Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) or LED Light Therapy can help treat a variety of skin problems, but did you know there are plenty more uses and benefits from LED Light Therapy?

Pain free and non-invasive, LED Light Therapy can be used as a stand-alone treatment to improve skin texture, reduce acne and rosacea, boost immune function, reduce inflammation, and due to its ability to heal the skin, can also be used as an adjunctive treatment to cosmetic procedures.

A TGA approved medical device backed by proven clinical studies; the Healite II device by Lutronic that we utilise in clinic harnesses the properties of 830/590nm wavelength and 415nm wavelength via light emitting diodes (LED) technology. This device works at a subcellular, cellular and tissue level, treating effectively without the possibility of physical trauma or thermal damage.

Sounds amazing right? It’s no wonder that one of the most common questions we encounter is whether LED Light Therapy is safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Is Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Those who wish to benefit from LED will need a doctor’s clearance before treatment begins for the 830/590nm wavelength. Pregnancy is a contraindication for the 415nm blue light.

Interestingly, studies¹ have shown that the use of LED Light Therapy can effectively treat depression in pregnant females. Results from the study show LED treatment for 5 weeks improved depression during pregnancy significantly more than placebo dim red light, with minimal side effects for the mother and no known risk for the unborn child.

For breastfeeding patients who experienced sore and painful nipple lesions, recent studies² have shown that Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) represents a simple and low risk treatment to reduce pain and accelerate wound healing. By improving tissue organisation, it provides a positive anti-inflammatory and immune modulating effect. Not only is this therapy used to also treat painful nipple lesions; furthermore, in women with too little milk, the LLLT seems to increase the milk production.

Is Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) effective in the treatment of infertility?

Infertility issues are on the rise, in both women and men, across the world. Light therapy (LLLT, red light therapy) seems promising in improving the health of a lot of different body parts and has been studied for both female and male fertility.

Light therapy has been studied for human/animal fertility for decades, and studies³ out of Japan and Denmark show promising improvement after use of 830nm near infrared light therapy on infertile women.

These recent studies show that low-level light therapy used on certain points of the neck and over the abdomen appears to enhance mitochondrial activity, ATP production (source of cellular energy), increase blood flow and helps to reduce oxidative damage. Light therapy is essential for removing cellular stress and enabling cells to function normally again and the cells of the reproductive system are no different.

The protocol used in the study from Denmark involved 3 near infrared light therapy sessions per week, with the light being directly applied to the abdomen, at quite a large dose. Out of a sample of 400 previously infertile women, a whopping 260 of them were able to conceive following near infrared light treatments.

Similarly, the Japanese studies have shown a connection between improved fertility and light therapy, concluding that even in low doses, it can help improve the woman’s chances of conception. Under the direction of Dr Toshio Ohshiro at Sanno Hospital, an extended trial on LLLT was performed in 701 infertile patients, 156 (22.3%) of whom became pregnant. This resulted in a successful live birth rate in over half (50.1%) of those pregnancies.

The effects of light therapy are not just seen in the target area of the session, but also systemically. A session of light therapy on the neck can provide benefits to the brain, which can in turn improve hormone production/status and lead to whole body health improvements.

Western reproductive medicine has traditionally maintained that ageing and declined egg quality is an irreversible process. However, ground-breaking research with low level light therapy conducted in Denmark and Japan is now showing that it may be possible to improve egg quality, slow down the ageing process and significantly improve fertility in women.

If interested in 830nm Low-Level Light Therapy and the benefits it can provide, we recommend speaking to your doctor to see if this treatment is safe for you. To read more about the amazing benefits of the Healite II device for skin and anti-ageing, check out our blog post ‘The Benefits of LED using Healite II’.

For best results and cost saving, you can purchase LED Packages of 10 x LED light facials for $790 (saving you $200). Read more about our LED Light Facial online or give the friendly team a call in-clinic to purchase a package today.

–
Further reading and clinical references:

(1) J Clin Psychiatry. (2011). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of light therapy for antepartum depression. (Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01043289). Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21535997/

(2) University of Zurich. (2020). Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) Treatment for Breast-Feeding Women with Painful Nipple Lesions. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04259619). Retrieved from https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04259619

(3) Integrative Fertility Symposium. (2020). Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for Egg Quality and Peak Fertility Potential. Retrieved from https://ifsymposium.com/talk/low-level-laser-therapy-lllt-egg-quality-and-peak-fertility-potential