Deborah Tosline wrote and published Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare in 2015. Deborah's education and work experience is in science, where hypotheses are tested through observation and experiments. She has Bachelor of Science degrees in geology and ecology. Her approach to skin care is based on that scientific background, a love of research and over 30 years of DIY skincare experience.

Want better skin (and so much more!)? You might want (and need) LED treatments. You can make it happen on a low budget, using hand held devices, or during a visit to a red light spa! Why?

Astronauts who tended gardens grown using Light Emitting Diodes (LED) during space missions healed faster than normal. NASA investigations showed that LED treatments shorten healing time by 40%, increase cell growth 150% to 200%, stimulate wound healing/tissue regeneration and quintuple (yes that’s FIVE times) the growth of fibroblasts and muscle cells in tissue culture!

Collagen helps skin tissue retain its flexibility. This article by Cognitune describes collagen types and function. (I am not affiliated with or have used Cognitune products.)

Different LED wavelengths are used for different types of skin treatments. Blue (407 to 420 nm) and red (633 to 660 nm) are used to treat acne; red and yellow (588 nm) are used as anti-aging treatments to increase collagen production. Red and near infrared (600 to 1,000 nm) penetrate skin and muscle and promote skin healing, fibroblast proliferation, synthesis of collagen and accelerated tissue repair.

The National Institute of Health found that although results were gradual, there was a 25% to 50% improvement in skin roughness and tightness in all study participants after 6 months of treatment.

What are you waiting for? LED promotes skin rejuvenation and has anti-aging benefits. If beautiful skin and faster healing are not enough, infrared light therapy heals muscle injuries, relieves pain and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for temporary relief of aching joints and muscle pain, increased blood circulation and relaxed muscles. 

Did I mention that infrared light may be used to detox the body?

There are several ways to take advantage of infrared light and LED technology for skin.

1.    Find a nearby red / infrared light spa with unlimited use of LED machines for a monthly fee. I visited a spa and used a LED machine once. I loved it, but they never provided the light wavelength specifications for the machine. The cost was $39 to $59/month. 

2.    Purchase a LED skin care devise for home use for $ to $$$, most cover a small area. I own a small red-infrared hand held devise. I love it and would like to cover a larger area. 

3.    Build a Do-It-Yourself near infrared light home spa. I have space at home to make a red LED and near infrared light spa.

There are instructions and photos on the Internet to customize your own DIY near infrared light spa.

For now, I am experimenting on the most basic level. I purchased this RubyLux infrared light that operates at 850 nm for $22. I installed the light in a porcelain base, clamp on light fixture. The bulb gets hot and can burn so use protective covers and take precautions during use.

I purchased this Super Ultrathin Red LED Grow Light Panel with a wavelength of 660nm for $22 per panel.

To date, I hung a couple of clamp light fixtures with infrared bulbs in my bathroom. I turn them on while I brush my teeth. I stack the red-light panels in the bathroom or hold them like a book in front of my face and neck for 10 minutes. Both lights feel great. I'll be designing a more permanent hanging system in the near future. Let's check my skin results in 6 months :)

Take good care of yourself and for more skin care tips get my book "Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare" xo Deborah