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JULY/AUGUST 2019 32 SHAPE.COM

Doctors believe getting lit is the future of skin care. Here,

how LED light therapy can give you a youthful-looking

complexion with zero drawbacks. By Genevieve Monsma

LIGHTING

good

LED THERAPY for issues like

wrinkles and acne is making

dermatologists very excited.

The light-emitting-diode

treatments are nonaggressive,

so you can see improvement

without any downtime. Plus,

the emergence of high-tech,

at-home devices that are effec-

tive makes the power of light

accessible to anyone. “We are

beginning to realize that skin

treatments don’t need to be

harsh to achieve real, lasting

results,” says Shape Brain Trust

member Ellen Marmur, M.D.,

a dermatologist in New York

who is at the forefront of LED

therapy. “In addition, LEDs

don’t trigger inflammation. In

fact, some LED lights quell it.

And we now know inflamma-

tion can accelerate skin aging.”

The benefits don’t stop

there. “LED is a game changer

because it communicates with

the skin in a way that’s different

from typical skin-care serums

and creams,” says Dennis

Gross, M.D., a dermatologist

in New York. “Our skin cells

contain receptors for red LED

light, so they recognize and

respond to it.” Double up on

the two methods, and that

multifaceted approach is the

most effective strategy for

achieving significant improve-

ment in increasing collagen

production or diminishing

acne flare-ups.

In fact, LED light may

soon become one of the

most important steps in your

routine. At a doctor’s office,

a medical spa, or home, you

will either sit in front of a lit

screen (think Lite-Brite for

grown-ups) for several pain-

less minutes or strap a light-up

mask to your face. Read on

to learn about the benefits

of LEDs in different colors.

(Continued on page 34)

ON THE

LIGHT TRACK

Adding an LED

session to your

routine can

boost your skin-

care results.

skin smart