Blue light therapy has been around since the early 1980s, when it was used to help treat seasonal mood swings due to shorter days, however, some medical professionals have recently seen its benefits as a way to remove acne scars.

This type of therapy uses an intense, narrow ray of blue light to help treat damaged skin. Treatment with this type of therapy will generally last anywhere from ten to twenty minutes. The best part about blue light therapy is that it requires very little downtime, if any.

Generally, blue light treatments consist of three parts. First, photosensitizing medication is administered. Second, the doctor waits for the medication to take effect (incubation period), and finally the blue light is administered.

The incubation period of the medication will depend on the purpose of the treatment, therefore, it may take several hours or a few minutes to take effect.

The blue light is administered in a light activation room. After being exposed to the light, you may feel increasing warmth and even some burning or stinging sensations. Fans can be used to keep the person comfortable during the procedure.

Sunscreen is an essential part of post treatment procedures. Protective garments will also help shield your skin from damaging UV radiation. Luckily, blue light therapy is a safe treatment that can be used on anyone, regardless of age.

Blue Light Therapy for Acne Problems

Other than helping you deal with acne scars, blue light therapy can also be used in acne treatment because it helps kill acne bacteria without the use of antibiotics. You should already be aware that using antibiotics for a certain period of time may cause them to lose their effect which is one of the reasons doctors refer to blue light therapy as one of the best acne treatments around.

Blue light therapy can also help you avoid the use of harsh acne creams and other bothersome facial acne treatments. Some types of skin (i.e. dry and sensitive) can have serious problems with traditional acne products. Fortunately, blue light therapy is a gentler alternative.

If you're still uncertain about its long term effects or even possible side effects we have to be honest and let you know that no one really knows what they may be. However, the results that have been shown so far are very positive and count in favor of this treatment. It has also proven to be very effective in the treatment of actinic keratosis.