, or the “mask of pregnancy,” when it occurs in pregnant women. The condition is much more common in women than men, though men can get it too. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 90 percent of people who develop melasma are women.
It isn’t obvious what causes melasma. Darker-skinned individuals are more at risk than those with fair skin. Estrogen and progesterone sensitivity are also associated with the condition. This means birth control pills, pregnancy, and hormone therapy can all trigger melasma. Stress and thyroid disease are also thought to be causes of melasma.
Additionally, sun exposure can cause melasma because ultraviolet rays affect the cells that control pigment (melanocytes).
A visual exam of the affected area is often enough to diagnose melasma. To rule out specific causes, your healthcare professional might also perform some tests.
One testing technique is a Wood’s lamp examination. This is a special kind of light that’s held up to your skin. It allows your healthcare professional to check for bacterial and fungal infections and determine how many skin layers the melasma affects. To check for any serious skin conditions, they might also perform a biopsy. This involves removing a small piece of the affected skin for testing.
Light therapy for melasma treatment is best suited for patients with refractory melasma who failed with topical treatment or a series of chemical peels. Topical therapy takes at least three months or longer to see skin lightening, and those patients who are interested in a more rapid response could consider light therapy.
When a patient wishes for an accelerated pace of improvement, analogous to chemical peels, these modalities accelerate melanin pathways’ removal. Still, they do not target the melanin production itself.
One key point of patient counseling before laser- and light-based treatment is that these therapies can speed up removing melasma-related hyperpigmentation, but they are not cures for melasma.
Arora P, Sarkar R, Garg VK, Arya L. Lasers to treat melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg.
Barolet D. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in dermatology. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2008;27(4):227–238.
Lee HM, Haw S, Kim JK, et al. Split-face study using a 1,927-nm thulium fiber fractional laser to treat photoaging and melasma in Asian skin. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39(6):879–888.
Kauvar AN. The evolution of melasma therapy: targeting melanosomes using low-fluence Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet lasers. Semin Cutan Med Surg.
Weiss RA, McDaniel DH, Geronemus RG, Weiss MA. A clinical trial of a novel non-thermal LED array for reversal of photoaging: clinical, histologic, and surface profilometric results. Lasers Surg Med. 2005;36(2):85–91.
You might have heard about hyperpigmentation from your dermatologist or a skincare company. But if you didn’t completely understand this skin condition — and you want to know how it develops, how to remove it, etc. — or if you have questions about this skin condition, this article can be of help.
Hyperpigmentation can be one or multiple skin patches or spots that appear much darker than your skin color. It is a cell mutation caused by changes in hormones, an injury like sunburn, acne, peeling from chemicals or any treatments, or inflammation. The darker areas of hyperpigmentation are excess deposits of melanin. And although it is harmless and common, having hyperpigmentation can make people more conscious about their looks. In fact, some people try to conceal it with cosmetic products, while some try to deal with it with professional help.
Age spots: As we age, brown, black or tan skin spots may develop on our hands, face, and/or head. These mostly affect light-skinned individuals and are caused by too much exposure from the sun.
Melasma: Usually caused by hormonal changes, melasma is common in women, especially those who are pregnant. It is composed of large patches of darkened skin that can appear on the face or stomach. Those with darker skin are more likely to have melasma.
Inflammation: This is caused by autoimmune reactions from skin conditions like acne and eczema or a skin injury. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation appears on the face and neck, and its appearance may vary depending on the skin tone. Inflammation can happen to anyone, regardless of skin color and origin.
There are different treatment options for hyperpigmentation, depending on your skin tone. Fair skin can be treated by most hyperpigmentation procedures, such as laser treatments and micro peeling. Medium skin usually reacts better with chemical peels and microdermabrasion therapy. Darker skin can benefit from using glycolic acid, kojic acid, microdermabrasion in a low setting, lower-strength chemical peels, and low-intensity laser treatments.
Some important things to watch out for when treating hyperpigmentation include:
Photobiomodulation is another name for red light therapy. It may help the body produce more energy and regenerate the skin by using natural light. This can also be used on hyperpigmentation and other skin injuries like acne, inflammation, burns, and scars. When used consistently, light therapy is highly effective in reducing and healing hyperpigmentation patches and helping them return to normal pigment levels.
Red light therapy is a powerful, advanced relief for skin inflammation. Skin cells heal and rejuvenate better when exposed to healthy wavelengths of light, which can help treat hyperpigmentation.
There’s a study that shows near-infrared light can help produce tyrosinase enzyme, which prevents melanin production. This helps patients with vitiligo stimulate melanocytes, the same compound in vitamin C that helps lighten hyperpigmentation. But the truth is, there is no clear clinical consensus among photomedicine researches about using near-infrared light for hyperpigmentation.
Red light wavelengths are considered to be safe as it does not stimulate the production of pigment. It creates healthy wavelengths of light to help the skin cells heal and rejuvenate naturally.
Results can be seen after several treatments done per week. The level of skin improvement depends on how consistently you use red light therapy. Also, the more consistent and the more careful you are in the process, the better the results you can see. Be sure not to pick or touch the treated areas to avoid infection or irritation.
Light therapy, especially when combined with other treatment options, can greatly help remove hyperpigmentation. To learn more benefits of red light therapy, you may reach out to us. We offer safe and easy-to-use light therapy devices that physicians use both for aesthetic and medical purposes. Meanwhile, if you have more questions about hyperpigmentation, please reach out to your dermatologist.
https://www.aocd.org/page/Hyperpigmentation#
https://www.healthline.com/health/hyperpigmentation
