While considering blue light acne treatment for yourself or your kid, there are five key safety issues that you should investigate. Those are:

1. Chemicals
2. Side effects
3. UV Content
4. Your Eyes
5. FDA approval

Chemicals
No chemicals are used in blue light or blue/red light therapy for acne. Blue light is a 100% natural acne treatment. If blue light is used with a chemical such as ALA or Levulan, it is then called Photodynamic therapy, or PDT, which is NOT the same form of treatment.

Side Effects
There are no adverse side effects connected to the use of blue light therapy, when it is used either short or long term. In study after study, and year after year, no adverse side effects have been reported.

Consider the following two examples from the wider field of blue light therapy to set your mind at ease:

1. Blue light therapy for Neonatal Jaundice: Around the globe, newborn babies are treated for jaundice every day using blue light. This is shone on the most delicate and tender example of human skin, and yet no short or long term side effects occur.

2. Blue light therapy for Crigler Najjar Syndrome: Patients with this condition need to spend extended amounts of time under blue light every day – for life.   However, despite the quantity of hours spent under blue light on a daily basis (typically 10 hours or more), no short or long term side effects are reported.

UV (Ultraviolet) Content
It is my position that UVA in acne lights is a benefit, but I understand it may be a legitimate concern for you.

The fact is, (whether a website will disclose it or not), if a light peaks around 415nm or below, it is going to also have a little UV in it. Because of their broader spectrum, incandescent and fluorescent lights will have more UVA than LEDs with the same peak.

For example, the lights used in the original research reported in the British Journal of Dermatology (fluorescent tubes) contained 9% UV A (blacklight). “No attempt was made to filter out this UV contamination as the output fell well within the Health and Safety Executive guidelines for occupational exposure of unprotected eyes and skin.” In fact, “it is possible that the UV content of the tubes contributed to the clinical effect of the treatment”.

If you are seriously concerned about UV, there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can purchase an LED acne light instead of one that uses fluorescent tubes. If you would like to further eliminate the presence of UV, get an LED light that peaks between 430nm-470nm. It will still be effective, just a little less so, and may require a longer treatment time, but it will most likely have zero UV in it.

Your Eyes.
There was at least one study done where blue light was blamed for Macular Degeneration. Also, the LEDs of today are glaringly bright. Do not ever look directly into them. Even with your eyes closed some can cause you to see spots for awhile afterwards. As a result of these issues, all acne lights should come with free eye protection, which you should wear during your therapy.

FDA Approval
Now for “FDA Approval.” The first blue light therapy device, ClearLight, gained FDA approval in 2002. Since then many ‘acne lights’ have hit the market. Although they use generally the same color (wavelengths of) light, few of them actually have “FDA approval.” There are many websites throwing around the terms “FDA Approved”, or “FDA Cleared”, or “FDA Accepted” and what they are really referring to is the concept of using blue light for acne treatment, NOT their specific product.

We know by now that “FDA approval” does not necessarily mean the approved thing is safe. But if FDA approval means a lot to you, seek proof that the product has obtained it. If their website is misleading, scratch their product off your list.

To sum it up, blue and blue/red light is a 100% natural acne treatment with no adverse side effects in the short or long term. Potential risks can be negated by using your chosen product only as directed.

I’m starting to plan a buyer’s guide to acne lights.  I’m going to include topics like this:

• Wavelength – what it means, why it matters.
• Intensity – don’t be fooled by the numbers.
• Hand-held or table top?
• It’s all about the service.  Warranties, risk-free trials, who’s there to help?
• Money, the bottom line.  What does it really cost in the long run?
• What’s the best light for YOUR acne?  Mild, moderate, severe, back, chest, body, other.
• UV or no UV?
• The “FDA Approved” line.

If you have an idea of what other topics should be included in a buyer’s guide to acne lights, please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Also, please let me know which topic you’d like to see first.

Thanks in advance for your input.  I will use your feedback now and as the parts are published to create an understandable, trustworthy guide through the growing BS of the acne light market.

As you’ve read, acne light therapy is effective for about 86% of people.  Why wouldn’t it work for everyone?  There are several possible reasons.

1. Blue light is effective against the acne bacteria p. acnes, not all acne is caused by that specific bacteria.

2. Some things that look like acne are not acne at all, for example, a yeast infection can look like acne.  Shining blue light on that could actually make the condition worse, because the blue light may be killing some of the bacteria that is trying to keep the yeast under control.

3. Light therapy works on a cellular level.  You’ve heard the expression, “You are what you eat.”  Everything you put into your body effects your body chemistry, and therefore your individual reaction to light.   At the LLLT Symposium last weekend (Aug 7&8, 2009) it was brought out that the presence of NSAID medication (Advil, Alieve and others) decreased the effectiveness of light in one study.  Effects of different medications was given as a reason why light therapy may be effective for some and not for others.

Even though acne light therapy does not work for everyone for various, valid reasons, it is effective for most people and is certainly worth a try.    Most acne light companies offer a 12 week trial period and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Table top acne lights have been around for years. These lights are more affordable than the hand-held type, and they cover a much larger treatment area, making them more convenient for those with moderate-severe acne.

Table-top type acne lights are more affordable than their hand-held counterparts, however they lack the portability many people need today.

Like the hand-held chart, this is a “real-life” type of chart, designed to reveal things that are going to matter to you over time, such as warranty, cost of replacement bulbs, and return policy details.

The chart also assumes each product will be effective when used as directed and they should be, for about 86% of people.

Hand-held acne lights are becoming very popular for their sleek design and travelability. If you are treating the occasional zit or trouble spot, a hand-held acne light is perfect and wonderful. If you have acne more often, or over a larger area, a head-held acne light might become tedious and time consuming, and you might find a table-top model more convenient for daily treatments.

This chart compares the following hand-held acne lights: LightStim, Tanda, Evis MD, Baby Quasar & LightWave CS. This is a real-life type comparison, so you can see the things that really matter, such as how you are going to spend – not just your money, but your time – along with how long your investment is protected (warranty) and if you get your money back if it doesn’t work for you (return policy).

The  chart assumes every product will be effective when used as directed and, in fact, they all should be. Whatever the product, acne light therapy is effective for about 86% of people.

You can see that LightStim and LightWave are a single unit, where the others are red and blue separately. If you are looking to treat acne alone, an acne light that combines red and blue light would be most convenient for you. If you would like to use red light for other things too, such as to build collagen, then you might like having the red and blue lights separately.

If there is an aspect of the acne lights that you are interested in which is not included on this chart, let us know and we’ll add it.  Also, if you find anything about this chart to be inaccurate, please send us a quick email so we can fix it.

By the way, LightWave CS is our light, and so here’s a coupon should you decide to buy it.

Coupon Code: LTOHHCT – Save an additional $20 off current sale price.

(notes on the LLLT Symposium, American Society for Photobiology, August 7 & 8, 2009)

Most of the parts on this thing were pretty dry, however, some of the scientists had a sense of humor.

This was my favorite line of the weekend:

“The only way a (low level) laser is going to hurt somebody is if they drop it on their foot.”

I’m sorry I didn’t get the speaker’s name to credit that to.   There was a chuckle through the audience, indicating agreement on the part of all.

It was mentioned over and over, there are zero adverse side effects to low level light therapy, be it low level laser or LED light therapy.

It was said that light only effects cells “under stress” and has no effect on healthy cells.

The last part of the weekend was specifically devoted to “Human Safety Evaluation of Light-based Devices for Home Use” and he was talking about things like the resistors inside the devices getting hot, so that if you took the thing apart and touched one of them, you might burn your fingers.  If there were any reported negative side effects of LED or low level laser light therapy, we’d have heard about them then.  There are none.

Since we launched LightWave CS a couple of weeks ago, it’s been causing quite a stir.  I’ve updated the FAQ on IntelligentAcneTreatment.com to address such things as “how can this light possible work in seconds when all the others are 15 minutes?” “how can a 7 watt LED do anything?” “how can a light with 7 LEDs be better than one with 70?” and others like that.  But when you say, “too good to be true,” I think this might help:

Truth is I’ve been in the light therapy business for 10 years with my mom (Kathryn Kalisz, Sci\ART Global), who’s been researching color for 30 years.
Truth is I’ve been listening to acne suffers on the phone for 7 years.
Truth is I’ve been trying to find a way to solve their problems for that long.
Truth is I’m into all kinds of light therapy, not just acne light therapy.
I’ve been paying attention to advancements in the entire field of light therapy, and not just acne treatment.  Because of that I’ve been able to recognize which wavelengths might be the most beneficial and effective for acne treatment, and I put the best of everything I knew into this light of my own.  Based on that same knowledge, experience, and appreciation for the natural power of light, we started the testing with seconds and not minutes.  It worked in seconds, exactly as expected.

Now I give you a light that works for most people, not just for “mild-moderate inflammatory acne” but mild-severe inflammatory acne, as well as deeper, cystic acne, over time.   I give you a light that you can hold in your hand, sit on the table or clamp to just about anything to conveniently treat acne on your face, back, chest, or anywhere else it might be impolite to mention.  I give you a light that is made to last a long, long time, and I back it for life.  I give you a light you can travel with and not worry about because – who stays in one place anymore, and who needs one more worry?

I understand you are skeptical.  It sounds “too good to be true.” But really, isn’t it the way it should be?

Try the light.  Whether it works for you or not, please post your experiences here for the benefit of your community.

As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.

Louanna Wilson
Light Therapy Options

If your son or daughter suffers from acne, it is natural for you to want to help him or her get rid of it as quickly as possible. You want to protect your child from the painful ridicule from classmates, the weakening self image, and the physical scarring that acne can cause. You may already feel that you have tried everything, so now you are looking into alternative treatments as a last ditch effort to avoid the doctor’s recommendation to put your child on harmful antibiotics, birth control pills, or Accutaine.

As a parent, you’re looking for an acne treatment that works, and works consistently. You’re looking for an acne treatment that your teen or preteen will actually use, not another fading ‘ritual’ of bottles and tubes of “miracle products” day and night. You’re looking for an acne treatment that is SAFE for your child, and that won’t cause any harmful side effects, discomfort, or down-time. (Not to mention birth defects in your grand kids.)

Blue and Red Light is the acne treatment you are looking for.

Blue and Red light therapy works and works consistently. Blue and Red light has been scientifically and clinically proven to be effective for the treatment of mild-to-severe cases of inflammatory acne. Eighty six percent of people who use blue and red light acne therapy find some degree of success, including total clearing within 12 weeks of consistent treatment with recommended use.

We’ve found that blue and red light works fastest for teenagers and preteens, so you may begin to notice improvement in cases of mild-to-moderate acne in just a few days.

Blue and Red light therapy works best for mild-to-moderate acne, but our research and experience has equipped us to help you handle even severe acne cases with light therapy as part of a holistic approach.

Blue and Red light therapy is quick and easy. Blue light therapy is something your teenager is likely to actually stick to without complaint. Our light, LightWave CS, features 6-10 second treatments per area – they can treat their whole face in 36 seconds once or twice per day.

Blue and Red light therapy is SAFE. Blue and red light is completely safe for your child, inside and out. It is 100% natural, simple light. It is completely non-invasive. It does not cause the skin to dry out, itch, redden or swell. In fact, there are no adverse side effects reported at all.

Click here to learn more about blue light acne treatment.

Learn more about our ‘acne light,’ LightWave CS.

Tackling Severe Cases of Inflammatory and Cystic Acne

If your son or daughter is suffering from a severe case of inflammatory or cystic acne, then they may be suffering from a severe hormonal imbalance and/or Vitamin D deficiency as described above. You may notice symptoms of this showing up in other areas of their health and well being as well, aside from their skin. For example, their mood, concentration, weight and immunity may also be effected.

Blue and Red light therapy with LightWave CS can certainly help treat severe and cystic acne from the outside, often with good success over time with consistent treatment. However, especially in cases of severe acne, it is best to find and treat the cause of the problem. Total clearing may then be achieved safely and naturally by taking an “inside-out,” holistic type of approach as outlined below.

Let’s get rid of your child’s acne all together.

You can.

Consider this: In non-westernized societies, acne as a condition does not exist – not even among the teenage population. So why do our children suffer from this sometimes disfiguring disease?

No doubt you’ve done your research and you’ve learned that the cause of your child’s acne is hormone imbalance. If you can correct the cause of your child’s acne, you can eliminate the problem all together.

Granted, there are many things that bear on our children’s hormone balance today, especially during the teen and preteen years, but let’s consider the two most significant: what they eat, and the amount of sunshine they get.

1. What they eat.

What your child eats and drinks has a dramatic and immediate effect on their hormone balance. Diet has finally been proven to be related to the presence and severity of an acne condition. At least two studies since 2002 have identified the link between what we eat and the cascade of hormones leading directly to the overproduction of oil in the skin and the resulting acne condition. You may find links to these studies from the following articles on our blog:

Yes, Diet IS Related to Acne

There is no Profit in the Acne Cure

2. The amount of sunshine they get.

This is important for at least two reasons related to hormone balance:

i. Natural light is actually a basic human nutrient, just like food or water. Light entering through the eyes travels directly to the hypothalamus in the brain which is ultimately responsible for total hormone balance. Read more about this.

ii. Light striking the skin is the only natural way our bodies produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D3 is actually a pre hormone, not a vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency is now a pandemic. Unless your child gets regular sun exposure without sunscreen, it is likely that they are Vitamin D3 deficient. Most Vitamin D research going on now is focused on the cure and prevention of such things as cancer, diabetes, autism, and other catastrophic diseases, but Vitamin D has been linked to acne in the past, and will no doubt prove to be a visible symptom of Vitamin D deficiency as research continues.

Please follow the links on this page to learn more about how blue and red light therapy, a healthy diet, adequate daylight and Vitamin D3 can get rid of your child’s acne and help sustain their vibrant health, inside and out.

Please feel free to email or call me personally if you have any questions about how to implement this information for your son or daughter.

Louanna Wilson (“Mom”)

Director – Light Therapy Options

(800) 673-9407

Louanna@LightTherapyOptions.com

Hey, everyone! Yep, its still us! Nope, you didn’t visit the wrong site. We’ve just been renovating around here.  Hope you all like the changes.

A visual comparison of the home pages, old and new, for http://intelligentacnetreatment.com/

Not only have we released a brand-spanking-new light bulb for ‘clear skin’ (psst… that’s the CS in LightWave CS), but as of midnight on June 27th, we’ve gone and launched a brand new site to go along with it. We’d been working on the new bulb since late last year, and on the site in our free time since last March.  We’re pretty happy with both so far, though you can expect to see changes to the site almost daily for at least the next month, I’ll bet.

Anyway, first, let’s talk about the new light, which we have named the LightWave CS. The light is great. Even thought it weighs in at 9 ounces, the same as our old enLux Hybrids, physically it’s only about half its length, so its more compact and fits into most light fixtures better.  At only 7 watts, the LightWave CS uses less than 1/2 of the power of the Hybrid.  Even with its reduced size and power requirements however, the LightWave CS replaces a 50 watt light bulb, down only 15 watts from the Hybrid’s 65 watt value, and still seems blinding when shined directly in your face.

Comparison of enLux Hybrid to LightWave CS

As for the light source itself, instead of using one large LED chip “light engine” like the enLux Hybrid (which, let’s face it, is actually pretty cool and one of the main reasons we approached enLux to build the Hybrid in the first place) the LightWave CS uses 7 high-power Cree LEDs.  There are Six LEDs in a circle around a 7th LED in the center. The six LEDs around the outside are made up of two 405nm blue LEDs, two 450nm blue LEDs, and two 660nm red LEDs. While the 660nm red lights are a nice bonus, since enLux couldn’t produce that wavelength, it’s the center bulb that really makes us smile. That center LED is an 850nm infrared light.  We tried for over a year to get infrared into the enLux bulbs, but with no success.  Overall, I think we have a winner on our hands.

The price of the LightWave CS is certainly higher than the enLux, but still very competitive with other options on the market.  Still, we understand that a number of you might have been in the middle of doing research and RIGHT on the edge of purchasing. Not to worry, I think we’ve still got your covered. We have a limited number of Hybrid’s still in stock, though we expect they’ll sell out pretty quickly. Or, if you’ve decided that you’d like to try the new bulb instead, we’re running an introductory sale. Starting at $249, the price of the bulb will go up $5 the morning of every business day for the next 4 weeks, until it reaches the $349 full-retail price.  While we won’t be making much (if any) profit off of these initial sales, it will be worth it just to get it into your hands and maybe grab some feedback on the product.

Now, as for the site, we hope its more than a cosmetic lift. We’re using a new ecommerce system that we hope will make things easier not only for us, but for you, too. We’ve still got more information on using light to cure acne and to heal and rejuvenate skin than most anywhere else, but now the information is separated out from the information on our light, so its easier to just sit back and read up on the subject without getting bogged down in how our lamps work.  Just click on the “Science” tab, and read up on blue, red and infrared light. If you’re the type who IS interested in the lamp specifics, well, we’ve got that information too, right under “The Light” tab.  If you think we’re missing any important information or features to the site, drop us a line and let us know.

We’re sure you’ll love these lights as much as we do, but if you don’t, we’ll give you your purchase price plus 10% back.

Chris Wilson
Devoted Assistant to the President

In doing research for the new website, I ended up at the American Academy of Dermatology’s Acne website. Right on their home page, this article caught my eye:

“Food Does NOT Cause Acne”

(They did the “NOT” just like that.)

So I read it.

It baffles my mind that a group of dermatologists can take a negative stance on positive research.
If they must say that more research needs to be done to prove anything, they could at least highlight the positive aspects of the research, (because there were no negative aspects of the research) and encourage a healthy diet, since it was found to reduce acne by 50%. If there is a chance of reducing your or your child’s acne by 50% without drugs of any kind, shouldn’t they be happy to say so?
Shouldn’t they?