As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, contributing to wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin. The structural protein that gives our skin, tendons, cartilage, and bones their structure is collagen and it gives our skin its firmness and elasticity. Collagen is essential for joint health and unknown to many, it also plays a role in gut health as well.
From a Rouge customer: "I started RLT just 2 weeks ago and already see a huge difference on my skin. My nose and eyes are lifting wonderfully and that’s the sign more collagen matrix is synthesized. I will definitely update my review when months are gone and other systemic effects are resulted. Thank you Marc, Margaret and all the team for creating such a wonderful device and for being one of the kindest persons I have ever met!"
Collagen is even more significant than what we can perceive since it provides the healthy tissues that our muscles, skin, internal organs, joints, and digestive system need to maintain wellness and keep disease-free. It also makes up our connective tissue, so it is fundamental to all the areas of the body.
The body needs collagen to be strong, flexible, and lively throughout. Red light therapy can help stimulate collagen production, leading to healthier, younger-looking skin. Additionally, it plays a role in reducing the appearance of scars, surface varicose veins, and breakouts. Red light therapy is quickly becoming accepted as a safe and effective alternative to injections and cosmetic surgeries for anti-aging and skin rejuvenation.
Here's what you need to know about this anti-aging remedy
Red light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses LED lights. It uses red and near-infrared (NIR) light to penetrate the skin and stimulate collagen and target the mitochondria skin deep.
According to one theory, the reduction in mitochondrial efficiency caused by an excessive accumulation of free radicals can actually exacerbate the signs of aging. This could be one of the factors contributing to the close association between red and NIR wavelengths and the anti-aging effects when applied to human tissue.
While there are many topical products that claim to increase collagen production, red light therapy is one of the few proven methods to actually stimulate collagen synthesis. If you're looking for a natural way to boost collagen production and improve your skin health, red light therapy may be worth considering.
What Does The Research Say?
The science behind LED light therapy is very promising. In one study, researchers found that LED therapy is an effective approach to skin rejuvenation.
Sixty eight studies on low-level light therapy, also known as red light therapy, were examined in a review article published in the Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologica (Official magazine of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology). The studies included laser light therapy and LED therapy. 48 were using laser light, 14 were using LED light, and 6 were using both. The analysis found that light therapy, whether laser or LED, was successful in supporting collagen production.
From January through December of 2012, 136 volunteers participated in a randomized controlled study to assess the effectiveness of red and NIR light therapy. Comfortable skin sensation, enhanced skin look, improved collagen, and a noticeable diminution in fine lines and wrinkles were among the characteristics examined. At the conclusion of the trial, the treatment group's skin texture and complexion had dramatically improved.
Other studies have shown that LED therapy can also help to improve the appearance of acne scars, age spots, and sun damage.
This study demonstrated that collagen downregulation and MMP-1 (matrix metalloproteinase expression) elevationwere both restored by LED irradiation. This may reflect the enhancements in skin quality seen in participants who had red light therapy using LEDs. The results suggest that collagen augmentation using LED’s at 660 nm is a safe and effective therapy.
This controlled trial examined the effects of red and near-infrared light therapy on the increase of intradermal collagen density as well as the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles. The study concluded the following:
“Broadband polychromatic photobiomodulation (another term for red light therapy) showed no advantage over the red-light-only spectrum. However, both novel light sources that have not been previously used for photobiomodulation have demonstrated efficacy and safety for skin rejuvenation and intradermal collagen increase when compared with controls,” (Wunsch A, Matuschka K. 2014).
How can red light make skin healthier?
Red light, in particular 620 nm and 680 nm, has long been recognized to hasten healing and lessen the chance of scarring when applied to cuts and wounds. Aged skin and lines develop more slowly than scar tissue, but they both result from the same fundamental process: an excess of the collagen foundation and a consequent deficiency in metabolically active cells.
Red light has the potential to stop this. Red light nourishes the skin cells with an abundance of ATP (energy), which promotes cell growth, improved resilience, and tissue homeostasis.
A substantial impediment to proper tissue repair is inflammation. The application of red light was seen to lower inflammation in the affected area. Red light therapy enhances cell surface energy and contributes to inhibiting the release of mitochondrial enzymes into the cytoplasm, safeguarding the cell's mitochondrial function.
In essence, red light therapy has been established to help with a number of skin problems, including the hardening of our skin that happens as we age that causes wrinkles. The best sources of red light for boosting metabolism include those that have a strong 620nm, 680 nm, 760nm, and 825nm wavelength according to the research.
There's no doubt that everyone wants to have flawless skin. And while there are a number of different ways to achieve this goal, one of the most popular methods is red light therapy. If you're looking for a way to increase collagen production naturally with red light therapy, check out our family of panels at rougecare.ca!
Sources
Avci P, Gupta A, Sadasivam M, Vecchio D, Pam Z, Pam N, Hamblin MR. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2013 Mar;32(1):41-52. PMID: 24049929; PMCID: PMC4126803.
Barolet D, Roberge CJ, Auger FA, Boucher A, Germain L. Regulation of skin collagen metabolism in vitro using a pulsed 660 nm LED light source: clinical correlation with a single-blinded study. J Invest Dermatol. 2009 Dec;129(12):2751-9. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.186. Epub 2009 Jul 9. PMID: 19587693.
Chaves ME, Araújo AR, Piancastelli AC, Pinotti M. Effects of low-power light therapy on wound healing: LASER x LED. An Bras Dermatol. 2014 Jul-Aug;89(4):616-23. doi: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20142519. PMID: 25054749; PMCID: PMC4148276.
Hamblin MR. Mechanisms and Mitochondrial Redox Signaling in Photobiomodulation. Photochem Photobiol. 2018 Mar;94(2):199-212. doi: 10.1111/php.12864. Epub 2018 Jan 19. PMID: 29164625; PMCID: PMC5844808.
Lee SY, Park KH, Choi JW, Kwon JK, Lee DR, Shin MS, Lee JS, You CE, Park MY. A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and split-face clinical study on LED phototherapy for skin rejuvenation: clinical, profilometric, histologic, ultrastructural, and biochemical evaluations and comparison of three different treatment settings. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2007 Jul 27;88(1):51-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2007.04.008. Epub 2007 May 1. PMID: 17566756.
Varani J, Dame MK, Rittie L, Fligiel SE, Kang S, Fisher GJ, Voorhees JJ. Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation. Am J Pathol. 2006 Jun;168(6):1861-8. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2006.051302. PMID: 16723701; PMCID: PMC1606623.
Wunsch A, Matuschka K. A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase. Photomed Laser Surg. 2014 Feb;32(2):93-100. doi: 10.1089/pho.2013.3616. Epub 2013 Nov 28. PMID: 24286286; PMCID: PMC3926176.
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