Experts are urging caution over a new skincare trend that's gaining popularity on social media.
Coming in the form of masks, wands, and lamps, red light therapy claims to give you glowy, flawless skin.
According to MoleMap New Zealand, red light therapy is said to treat things like wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation, redness and acne. Their website says low-level wavelengths of red and near-infrared light are used.
"The red LED lights are absorbed by the top layer of skin (the epidermis) and travel into the deeper levels known as the dermis."
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, dermatologist Louise Reiche said the therapy is "absolutely a gimmick" and consumers should be aware of possible side effects.
"Depending on what you're using it for, it can cause effects on other tissues. You need to be sure that the person administering the treatment has the training and knows their equipment and will direct it exactly where the problem is and not just blunderbuss everywhere."
Coming in the form of masks, wands, and lamps, red light therapy claims to give you glowy, flawless skin. (Source: istock.com)
"Medical equipment undergoes rigorous calibration and standards and the practitioners very rigorous training, so I'd recommend consumers or users to check out the credentials of the person administering the treatment, make sure they've given you the correct information on whether they're selling it just as being good [with no warnings] it probably is too good to be true because there are adverse effects, there are side effects and you need to know about those.
"There might also be side effects that come much much later. We know that ultra-violet rays contribute to increased ageing known as photo ageing, and skin cancers and other damage, so be careful to use what you actually need for your condition and not just for the feel good factor, otherwise you could end up coming away red-eyed, red-faced, and in the red with potential major health problems."
Reiche said while people may get immediate results where their skin glows and "almost looks sunburnt", consumers will "regret it deeply" 10-20 years down the track.
"[I] definitely would not recommend a consumer buy one online to do it themselves, get advice first from a medical specialist and get it professionally done."
She says the most effective measure of prevention of the photoaging and photocarcinogenesis is sun protection.
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