Blue Light Therapy

February 27, 2023

Narrow band blue light phototherapy is well known as a method of reducing jaundice in newborn babies. Now it is seen also as having a promising role in treating mild to moderate acne but from a medical and scientific viewpoint, blue light therapy remains an understudied, investigational acne treatment, ie – more research is required to demonstrate it has a proven safety track record and identify its long-term effects.

Blue light therapy involves directly exposing the entire skin area affected by acne to either a continuous or intense pulsed light which has been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. A typical treatment requires two sessions per week over four to five weeks.

As with any therapy, there are risks involved. Unfortunately, there is only limited information about the short-term side effects and risks with even less known about blue light’s longer-term safety.

Short-term side effects

During treatment and in the weeks following therapy, some people will be affected briefly by:

Photosensitivity (sensitivity to light)
Worsening of acne (possibly more likely to occur in people with severe acne)
Skin pigment changes (uneven or blotchy increase in skin pigment)
Skin dryness
Redness and swelling of treated areas

Long-term side effects

Sunlight is known to have a number of harmful effects on the skin which can be delayed for years or decades after excessive exposure.Although there is no data on the long-term skin effects of repeated exposure to intense blue light, potential concerns include:

It may suppress the skin’s immune system.
It may cause photo-ageing of the skin.
It may contribute to skin cancer risk.

The Benefits of Blue Light Therapy

Blue light benefits you in at least three major ways:

It kills bad bacteria.
It helps regulate mood and circadian rhythms.
It supports your liver.