Light therapy (including blue light therapy and red light therapy) is often associated with skin conditions such as dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, or acne. However, the benefits of light therapy extend beyond dermatological conditions and the practice is now commonly used for improving overall skin health and complexion. Light therapy can be used for anti-aging, to help eliminate wrinkles, heal skin, and reduce pain. The most beneficial light therapy products, such as QuasarMD products, reject harmful UV rays and instead employ LED lights.
Why use LED lights instead of UVs? The switch from using UV rays (which can have adverse side effects) to LEDs, or Light-Emitting Diodes, was advanced when NASA discovered that LED lights could speed the healing of certain wounds in space, vastly improving medical care for their astronauts. Removing the UV lights from light therapy products has allowed light therapy to be virtually free of side effects.
There are two types of light therapy used for skin health - red and blue light therapy. Each method of light therapy has its own unique benefits and selecting which light therapy to use will depend on your skincare needs - with two common needs being anti-aging or anti-acne. QuasarMD has a wide catalog of red light therapy products to suit your needs. Our products come in various colors and sizes so you are sure to find something to fit your budget.
Red light therapy utilizes four separate wavelengths of light - amber, red, super red, and infrared. These four wavelengths each have their own benefits, and when they are distributed from a light therapy device to different areas of the skin, they are able to penetrate deeper than visible light. Red light therapy uses these specific wavelengths of red lights to enhance the functioning of the mitochondria, thereby improving cellular respiration and in turn, cell function. Improved cell function and reduced inflammation result in clearer, healthier skin. Red light therapy is generally selected over blue light therapy when the goal is to improve the health, look, and feel of skin, and harmful bacteria is not present. The benefits of using red light therapy are plentiful!
BENEFITS OF RED LIGHT THERAPY:
Blue light therapy is widely considered a non-invasive treatment for acne and other skin conditions such as sun damage and skin cancer. Blue light therapy works by using light that falls in the blue wavelength range to target and kill certain bacterias that live on the skin and beneath the skin's surface within follicles and pores. One common bacteria targeted by blue light is Propionibacterium acnes, a bacteria that is commonly found on acne-prone skin. If the bacteria can be eliminated, then the skin can heal and blemishes will be reduced. Many people use a combination of blue light and red light therapy.
BENEFITS OF BLUE LIGHT THERAPY:
Light therapy is a safe, natural way to combat a wide variety of skin concerns and improve overall skin health for an unparalleled radiance. Whether you want to reduce fine lines and wrinkles or are looking for a treatment for a more severe skin condition, light therapy is worth considering. Light therapy is simple to integrate into your daily routine and QuasarMD offers a wide range of professional, medical-grade light therapy products you can use from your own home. Select from options such as our Quasar MD, Quasar Baby, and Clear Rayz based on your specific needs and budget. All of our products are FDA cleared, clinically proven, dermatologist recommended, and 100% natural. Don't go another day feeling uncomfortable in your skin. With red and blue light therapy you can start looking and feeling better today!
]]>If you're looking to design a pre-holiday diet or holiday menu that will help you look your best, start with ingredients that make your skin look great. Fresh and natural foods are full of nutrients that help to keep skin clear, smooth, and radiant.
]]>If you're looking to design a pre-holiday diet or holiday menu that will help you look your best, start with ingredients that make your skin look great. Fresh and natural foods are full of nutrients that help to keep skin clear, smooth, and radiant.
Veggies like spinach, romaine lettuces, collard greens, and broccoli are packed with anti-aging nutrition. They are particularly rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which belong to a category of skin-friendly compounds known as carotenoids. These particular carotenoids are known for their ability to hydrate skin and protect it from UV damage. So, bake up some kale chips and put them out instead of the regular potato chips at your holiday gathering. Your guests will appreciate the variety, and your skin will appreciate the nutrients!
Green veggies aren't the only ones that provide you with carotenoids. Sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots, all holiday staples, are rich in the nutrient beta-carotene. By converting to Vitamin A in the body, beta-carotene can enter the skin and protect it from sun damage.
Also, if you're looking to add some variety to your holiday menu, or if you want to nourish your skin throughout the year, you can find beta-carotenes in mangoes, apricots, and cantaloupe. Perhaps a tropical theme for the big New Year's bash?
Tomatoes are also a great source of carotenoids. They contain all of the most helpful compounds from this nutrient group but are particularly rich in lycopene, which has been linked to increased skin smoothness and antioxidant activity. Tomatoes also help to protect your skin from sun damage and wrinkling, so go ahead and mix up that sauce for the spaghetti dinner!
Avocados are another one-stop shop for skin nutrients. They contain plenty of vitamins E and C, which fight against the aging effects of oxidation, which happens as a result of sun exposure and environmental stress.
Avocados are also rich in healthy fats. According to a study of 700 women, those who ate plenty of the healthy fats found in avocados tended to have more stretch and spring in their skin. Translation: these fats make you look younger!
Do you have one of those households that always puts out a dish of nuts for holiday guests? Good news – those walnuts that you love to nosh on are also keeping your skin healthy.
WALNUTS - THE BENEFITS
Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acid, which helps to reduce skin inflammation. If you struggle with acne, this is very good news!
Those same walnuts also help to provide the skin with vitamin E, vitamin C, and selenium, the latter of which fights both acne and wrinkles by reducing skin inflammation. Selenium also works with vitamin E to strengthen cell membranes and protect against damage, pigmentation effects, and inflammation from UV exposure.
THE WHOLE NUT AND SEED FAMILY
Don't feel like you have to limit yourself to walnuts – other types of nuts and seeds are rich in skin-protecting nutrients. A single Brazil nut gives you almost double your needed daily dose of selenium, and sunflower seeds are high in the same nutrient. And as an added bonus, sunflower seeds double as a provider of the UV-fighting vitamin E!
These are only some of the delicious nuts and seeds out there. Get creative with your mixed nuts bowl this year and give a gift to your skin!
Want to stand out at the potluck with a delicious seafood dish? Consider basing your recipe on an oily fish such as salmon, herring, or mackerel. These are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential elements in keeping skin hydrated, flexible, and thick.
Oily fish also helps to protect you against sun damage by providing vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant, and zinc, which regulates inflammation. If you struggle with breakouts, this is particularly good news. Multiple studies have shown that increased intake of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the severity of acne
Your holiday plate may include plenty of skin-boosting nutrients, but not all of your favorites are skin-friendly. Here are a couple to avoid, if you can gather the self-control.
If you are worried about showing up to the holiday party with pimples, you may need to think twice about that tall glass of eggnog. Studies show that people who consume a lot of dairy have a higher risk of acne, possibly because of the hormones that naturally occur in the bodies of pregnant cows. An alternative theory is that milk contains compounds that are related to testosterone, a hormone that can stimulate oil production.
Whatever the reason, the correlation between dairy and acne appears to depend on an individual person's system, so feel free to try it out by reducing your milk product intake for a while. If it helps, stay away from that eggnog!
Multiple studies have revealed that when people eat a lot of sugar, their skin ages faster. To boil the science down to its most basic levels, sugar accelerates the shortening of the telomeres, which cap the ends of chromosomes and become shorter as a person ages. Because sugar makes this happen faster, they make a person look older sooner.
You don't have to cut sugar and refined carbs out of your holiday diet completely, but do practice moderation as much as you can. And definitely don't make indulgence a habit. Your future self will be grateful for your sacrifice.
Alcohol is a killer for your skin. First, because it dilates the blood vessels, it causes your skin to flush. This might be mildly embarrassing if anything in the short term but, over time, can cause permanent vessel dilation in the form of spider veins. These permanently dilated blood vessels can also leak fluid into the skin, which makes the face look puffy.
Beyond that, alcohol is a diuretic, which means it causes your body to lose water more quickly. It even gets in the way of your kidneys' ability to reclaim water. The result? Alcohol actively dehydrates your body and makes your skin dry out. Dry skin looks dull and quite the opposite of youthful. Plus, dryness makes skin more prone to eczema and general itchiness.
You certainly don't have to swear off alcohol entirely this holiday season. A glass of red wine once in a while can even help you to maintain that youthful appearance since it is rich in the antioxidant resveratrol. But do enjoy your adult beverages in moderation, for the sake of your overall health as well as for your skin.
Now that you're in on some of the best and worst foods for skin health, don't forget about the non-dietary elements of your skincare regimen. Light therapy is a great way to help your skin look great for those holiday get-togethers. Try QuasarMD’s red light devices for younger-looking skin or blue light devices to eliminate acne. Or both!
]]>If you want to tell fact from fiction, go to the science. Here are 7 common skincare myths and facts and the data that either supports or debunks them.
]]>If you want to tell fact from fiction, go to the science. Here are 7 common skincare myths and facts and the data that either supports or debunks them.
Fact. Sugar consumption doesn't have as dramatic an effect on skin aging as some other factors, such as genetics or sun exposure, but it can speed the aging process. Sugar damages the fibers that give skin its elasticity and this leads to more wrinkles and saggier skin. [1]
SUGAR AND THE AGE-ing PROCESS
Eating too much sugar can actually jump-start a process that makes you look older. These foods lead to a blood sugar spike that causes the production of compounds known as advanced glycation end products, or AGE's. As a person gets older, AGE's build up in the body and accelerate the effects of aging. [2]
Fact. Observational data has shown that people who get plenty of rest report having fewer wrinkles, less acne, and better overall skin tone.
During non-REM sleep, your body releases anti-inflammatory cytokines that reduce damage from pollution, sun exposure, and other sources.
Sleep is also the body's time to release optimizing growth hormone, known as the “Fountain of Youth” hormone. This hormone keeps skin from thinning so that a person actually does look younger. [3]
Fact. Yes, this one does sound a bit like science fiction. There's a reason for that – NASA has actually used light therapy to help astronauts' wounds heal faster. [4]
Here's the science. Red and infrared wavelengths used in QuasarMD anti-aging devices penetrate up to an inch into the surface tissue. There, they stimulate the cells responsible for producing fibers that protect skin's elasticity and smoothness. This helps to keep skin looking younger. [5]
Fact. Moisturizer keeps the skin hydrated, which directly helps to prevent the development of wrinkles. A 2010 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology showed that a 28-year-old woman with dry skin will have 52 percent more wrinkles by the age of 36. If the same woman hydrates her skin well, however, she will probably only see a 22 percent increase in wrinkling.
According to lead study author Dr. Greg Illebrand, a principal scientist for Olay: “We can dramatically delay the onset of persistent wrinkles by protecting skin daily with an effective moisturizer and sunscreen.” [6]
DON'T MISS A DAY
“Daily” is an important word if you're looking to develop fewer wrinkles and this applies to both moisturizer and sunblock. So many of us spend our days indoors, thinking that means we don't need sun protection, but natural light finds a way to reach you. You probably spend at least part of your day near a glass window, whether that window is in your car, your home, or your office, and that means you still need protection. Glass doesn't block UVA rays, which are responsible for wrinkles and other signs of aging. [7]
INCLUDE ANTIOXIDANTS
The oxidative process is a key driver of skin damage from UVA rays. Fortunately, according to research published in the journal Current Problems in Dermatology, topically applied antioxidants can significantly increase the skin's ability to protect itself from this damage. Study authors believe that antioxidants are particularly effective in sunblock because they increase the anti-aging capability of the product. [8]
Myth. Although 51 percent of people in the US believe that eating too much fried food leads to acne, research has not supported the connection. The American Academy of Dermatology, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Mayo Clinic have all issued statements saying that there is not enough evidence to suggest that you will get acne if you indulge in burgers and fries. [9]
EATING FOR CLEAR SKIN
Greasy food doesn't cause acne, but there are some foods that actively help your body to fight breakouts. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and fish oils as well as nuts, seeds, and plant oils, can reduce the inflammation that is the root process behind breakouts. [10] Ginger and turmeric, available as seasonings and as components of healing teas, can have the same effect.
BE KIND TO YOUR LIVER
The liver handles all detoxification in the body. This includes getting rid of unnecessary hormones, which can contribute to breakouts. If you want to help it do its job well, eat a lot of dark green leafy vegetables and brassica varieties, such as broccoli and cabbage. High fiber foods, such as whole grains, beans, and fresh produce, can also help the liver work at its best. [11]
Myth. Many people wash their faces frequently thinking that doing so will keep breakouts at bay, when in fact the opposite is true. Skin that is prone to acne is also particularly sensitive. Scrubbing it repetitively, particularly with harsh products, is only going to irritate it and dry it out. This can actually make acne look worse. Twice a day with a gentle cleanser is much more effective. [12]
Fact. This is another one that sounds too futuristic to be true. Washing your face doesn't help, but going under a blue light can?
Actually, yes. Blue light used in QuasarMD acne devices kills the bacteria that causes acne, which means that it can either treat an existing outbreak or reduce bacteria levels before pimples develop. In surveys of patients who tried blue light therapies, up to 90 percent of participants saw an improvement in acne symptoms. [13]
Some of the information out there is true; some isn't. Don't be afraid to do your own research and find out what the experts have to say. Sooner or later, your skin will thank you for it.
SOURCES
[1] https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/hair-skin-nails/does-sugar-cause-wrinkles/