Red light therapy for hyper pigmentation

Photobiomodulation (or red light therapy) is a therapy that uses red and infrared LEDs to support tissue healing and regeneration. You’ve probably heard me talk about it many times, and it’s grown in popularity over recent years for its wide spectrum applications.

While its benefits for wound healing are well-established, research on its effectiveness for specific skin conditions like post-inflammatory erythema and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is still emerging.

Today we’ll look into a recent study that examined how medical LEDs at 830 nm and 590 nm wavelengths can help prevent and treat PIE and PIH.

The study aimed to explore how PBM could impact PIE and PIH by creating an in vivo model that mimicked these conditions following acute UVB exposure. Ten healthy participants had erythema and pigmentation reactions induced on their thighs. The experimental design included both therapeutic and preventive irradiation sessions, using different LED wavelengths. In the therapeutic phase, participants received LED treatments before inducing PIE/PIH, while in the preventive phase, they were irradiated prior to triggering the skin reactions.

During the therapeutic phase, subjects were exposed to 830 nm and 590 nm LEDs with specific energy levels (60 J/cm² for 830 nm and 20 J/cm² for 590 nm) on various days around the induction of PIE/PIH. The researchers measured the outcomes using several indices, including the erythema index, melanin index, and transdermal water loss, alongside photographic assessments to visually evaluate changes.

Study results

The results were telling. In the therapeutic phase, the group treated with the 830 nm LED showed a significant reduction in both EI and MI compared to the control group. Specifically, the EI was 9.30 for the 830 nm group versus 11.52 for the control and the MI was 7.79 versus 9.25. In contrast, the 590 nm treatment did not show significant differences in these measures. there was no notable difference between the two LED groups, suggesting that while both wavelengths were effective in prevention, the 830 nm LED was particularly beneficial in therapeutic scenarios.

Take away

This study highlights an important component of red light therapy that I’ve discussed a few times — the intensity, frequency and most specifically, the TYPE of wavelength used matters. A ton. In many cases it entirely determines the clinical outcome.

If you’re wanting to use red light therapy for hyperpigmentation, it’s best to use a device that includes 830nm. You’ll also want to do it for at least 5 sessions, with one day off in between each session. Sessions should last at least 10-15min. That’s what we can gain from the study at least. Better outcomes are likely with more consistent use.

For skin issues, I generally recommend doing red light 10-15min, 4–5x a week. For the skin, it’s best used 6-12 inches away from the skin rather than directly on the skin, as this will allow more red and IR photons to get absorbed into the skin rather than deeper into tissues (which is what we want for healing injuries)

For panel recommendations, id check out the red light therapy buyers guide here on patreon. Gembared is my favorite brand (you can use the code GRANTFOWLER15 for 10% off) and you can find numerous panels at difference prices that include 830nm.