The following side effects are expected during the light therapy course. Contact your doctor if these symptoms are severe and/or do not go away:
How Common (based on clinical studies)
| Skin peeling | Up to 60% of all users |
| Diffuse hyperpigmentation | Up to 55% of all users |
| Mild redness | Up to 53% of all users |
| Itching | Up to 50 % of all users |
| Stinging sensation | Up to 20% of all users |
| Dryness of skin | Up to 13% of all users |
| Acne flare-up | Up to 11.1% of all users |
| Pain | Up to 10% of all users |
| Rash | Up to 6.6% of all users |
| Headache | Up to 3.3% of all users |
Light therapy may also cause other side effects that are not mentioned here. Contact your doctor if you experience any other troublesome symptoms after light therapy.
References
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- Goldberg DJ, Russell BA. Combination blue (415 nm) and red (633 nm) LED phototherapy in the treatment of mild to severe acne vulgaris. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 8(2), 71-5 (2006).
- Kawada A, Aragane Y, Kameyama H, Sangen Y, Tezuka T. Acne phototherapy with a high-intensity, enhanced, narrow-band, blue light source: an open study and in vitro investigation. J Dermatol Sci. 30(2), 129-35 (2002).
- Kwon HH, Lee JB, Yoon JY, Park SY, Ryu HH, Park BM, Kim YJ, Suh DH. The clinical and histological effect of home-use, combination blue-red LED phototherapy for mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris in Korean patients: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Br J Dermatol. 168(5), 1088-94 (2013).
- Morton CA, Scholefield RD, Whitehurst C, Birch J. An open study to determine the efficacy of blue light in the treatment of mild to moderate acne. J Dermatolog Treat. 16(4), 219-23 (2005).
- Papageorgiou P, Katsambas A, Chu A. Phototherapy with blue (415 nm) and red (660 nm) light in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Br J Dermatol. 142(5), 973-8 (2000).
- Wheeland RG, Koreck A. Safety and Effectiveness of a New Blue Light Device for the Self-treatment of Mild-to-moderate Acne. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 5(5), 25-31 (2012).
- Elgendy A, Khalil K, Alshawadfy E, Wadea N, Alkady O. Blue light therapy versus low dose isotretinoin in mild to moderate acne. Glob Dermatol. 2(3), 131-4 (2015).