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.

First of all, I want to point out the difference between Light or Phototherapy and Photodynamic Therapy.  Photo or Light Therapy involves the use of light, of any wavelength, to treat a condition naturally by shining the light on or near the affected area, or in some cases, on the body in general.  Photodynamic Therapy, on the other hand, involves a foreign substance or chemical compound that is ‘activated’ by the application of light.

The advantage of photodynamic therapy is that a chemical that is generally harmless can be applied to a broad area, while only areas where the treatment is needed can be activated by the light.  In cancer patients, this means that cancerous cells can be targeted specifically.  The more traditional treatments, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, on the other hand, target the entire body.

So, with that in mind, here’s the new finding:

A molecule that targets only plaque in the mouth has been identified.  This molecule in its normal state, is inert. However, when activated by a bright light, the molecules kill the plaque that has absorbed them. Potential ‘home use’ would include a liquid ‘mouth wash’  that could be purchased and swished, and a special tooth brush with a light at its tip that would ‘activate’ the mouth wash, killing plaque even in the harder to reach areas.

More information can be found here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7517552.stm