Red LEDs and why you look calm afterwards

[liz]

Hi All,

I have been using red (660nm) LEDs for a while now with no side effects. In fact the 400+ LEDs seem to be very effective at calming a general red face and supressing the flushing (moderate flushes) the next day.. I use it for at least an hour every night.

I noticed that people comment that their face appears calm and non-red after using it and not to burst people's bubbles but there maybe a reason why this is so. After the first time I used it - no goggles, just eyes shut - and then went for a walk outside I noticed that the street lamps which were normally orange in hue all had a green/blue tint to it. It faded after about 10-20 minutes. I noticed it now when looking at my clock/radio after a session as well.

I think my LEDs DO calm my face, but your first glance is not accurate..

See here ->
" The red-sensitive cells in that region start to grow tired and stop responding strongly to red light. A white board reflects red, blue, and green light to your eyes (since white light is made up of all these colors). When you suddenly shift your gaze to the blank white board, the fatigued red-sensitive cells don't respond to the reflected red light, but the blue-sensitive and green-sensitive cones respond strongly to the reflected blue and green light. As a result, where the red-sensitive cells don't respond you see a bluish-green bird. This bluish-green color is called cyan"


So I think we tire out a red receptors in the eye with an extended period of sitting under bright red light so that we when stop and look at our faces in the mirror our eyes are just not as responsive to the red in our face as there were beforehand. Having said this, it does return to normal 20 mins or so later, and I do still notice a general calming of the skin.

For what its worth.

Liz

[Steve95301]

So it would probably be more useful to shine red light at other people.

I know what you mean, though, I've noticed the same effect looking at myself in the car mirror while sitting at a red stoplight.

[IowaDavid]

Opaque tanning goggles--try them out. ;)

I just see darkness when I use my array. My face is calm after treatments, and it stays that way for several hours afterwards. Now, it's built to the point I don't need to use my red light array before I go off to do something that will strain my rosacea. It's a cumulative effect, as far as I can tell--the longer you use it, the more flushing "pre-emption" you'll see.

[liz]

I agree completely.. it does appear to be a building lasting effect .. probably noticable a couple of months into using it.

I also notice the calming effect after using it, just that its probably best not to look in the mirror straightaway to see if your session 'did anything' especially if you have not used any goggles, cause your eyeballs will lie..., well the receptors in them will anyway for the next half hour

[IowaDavid]

I agree completely.. it does appear to be a building lasting effect .. probably noticable a couple of months into using it.

I also notice the calming effect after using it, just that its probably best not to look in the mirror straightaway to see if your session 'did anything' especially if you have not used any goggles, cause your eyeballs will lie..., well the receptors in them will anyway for the next half hour

Just shield your eyes--then you can have a tabula rasa when you look at your face after an exposure session. ;)

[Twickle Purple]

My husband sees the difference afterward. He is not in the room during the sessions.

[Peter]

I always keep my eyes shut with goggles on when using the lamp and my skin in the earlier days looked calmer and paler when I checked in the mirror afterwards.

Liz - Have you noticed any subtle changes in the appearance and texture of your skin plus does it feel smoother and softer?

Peter

[liz]

Peter - Yes and no. It's been approx 4 months and I do think there has been a (albeit very small) change in texture. However I just had a v-beam done so that will throw any experiment with LEDs out the window in the short term.

I still used the LED straight after treatment though - didn't hurt nor hinder the recovery.

Given that my face can undergo changes at the drop of a hat (with seb derm and all as well) its hard to say if the LEDs are of benefit or not. I believe they are, I like its ability to supress to some extent the flush response afterwards. I hope that any improvement I think I have seen continues building in the months to come.

Liz

[Peter]

Hello Liz

After 4 months has any redness been reduced? I found that within a month that I lost much of the redness and my skin looked better and was noticeably softer around the cheeks. When I first started using RLT in November 98 I was also taking Clonidine for flushing, so difficult to say how much the lamp helped with this, although when I stopped this drug in 02 the flushing problems never returned and I suspect RLT contributed to this.

I hope in another 4 months time that your improvement has continued and you can report back with this news.

Good luck

Peter

[liz]

Peter - I do think redness is reduced, especially after treatment with the LEDs. I also find that the flushing response is moderated somewhat as well, and so I continue using it to help fight this.

I think LEDs are more a preventative treatment - I can't seem them actually being able to destroy visible vessels which is what I have laser treatment for. A combination of diet to improve the seb derm and avoiding triggers to keep the existing vessels from dialating too much and LED therapy to improve texture and keep a further lid on the flushing and I can look very pale some days. Like anything though, it does fluctuate day by day, week by week. I actually think there is a hormonal impact in play as well..

I was thinking of including some yellow LEDs and infrared LEDs as well (with googles) to my existing setup to see if this helps with the seb derm/pimples etc. Any thoughts on combining the three or so colours in the one hit.. does this make them any less effective?


liz