Red light therapy is used to support skin health, enhance wound healing, reduce inflammation, and relieve muscle pain and discomfort. While other individuals find this treatment perfect, many people experience side effects, especially when the therapy is used incorrectly. People experience side effects from red light therapy because they expose their skin, use medications that increase light sensitivity, and face issues such as dry skin, temporary redness and dry eyes. Knowing the possible causes of these side effects can help people use the red light therapy correctly. From this blog, you will understand why people experience side effects from red light therapy.
Incorrect treatment duration
When the light therapy machine is left on your skin for a long time, your cells move from the healing state into a defensive stress mode, causing irritation, redness, and discomfort. Excessive light energy saturates the tissue, causing dilution of the blood cells; this process leads to persistent skin tightness and stinginess that stays for a long time. Prolonged exposure to light limits the time your eyes are exposed to large amounts of brightness, leading to severe headaches, blurred vision and eye strain.
Use of medications
Some medications act as a magnifying glass; for example, if you take acne creams or any antibiotic and expose your skin to light, you can easily get burns and blisters. Red light energy modifies the chemical shape of the blood circulation in your skin. Your body will find it difficult to recognise a mutated drug molecule and indicate it as a dangerous foreign intruder. This triggers a localised immune response, resulting in an eczema outbreak and itching that can spread to areas not even directly exposed to light.
Damaged equipment
A damaged machine causes side effects because an electrical breakdown changes the safety guidelines of the delivered energy. Red light therapy depends on cool LED technology, which converts energy into light rather than heat. If the internal adapter is damaged, it causes an electrical circuit, leading the hardware to draw excessive voltage and the bulbs to overheat. If placed on the body, the quick thermal spike causes accidental thermal burns and serious skin inflammation.
Eye strain
When your eyes are exposed to the intense brightness of a red light panel, your iris quickly reacts to shield the retina. The sphincter muscle of the iris must constrict the pupil to block out the intense brightness. Holding a muscle tightly in a highly constricted area for about 10 to 20 minutes causes muscle fatigue. This feels like a muscle cramp, causing serious pain behind the eyes and a tension headache. When individuals look at the bright light source, their blinking rate drops. Blinking resets the eye's tear film; when individuals look without blinking at the red light therapy panel, the surface of the eye dries up rapidly. Lack of moisture triggers a burning sensation and redness, which heavily compounds the feeling of physical eye strain.
Conclusion
Red light therapy is generally safe when used correctly. However, incorrect use of the equipment, pre-existing skin conditions and incorrect treatment duration can contribute to side effects. When using the equipment, you need to make sure a healthcare professional is assisting you to avoid complications when handling it. Wear blackout glasses when the treatment is on your face to avoid direct contact with light. Avoid using the device multiple times a day on the same body, as it causes cellular burnout. For eyes, red light therapy can be beneficial in terms of managing eye diseases, however if not used appropriately, then it might impact your eyes negatively. You can get thorough guidance regarding this from the experts of Savera Hospital, providing the best eye care to all patients with eye conditions. We are dedicated to providing treatment with the most precise results.
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