Light Therapy Device Basics

Light therapy for anti-aging, acne, and pain-relief harnesses high-tech NASA science in dynamic devices that are incredibly easy to use right in the comfort of your own home.

But sometimes simplicity can work against us. In this case, that usually means skipping the User Guide and letting the intuitive design and operation guide us, instead.

If that sounds like you, you’re in luck. Because we’ve gathered some of the top tips and insights you might have missed right here.

Power Up Correctly

Light therapy devices that plug into a power outlet are pretty simple. Plug them in, put them where you want the light therapy, and turn them on. They’re always ready to go when you are, though the cord does tether you to the spot while you use them.

Rechargeable devices let you move around more freely while the device does its work – which is particularly helpful for pain-relief devices. Relieving pain is often largely about improving mobility, so it’s great to be able to get up and around and feel the difference while the device does its work. Not to mention that if you want to do some chores or go for a walk during the 20-minute treatment time, you can.

But you need to be sure to properly use your rechargeable device. The lithium-ion batteries in these devices can be picky, so follow these tips to ensure you don’t reduce the charge life and effectiveness of your device:

• Always remember to fully charge your device before using it
• Unplug your device while using it, as a rechargeable device doesn’t work when plugged in
• A full charge will usually get you 2-3 (20-minute) uses for a pain device, and up to 10 (3-minute) uses for an anti-aging or acne device
• Use the device within 48 hours, as charge will diminish over time
• Fully deplete the battery before you charge it again, as recharging before the battery is fully depleted will reduce battery life over time

Wash and Dry the Treatment Area

No matter what you’re using light therapy for, it’s best to wash and dry the area you’re treating beforehand. The main reason for this is to remove anything that might block the light energy from penetrating the skin to do its job.

Sunscreen, in particular, can block light therapy light, even though it isn’t UV-based. And since many kinds of makeup have sunscreen in them, it can greatly decrease the effectiveness of your anti-aging or acne light therapy device.

So it’s always best to wash first, then apply light therapy.

Check Yourself for Light-Sensitivity

Before you use a light therapy device for the first time, check yourself for light-sensitivity. This is rare, and only affects a small percentage of people, but a light-sensitive reaction can cause irritation to your skin.

To test yourself, just turn on your device and place the lights against the skin of your forearm for 3 minutes. If your skin turns red, and the redness lasts for more than 2 hours, your skin is light-sensitive.

If you’re light-sensitive, discontinue use of your light therapy device and contact the manufacturer.

Use the Right Treatment Time

Treatment times for light therapy vary based on the type of treatment, but there are some general rules:

• Anti-aging light therapy: 3-minute sessions, up to 3 times per day
• Acne light therapy: 3-minute sessions, up to 3 times per day
• Pain-relief light therapy: 20-minute sessions, up to 3 times per day

The short sessions make anti-aging and acne light therapy very easy to incorporate into your regular skincare regimen.

And while pain-relief light therapy takes longer, you can still get a full treatment in less time than it takes to stream an episode of your favorite sitcom.

Take Care of Your Cord

Check out our Care and Keeping of Your LED Therapy Device post for several great tips on taking care of your device, but we’ll highlight an important one here: proper cord care.

It seems like the most natural thing to do, but wrapping your device’s cord around the device – or worse, wrapping the cord around the power adapter – is a recipe for cord-tastrophe. Wrapping the cord twists and stresses it in a way that can lead to breaking or splitting, especially where the cord comes out of the device or power adapter. This can not only affect the operation of the device, but can cause an electric shock hazard. And breakage from such abuse isn’t covered by your device warranty.

Instead of wrapping your cord around something, gently fold it back and forth and secure it with a twist tie or rubber band.

Like this:

NOT like this:

Enjoy Your Device

With these light therapy basics in mind, you can get the most out of your light therapy device, whatever kind you might have – and you can look forward to enjoying the benefits for years to come.

Any more questions? Contact us.