Having any kind of problems with your skin can make you feel insecure, but especially when it’s on your face as it can be difficult to cover up. Rosacea is no exception. It can make your skin feel unpredictable; you might wake up with your face looking calm, then notice your cheeks becoming hot and noticeably red after walking into a warm room or drinking a cup of tea. For some people, it is mainly the change in colour. But for others, the skin stings or small inflamed bumps appear across the cheeks and nose.
When a condition like this is visible on your face, it can be difficult to hide it. You may find yourself avoiding photographs because your face has flushed for no obvious reason, or caking your face in makeup to try and conceal some of the redness. However, red light therapy for rosacea is a non-invasive way to support calmer skin.
At Active Care Chiropractic, we use low level red and near infrared light to support the body’s natural repair processes. Rosacea and red light therapy go together as this treatment is used to help reduce inflammation, which can also help with treating a lot of problems with the skin. If you want to know how, continue reading and we’ll explain exactly what rosacea is and how red light therapy can help.
What Is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a long-term condition that mainly affects the centre of the face. It often involves flushing across the cheeks or nose that comes and goes, but the redness can become more persistent. Some people tend to feel embarrassed as it appears that they’re blushing constantly which can make them insecure. But it’s not just redness, some people with rosacea also experience inflammation as well as red bumps and dry skin. This can also be painful, itchy and can flare up after washing the face or applying skincare products. Everybody’s rosacea is different, some products may work for some, while for others it may aggravate the condition even more. Seeing a dermatologist can also help to see what is causing it and to provide advice on what products to use to relieve the redness.
The exact cause of rosacea is still unknown, but having an overactive immune system and genetics do play a role. Some people also have their own triggers, such as drinking alcohol or being out in the sun too long that leads to a flare up. There isn’t a definitive cure for rosacea but there are treatments that can make this skin condition more manageable as well as improve the appearance of the skin that’s affected.
Can Red Light Therapy Help Rosacea?
Red light therapy and rosacea can work together as photobiomodulation affects cells and inflammatory activity. Rosacea involves more than redness on the surface. Inflammation and changes around small facial blood vessels can be a cause, although the exact pattern differs between patients.
Red light therapy does not scrub or peel the skin like other treatments, nor does it damage the surface. Low level light is absorbed by the mitochondria. This creates the energy that cells need to carry out normal functions. By stimulating this process, the treatment may help cells create energy more efficiently, promoting cell repair and helping the body regulate inflammation.
This is why red light therapy for rosacea is becoming more popular when the face feels inflamed or takes a long time to settle after a flare. It may give sensitive skin support without introducing another strong cream or abrasive treatment to already irritated skin.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work For Rosacea?
During a professional session, the skin is exposed to specific wavelengths of low level red and near infrared light. It works differently from vascular laser or intense pulsed light, which target visible blood vessels and stronger background redness.
Once the red light is absorbed, it interacts with the mitochondria and influences the way cells produce energy. That response may affect inflammatory signalling and tissue repair. A red light rosacea treatment needs to be performed by a professional who has experience in using this technology, as a lot of at-home devices tend to vary in strength/wavelengths, which may not be suitable for your skin condition. As everybody is different (some people with rosacea only experience blush-like redness, while others have sore, inflamed skin) the results will vary depending on what is causing the redness. But for those who are suffering from inflammation red light therapy can help reduce this which can lead to improving facial redness.
Benefits Of Red Light Therapy For Rosacea
Help Calm Inflammation
Inflammation is one reason a flare up can continue after the original trigger has gone, for example your face may still look red an hour after coming out of the sun or cold wind. Red light may help regulate inflammatory activity within the skin as the flare settles.
Ease Burning And Stinging
Rosacea is not only about how the skin looks. Burning or stinging can make washing uncomfortable, while a familiar moisturiser can suddenly feel harsh. In a small report involving two people with papulopustular rosacea, both described less burning and itching after ten combined red and blue LED treatments. This suggests red light therapy for rosacea can help with discomfort as well as redness.
Supports Cellular Repair
Skin that repeatedly becomes inflamed can feel dry and reactive, then take longer to return to normal. By stimulating the mitochondria and helping cells create energy, red light may support the repair work taking place within the skin. The possible benefit is gradual support while you protect the skin barrier and manage the triggers that affect you.
Offers A Non-Invasive Option
People with rosacea often become cautious about trying anything new because one unsuitable product can cause several days of irritation. Red light is delivered without needles or abrasive treatment to the skin. There is usually no peeling or long recovery period afterwards, which may make it a practical supportive option for somebody who does not want the treatment itself to leave their face irritated.
What Does The Research Say About Rosacea And Red Light Therapy?
Research into rosacea and red light therapy is promising, but it is still limited. A 2020 paper followed two patients with papulopustular rosacea who received ten treatments combining blue light at 480 nm with red light at 650 nm. The clinicians reported an improvement in redness and papules, while both patients described reduced burning and itching. The result is encouraging, especially for those who have tried other treatments and not received the results they were hoping for.
Which Rosacea Symptoms May Respond?
Red light is most likely to be considered for symptoms linked to inflammation and sensitivity. This could include background redness that becomes stronger during a flare or tender skin that takes a long time to calm down. People who experience papules and pustules may also be interested.
Persistent visible vessels are different. Once small facial vessels have become clearly visible, medical vascular lasers and intense pulsed light can be used for visible vessels and severe background redness.
Managing Rosacea Alongside Red Light Therapy
Common triggers include sunlight, hot drinks, alcohol, spicy food, cold weather and strenuous exercise. Stress can also play a part. Triggers are individual, so keeping a simple diary can be useful. You may notice that coffee is fine when it has cooled slightly, but drinking it piping hot causes flushing that lasts through the morning.
Daily sun protection matters because sunlight is a common trigger. Choose a high-SPF product for sensitive skin and stop using anything that burns or stings.
You may find washing your face with lukewarm water and using your fingertips instead of a flannel or cleansing brush helps. Pat the face dry to avoid aggressive rubbing, then apply a gentle moisturiser made for sensitive skin. It also helps to introduce one new product at a time so you know what caused a reaction. Gentle skincare and avoiding personal triggers remain important parts of rosacea management.
Is Red Light Therapy Safe For Rosacea?
Red light therapy is non-invasive, but rosacea means the skin should still be treated cautiously. Seeing a professional is the best call instead of relying on at-home face light therapy masks, as devices for personal use vary in strength and wavelengths.
You may want to speak to your dermatologist first if the redness has not been diagnosed. A red light rosacea treatment can be used alongside prescribed topical or oral medication. If you have visible vessels, you may need laser treatment. Either way, red light therapy for rosacea can help with calming inflammation but treatment needs to be tailored because symptoms and responses can differ considerably between people.
Try Red Light Therapy At Active Care Chiropractic
If you’re already managing rosacea but still find that redness, inflammation or sensitive skin keeps flaring up, red light therapy could be something worth adding to your routine. At Active Care Chiropractic in York, we offer professional red light therapy using our NovoTHOR full-body bed, which exposes the body to low level red and near infrared light in a controlled session.
If you’re interested in rosacea and red light therapy and want to see whether it could help support your skin alongside the steps you already take to manage flare-ups, get in touch with Active Care Chiropractic. Book a red light therapy session with us in York today and see how your skin responds to professional treatment.
