How does blue-light therapy work for acne?

Therapy with blue light. Doesn’t that sound cool? Blue-light therapy is a simple way to get rid of those untimely breakouts and pimples that have been bothering you or keeping you awake at night. Blue-light therapy is a type of phototherapy. Its goal is to slow the growth of your skin cells while also treating underlying skin inflammation. Phototherapy, also known as light therapy, accomplishes this by exposing your skin to ultraviolet (UV) light. Blue-light therapy can be used to treat skin conditions other than acne, such as eczema and psoriasis. Depending on the condition being treated, this therapy can be applied to a specific area of your skin or all over your body.

HOW DOES BLUE-LIGHT THERAPY FOR ACNE WORK?

Consider it this way: a special blue light aids in the removal of stubborn acne that other treatments would not be able to remove. A bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) that lives on your skin can also get inside blocked pores, causing the clogged pores to swell and form acne bumps. Blue-light acne therapy penetrates these bumps and aids in their removal.

BENEFITS OF BLUE-LIGHT THERAPY-

• Because blue-light therapy kills P acne while also shrinking your oil pores, it is effective in preventing future acne.
• Blue-light therapy is also effective for all acne problems and is likely to give you lesser complications. 
• It can also be used over all areas of the body so need not worry about any part of the skin undergoing the therapy. 
• With multiple sessions, the therapy may be extremely beneficial.

BLUE-LIGHT THERAPY SIDE EFFECTS-

• Although the majority of people are not affected by it, a significant number of people develop increasing moles after the therapy, which serves as a risk factor for the development of melanoma. 
• Blue-light therapy may also harm the retina. It may not be severe but there is a possibility. Eye patches can protect the eyes during this treatment and are also recommended by doctors because small amounts of light can reach the retina and cause damage.
• Long-term effects may include an increase in the number of harmless pigmented lesions.

However, you may want to pursue this therapy under the supervision of an experienced practitioner to reduce the risk of it happening.. If any of the following side effects occur, seek immediate medical attention.

COST-

Blue-light therapy costs between €20 and €300 in the Netherlands, depending on the time of session, the expertise of the technician, and the part where you get your blue-light therapy.

You can even buy a blue-light machine for 100-250 euros for home. Although it is not advised to use it without first consulting a dermatologist. If you are familiar with your skin, you can give it a try.

Hope this helps to fill in the information before you go for your blue-light therapy session.