Blue light therapy is not as new as you may think. Since the early 1980s, it has been used to deal with seasonal mood swings due to shorter days. However, more recently, some medical professionals have seen its benefits as a way to remove acne scars.

This type of therapy works with an intense, narrow band of blue light that helps treat the 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.

Blue light treatments usually consist of three parts. First, a photosensitizing medication is applied. 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 depends on the purpose of the treatment. Therefore, it can take a few minutes to a few hours.

The blue light is administered in a light activation room. Before undergoing the procedure you should know that you may feel an increasing level of heat, or some burning or stinging sensations, this is normal. In order to counteract the heat, fans are often used.

Sunscreen and protective garments are an essential part of post treatment procedures, especially when trying to shield your skin from damaging UV radiation. Fortunately, it is possible to use blue light therapy on anyone, regardless of their age.

Blue Light Therapy & 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. However, antibiotics will lose their punch after a certain period of time, which is one of the biggest reasons why some doctors consider 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 skin types, such as dry and sensitive skin, can have serious problems when exposed to traditional acne products, however, blue light therapy and certain natural skin care products are a much gentler alternative.

If you're still a bit doubtful about the long term effects of this treatment it's well understood, in all actuality no one really knows what the effects 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.