Light Energy for the Treatment of Skin Conditions

In terms of size, the skin is the largest organ of our body, with a total area of about 25 square feet. The skin has many functions that without them, our life could be much more complicated!

Protection – The skin acts as a continuous layer and covers our whole body. It acts as a physical barrier that protects us from external shocks such as injuries and even infections. It also protects us from the sun’s light and radiation and prevents the moisture retained in our body to evaporate.

Sensation – There are many nerve endings and receptors that reach almost to the top of our skin. This lets us feel everyday objects, feel pain from hot or cold objects and help us stay away from danger.

Regulating body temperature – Due to its structure, the skin also helps us regulate body temperature. When we are hot, the blood vessels close to the external surface, extract and widen. This allows the heat to dissipate through the skin to the environment. On the flip side, when we are cold, the opposite process happens. The blood vessels in our skin contract and this makes it easier to retain the heat and prevent it from escaping.

Synthesis of vitamin D – When exposed to the sun, the skin helps to produce vitamin D which is crucial for the firmness and health of our bones.

Diseases of the skin have traditionally been treated by drugs. However, in recent times, use of light energy has been proven to be highly effective in treating these conditions. Light energy has become an effective and safe first line alternative to drugs.

Skin is composed of 3 layers – the upper layer is the epidermis or the outermost layer of the skin 

It's purpose is to act as the body’s major barrier against the environment. It is continually being shed and replaced with new skin about every 28 days. Some diseases such as psoriasis cause the skin to shed much more rapidly which cause skin lesions to develop on the surface of the skin. One of the hallmarks of treatment of psoriasis is light energy. UV energy (which is the same as sunlight) is administered with photosensitising drugs in a regimen called PUVA to help slow and normalise the turnover of skin cells to effectively treat the condition.

The second or middle layer of the skin is the dermis.

The dermis is the middle layer of your skin. It contains the hair follicles and most of the glands such as sweat glands and oil glands. This layer contains nerves which help you judge sensations to the skin such as hot and cold.

This layer contains collagen which provides skin with elasticity, firmness and smoothness. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is one of the main causes of skin damage as it speeds up the natural ageing process and is the primary cause of wrinkling. Exposure to UV light breaks down skin’s connective tissue — collagen and elastin fibres. Without the supportive connective tissue, skin loses its strength and flexibility and sags and wrinkles prematurely. Use of laser energy has been proven to work to restore the collagen and help to reduce wrinkles.

Two of the most common conditions resulting from diseases of the follicle in this layer, are acne and hair loss. Hair follicles are connected to sebaceous glands which secrete an oily substance known as sebum to lubricate your hair and skin. Acne occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. When there is excess oil production, bacteria grows in the hair follicle and clogs it. Use of blue and red light with sensitisers can help to reduce the inflammation and reduce the breakouts by helping to unclog the gland.

The most common cause of hair loss is a condition called male-pattern baldness or female-pattern baldness. In genetically susceptible people, certain sex hormones trigger a particular pattern of permanent hair loss. A very effective treatment for treating pattern hair loss and stimulating the growth of healthy hair is the use of laser phototherapy as emitted by the HairMax LaserComb®. The HairMax Laser Devices has been proven in major clinical research studies to work safely and effectively with no serious side effects occurring.

Another disorder called hyperhidrosis is a condition caused by abnormally increased perspiration in the sweat glands contained in this layer. Laser energy has recently been found to be effective in helping to shrink the gland to help reduce excess perspiration.

The third layer of the skin is the deepest and is called the subcutaneous layer.

The main function of the subcutaneous layer is to provide a cushion for the structures in the middle layer of the skin. It also functions to insulate the body to help regulate body temperature. As ageing occurs, fat in this layer which gives the skin a plump appearance, starts to decrease. This also contributes to skin becoming loose and saggy which also causes wrinkling of the skin.

Low Level Laser Treatment
Light energy has become a non-drug standard for treating many skin conditions safely and effectively. In the case of hair loss, laser phototherapy treatment with HairMax has effective treated hundreds of thousands of men and women suffering from this devastating condition. With this treatment, therapeutic light energy is delivered directly to your hair follicles through the highest quality medical-grade lasers. It uses safe, nourishing low level laser light energy to stimulate the hair follicles at a cellular level. This helps to promote hair growth and extend your hair’s natural growth cycle. HairMax are the leading brand in this field and their lasers have been independently cleared by the FDA to work for hair loss.