Red light therapy for hormonal acne & other skin issues

red light therapy for skin problems

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Red light therapy can be very beneficial for hormonal acne or other skin issues. It has lots of benefits to the skin, and not really any side effects. In my experience it’s a gentle way to treat acne, improve your complexion or even help with muscle pain.

 

When my hormonal spots start to act out and get inflamed, I do my best to calm down my skin. One of the most effective way to do it is red light therapy.

Red light therapy for hormonal acne and skin problems

I’ve struggled with hormonal acne for years, but I stopped fighting it once I realized it wasn’t really in my hands. After that my acne and skin actually calmed down. Who knows, maybe taking away the stress of it and just accepting the situation helped. (My hormonal problems also caused hair loss, irregular and painful periods and infertility – just to name a few symptoms. Hormonal problems such as acne are not your fault.)

Photo from 12/2020.

Currently my skin is doing pretty good. I have phases where I get more hormonal spots and break out, but I also have phases when my skin seems to glow all on its own. Note: I still talk about hormonal acne as something I “have”, when I talk about my hormonal spots. Because even though my skin is doing better, there’s constantly some level of impurities and “acne” (caused by my hormones) on my back, neck and face.

So I no longer fight my acne, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still treat my skin. I take pride in my skincare routine. It’s actually super important to me, because it’s de-stressing. And not stressing about your skin – or about anything, really –  is probably the best decision you could make.

 

When I started to use red light for my skin 2020, I found it really helpful. Red light therapy has improved my complexion and helped my acne by reducing inflammation. It’s also fun. Mostly because I love feeling the warmth of the machine on my skin.

red light therapy for skin

Very shortly: what is red light therapy?

Red light therapy (RLT) uses red light to treat different skin issues.

Red light is thought to produce an effect in cells, which increases their functions and energy. So your cells on the skin can work more efficiently, rejuvenate themselves and repair damage!

 

Red light therapy benefits for skin

  • Improves circulation
  • Builds collagen (as you get older your skin produces less of it and you get wrinkles)
  • Reduces inflammation (therefore reduces inflamed acne)
  • Relieves pain

There haven’t been enough studies yet, but from what I gathered from the ones I read, red light really has benefits to the skin. And best of all – without much side effects.

Red light therapy for acne

In my opinion RLT is quite a smart way to treat acne. Especially when I think of all the other invasive things and harsh products you could add to your skin. I’ll be the first to admit I used to treat my acne so wrong, with way too harsh products.

For example this study reported significant improvements in skin complexion, skin feeling and the amount of collagen on the skin. The photos speak for themselves.

The only thing I want to note is that if you have facial telangiectasia or lots of redness, you might want to avoid those areas or protect them. I suppose it has something to do with the warming effect, which increases circulation and therefore can make redness more visible. Though I have just a bit of redness on my cheeks and haven’t noticed it getting any worse – actually the opposite, since the overall tone of my skin seems smoother.

Blue or red light for acne?

Red light, blue light and the combination of those are used to treat different skin conditions. When I read about different light studies, blue light is typically used more for acne. That is because it’s antibacterial, killing the types of bacteria that cause acne in your pores. However, since red light works on a cellular level and has anti-inflammatory properties, it can also be used for acne. On healthline’s article it was said, that if the acne is chronic, red light might be the choice for you. My acne is or was hormonal, so in a way, chronic.

beurer IL 50 infrared heat lamp review

Beurer IL50 Infrared Heat Lamp review

The machine I have is *Beurer IL50 Infrared Heat Lamp.

I have found it extremely helpful. The size of it is perfect for my face, neck and back – which is where I mostly use it. That is my hormonal acne area: my jawline, chest and back. I used it quite regularly in 2020, when my acne was a bit worse than now. I remember so many video calls while bathing in that red light. It calmed down the inflammation of my pimples. I also feel like overall my skin complexion improved.

Nowadays I use it whenever my acne breaks out. I use it a couple evenings in a row and I see a big improvement. Other than that, I try and remember to bathe in red light whenever I remember (so maybe once a week or every other week).

Red light hasn’t removed my acne scars, even though in time, it might make them less visible. I use *argan oil daily, and I know that helps my acne and scars to heal.

Having the machine at home has been handy also for other things, than my skin.

I suffer from bruxism and even though botox injections keep that in check, my jaw muscles can get a bit sore after a night of nightmares or a stressful week. This machine is good for muscle pain and I find it does relax my jaw muscles. For best results, I also stretch my jaw muscles by keeping a ball in my mouth or doing other stretches.

I’ve also tried it for period pains and it worked (though that requires Risto helping me point it at the right area while I’m dying in bed in pain). Warmth typically helps with period pains, but I have to say I think warm blanket is probably more convenient.

Risto also uses it for sore muscles or any pain caused by exercising. I also sometimes do that, but I’m a bit lazy when it’s not about my skin.

red light therapy for hormonal acne

Have you heard of red light therapy or tried it?

Sources:
Healthline
This study

 

How to determine your skin type – A beauty therapist’s guide

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How to determine your skin type?

 

Knowing your skin type is not that tricky; you just need to evaluate how your skin looks and feels. Focus on your skin’s qualities, such as your pores and the overall look.

Typically a beauty therapist can help you to determine your skin type. Luckily I happen to be one! Knowing your skin type has massive benefits; it basically means it’s easier to find suitable products that work.

quide to determining your skintype & different skintypes

How to determine your skin type?

To determine your skin type, take a look at your bare skin. Can you see your pores clearly and what’s their size? Are there impurities and if so, what kind? Does your skin look dry or shiny? If your pores are large or there are impurities, you most likely have combination or oily skin. If you can see some flaking or wrinkles, you’re most likely dry.

There are four skin types: Normal, dry, combination and oily.
Now you might think, wait, what about sensitive skin or acne? Sensitive skin is actually not a skin type, it’s more of a feature. You can be sensitive to some ingredients. And acne is a skin condition, which I’m a little too familiar with, especially hormonal acne. You can read more about my acne struggles here.

I should also note that your skin type or your skin’s qualities can and will change with age, as your skin produces less collagen, oils and sebum. In other words, your skin gets more dry and loses firmness.

This means that mature skin is not a skin type per se, it’s just your skin type except more dry. Products advertised for mature skin are usually creamy and nourishing. What that means is that choosing mature skin’s cream (“anti-age cream”) for dry skin might be the right choice and vice versa.

how to determine skin type cheat list
Cheat list for determining your skin type; evaluating the skin.

Different skin types and their characteristics

Your next read: How to build a skincare routine for all skin types

NORMAL SKIN

On normal skin the pores are very small or not visible at all. The skin is even and it doesn’t really have impurities, excluding the occasional spot here or there. It can get dry or sensitive on some occasions, but usually there’s no problem with it. I would still recommend taking good care of your skin, because it’s easy to take it for granted.

When it comes to skincare products, you have the most room to play. It all depends on your personal preference and what do you feel your skin needs: more hydration or lighter products? Explore products for normal, combination or dry skin.

COMBINATION SKIN

Probably the most common skin type.

Combination skin is a mix of normal, dry and oily skin. Usually the T-zone is more oily and the pores are visible, but the cheeks are almost normal or even dry. Impurities, enlarged pores and dryness all go within this skin type. With a good skincare routine combination skin can look close to normal – with the exception of enlarged pores, which you can’t really minimize at home.

Combination skin might be prone to breakouts, so a good wash routine is crucial to keep those pores clean. But don’t fool yourself by choosing the most purifying products; oily skin is a different story. Lightweight and hydrating products are the core to your routine. You might benefit from products that contain AHA or BHA, especially if you have impurities. It’s likely that you need different types of products for different occasions (say, lighter products for summer vs. extra moisture for winter).

I have combination skin, so my skincare recommendations on this blog should be helpful to you.

Quick picks for combination skin:
*Patyka Hydra-Booster Serum (+ other Patyka Hydra line products)
*Pura D’Or Organic Argan oil (actually awesome for all skin types)

how to determine your skintype

OILY SKIN

Oily skin has a tendency to impurities. The pores are visible and likely enlarged. Skin gets oily and shiny. Even oily skin can be sometimes dry and sensitive, but the biggest problem is the oil production and impurities.

A good wash is important to keep the pores clean, but don’t overdo it.  A little bit of oil on the skin is a good thing – but more about that below in the dry skin section. You also need to hydrate and moisturize. If you really struggle with impurities, I would definitely recommend adding a purifying serum, that works its magic under your lotion.

I have a blog post for the best moisturizers for oily skin.

Quick picks for oily skin:
Neal’s Yard Remedies Palmarosa products
*The Body Shop Drops of Youth Serum

 

DRY SKIN

An acid mantle is the skin’s barrier, which consists of sebum and sweat. That protects the skin from dryness, bacteria, air pollutants and other external threats. Dry skin type doesn’t produce enough sebum, which is why the skin can appear dry, flaky or dull.  Basically the acid mantle isn’t working properly. Dry skin has small pores or they’re not visible at all.

Feeling like your skin gets tight after a shower is probably all familiar to you. Dry skin demands oil and moisture. It can’t take certain ingredients and it can react to things like weather quite dramatically, since the acid mantle isn’t fully there to take the hit. In other words, dryness can cause redness and sensitivity. There might be the occasional spot here or there, but it’s quite rare.

Your skin can be problematic but with the right products it can almost be perfect. Take good care of your skin, find the right moisturizers and don’t forget to exfoliate too. (Yes, even dry skin needs exfoliating).

I have dedicated a post for dry skin with a lot of product recommendations. You’ll find the best products for dry skin here!

Quick picks for dry skin:
*Clarins Extra Comfort Toning Lotion
*Loccitane Aqua Reotier Ultra-Thirst Quenching Cream

how to determine your skintype

Hopefully you now know how to determine your skin type and were able to learn a thing or two from this post. Let me know if you have any questions.

Make sure to also check out my post on how to build a skincare routine for all skin types. There you’ll find a lot of product recommendations!

 

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