The Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy (2) - Flipbook - Page 29
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The Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy
Researchers discovered that the light therapy influenced several key skin cells involved in healing.
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These
included cells on the skin‘s surface, as well as deeper cells that provide support. The light also seemed to help
immune cells, which are important for cleaning up damaged tissue and fighting infection.
Interestingly, the light appeared to work in two different ways to promote
healing.
One method involved a protein called transforming growth factor
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(TGF)-beta, while the other worked independently of this protein.
β by using mice with a genetically altered version of this protein.
In these mice, the light treatment couldn‘t activate the altered TGF-β or improve healing. This suggests that
the natural form of TGF-β plays a key role in how light therapy helps burns heal.
Finally, they tested the importance of TGF-
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2.3.5 RLT and Vitiligo
Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition where skin loses its pigment, creating white patches. Treatment can be
difficult, but light therapy, using visible light, offers hope. This therapy can either restore color (repigmentation)
or remove remaining pigment (depigmentation) with minimal side effects.
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Researchers looked at hundreds of studies on using different types of visible light to treat vitiligo. They found
some evidence that red light therapy, especially with a helium-neon (He-Ne) laser, might help repigment skin.
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One research study looked at treating a specific type of vitiligo called segmental vitiligo, which affects one
area of the body, using He-Ne laser
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The red light seems to trigger pigment-making cells (called melanocytes)
to move and multiply in two ways: directly by the light itself, and indirectly by making nearby skin cells release
growth factors.
The researchers studied 30 people with segmental vitiligo on their head or neck. After an average of 16
treatments with the He-Ne laser:
60%
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of people had over half (more
than
50%)
of
their
10%
pigment
return.
of people even had complete
repigmentation
(all
pigment
returned).
A follow-up study with 40 patients using the same method showed similar results, with 60% of patients achieving
over 50% repigmentation after about 17 sessions.
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These findings suggest that He-Ne laser therapy could be a
promising treatment for segmental vitiligo, particularly on the head and neck area.
