Comments on: Blue Light Therapy for Acne – Is It Worth It?

By: Dry Itchy Scalp

Dry Itchy Scalp — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:56:57 +0000

Could blue light therapy also work for head bacteria that causes itchiness? Light therapy is really great. I’m really interested in the subject and would like to write an article about that.

Thanks for the info!

By: gen_kyo1

gen_kyo1 — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:14:50 +0000

does the use of blue light similar to what is used by most dentist to harden laser pasta filling will work?

By: David @ Scalp Health

David @ Scalp Health — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 03:26:49 +0000

When it comes to acne there are a lot of different products on the market for all types of acne including scalp acne. However, most only give modest, at best, results. So is blue light therapy different. I believe that the answer is yes but it is only partially effective as their are other products that also help modestly that should be combined with blue light treatments for even the most stubborn acne.

By: Imran

Imran — Tue, 18 May 2010 23:29:22 +0000

This was an excellent post on the subject, blue light therapy to treat acne has come a long way and is moving into the home very quickly with a number of devices that have come out.

One thing to really look out for when choosing a device is the power output. Even if you buy a device that has the correct wavelength (415-420nm), the intensity may be so low that it will not make much of an impact. Generally, hand held devices are going to be underpowered, and will also be difficult to use daily because they have to be held to the skin.

Our company, Trophy Skin, makes a device called the BlueMD, which is a table top device that is high intensity (27 watts) and allows the user to get a hands free treatment.

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:24:42 +0000

@Joyce No, but a little sunbathing would do the trick. That's how this effect was discovered. Don't do too much or you'll get cancer, of course. The sun puts out violet AND ultraviolet.

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:22:56 +0000

Actually now that I’m searching for LEDs, you can get a 400 nm flashlight on Amazon for 8 bucks. Would it work? I have no idea.

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:18:05 +0000

Has anyone built their own? This should be pretty easy. There is a plethora of instructions for building LED arrays online for use in flashlights, and blue LEDs in the 400-420 nm range can be bought online. Just buy a few and use it for spot treatment.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:48:26 +0000

@Matt
Ah, silly me, it just occurred to me that the wavelength used should be publicly available, either in journals or, in fact, Wikipedia! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_therapy

I still have minor acne on my back, I might try to build something… An order of 5000 cheap ultrabright blue LEDs from a Chinese store on eBay is like, $30.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:46:28 +0000

@Dr. Benabio It would be great if someone could determine the wavelength of light put out by one of these devices. It wouldn't be hard to do with basic equipment. I have no doubt that these are cheap Chinese LEDs packaged in a nice little device and sold with tremendous markup. There is no secret to generating blue light. They probably have an optimal wavelength chosen but you can probably get similar blue LEDs from any major electronics distributor. Then, if you're DIY-inclined, you could build a little light mask to put on your face or back, saving a lot of time in the process.

By: Jessica Alabama

Jessica Alabama — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:56:36 +0000

Great post! Blue light therapy is no doubt expensive but it is indeed useful in eliminating the acne-causing bacteria. It has certain temporary side effects, which are manageable. Though the therapy is safe for people of all ages, it is not suitable for people suffering from nodulocystic acne.