Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition that can result in scaly and itchy patches of skin anywhere on your body. The exact cause of the condition is currently unknown, but environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role.
The condition affects around 125 million people in the world. Treatment options for psoriasis can include medications and phototherapy, or light therapy.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes symptoms such as:
- inflamed patches of skin
- itching and burning
- flaky and scaly patches of skin
- swollen joints
- dry skin that cracks and bleeds
Red light therapy is one treatment option for people with psoriasis. Some research has shown that it can help improve psoriasis by clearing the skin of plaques (raised scaly skin patches). But experts agree that more research is needed to understand the benefits and effects of red light therapy on psoriasis.
How does red light therapy work for psoriasis?
Red light therapy uses low red and infrared light to treat skin conditions. It’s a treatment for psoriasis that helps to reduce plaques on the body.
It is also known as:
- cold laser therapy
- low-level light therapy
- soft laser therapy
Red light therapy can help people with psoriasis by stimulating the skin to help it heal. It’s commonly used to treat scars, burns, and wrinkles.
An older 2012 study that compared the effects of blue light and red light therapy on psoriasis found that both were effective at treating psoriasis.
A small 2010 study found that red light therapy helped clear plaques in people with psoriasis, who saw 60–100% clearance of their plaques.
According to a 2018 clinical review, it takes about 4-5 weeks of red light therapy to see an improvement in psoriasis symptoms.
Is red light therapy safe?
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, light therapy is generally considered safe. It is a noninvasive treatment that has few to no side effects. But some reports have shown that red light therapy can sometimes lead to burns and blistering.
Consider speaking with a doctor to determine if red light therapy is the best treatment option for you. A healthcare professional will apply red light through a phototherapy device directly on the affected skin area.
What form of red light therapy is best?
Red light therapy can work best for psoriasis treatment when delivered to targeted areas in high doses.
Some spas or tanning salons offer red light therapy sessions to treat psoriasis. You can also buy red light therapy or low light laser devices. But this is not recommended, as the forms and doses offered may not be effective or strong enough. Treatments such as phototherapy should always be recommended by a healthcare professional first.
By receiving treatment from a healthcare professional, you can ensure that the therapy is targeted and will not affect other parts of your skin.
Treatment options
There are various treatment options available for psoriasis, such as:
- Topical corticosteroids: These include over-the-counter and prescription creams and ointments, such as flurandrenolide (Cordran) and fluticasone (Cutivate).
- Systemic treatment: This treatment involves oral or injected medications that can help to address inflammation. They include:
- cyclosporine (Sandimmune)
- methotrexate (Trexall)
- tazarotene (Fabior)
- Biologics: A healthcare professional may prescribe biologics to reduce your body’s immune system activity. Examples include brodalumab (Siliq) and ixekizumab (Taltz).
A healthcare professional may advise a combination of these treatment options to address your psoriasis.
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