6 min read
The Science Behind the World's First Full-Spectrum Red Light Therapy
Reality is sometimes a strange mistress. We all know how things should be and what magic wand we need in our lives (in skincare and otherwise) to fix things, but the wand is nowhere to be found. Most don't exist and have never been brought to fruition from the realm of ideas. We're not really sure if some things are even possible (and would rather outsource the responsibility of finding out, because true creation is difficult and time-consuming). The leading medical skin-tech brand, FOREO, accepted this never-before-done challenge and, under its anti-aging sister, FAQ™ Swiss, debuted the FAQ™ 500 collection that recently exceeded its target in a Kickstarter campaign. The collection contains FAQ™ 501 and FAQ™ 502, expanded with infrared light therapy. This momentum marked a transition into a new reality, with the world’s first full-spectrum red light therapy devices. What is so special about this, you ask, having been hearing about light therapy for years and years now? The revolutionary element is that the FAQ™ 500 collection devices mimic the entire beneficial part of the solar spectrum, rather than an isolated wavelength, without any harmful rays.
Once the border of the "impossible" is broken, industries and lives get revolutionized. We're here today, calling all of you - early adopters, explorers of the unusual, seekers of those finer things in life, new tech shrine worshipers, and those who refuse to accept the current possibilities as the final ones - to enjoy pro-level, comprehensive, light-based rejuvenating skincare revolutionizing how we see at-home selfcare.
Still, anyone can just clamour on about a revolution in this and that till their lungs give out, so we'd much rather talk about the scientific scaffolding behind this new approach.
What does the science say?
Fixing its glasses down there by the test tubes, science says that the sun is king for biological organisms on this planet. From fine-tuning the circadian rhythms, preserving your sanity, making your food grow, and helping your body detox and strengthen its immune system, the list goes on longer than a Friday afternoon lecture on a gorgeous (sunny) day. The energy from the sun is right up there with the bare necessities, such as food, water, and sleep, and this giant nuclear furnace in the sky was rightfully adored as a god by the ancients.
Nothing in this existence is entirely black or white (technically, black and white don't exist if you ask photons, but that's a whole other story). Even this brightest object in our vicinity, the Sun, has its dark side. The sun's rays encompass a broad range of wavelengths, from ultraviolet (UV) to visible light and infrared (IR). Red and near-infrared (NIR) light are the most beneficial to our skin, cells, and overall biology. To us living in our macro universe, it seems somewhat strange to think about the workings of the micro and nano worlds, where light does anything other than help you avoid cutting your finger while chopping a cabbage head or tripping over a toy in a dark hallway. Still, it has been proven that red and NIR wavelengths of light pierce right to the cellular level to:
- Stimulate cellular energy (ATP) production
- Support tissue repair and regeneration
- Boost collagen synthesis and skin health
So yes, we want to be in the sun, a thousand times yes. But there is a problem with overexposure, as anyone who has ever stared at their poor sunburned self in that mirror knows. You will be punished with skin and DNA damage if you try to force the sun only to give you the benefits (and a tan).
The rise of red light therapy
By isolating the healing frequencies, red LED therapy has gained popularity in skincare and medicine. It took the proven-to-work beneficial wavelengths and created narrow-band LEDs that emit only one or two wavelengths of red or near-infrared light. This is very helpful for skin repair, wound healing, and managing pain and inflammation.
Although beneficial, this approach is also incomplete as the sun's wavelengths work synergistically. It's like using a single vitamin over and over again versus a complex or perfectly calibrated multivitamin. A single vitamin may help if that's the only one you're lacking, but you're far more likely to hit your nutritional gaps and get better outcomes with a multivitamin.
So yes, use red light therapy by all means. It is a safe and effective alternative to more invasive approaches, but consider what a full, broad, and narrow spectrum of sunlight combined can do, without the harmful UV and blue light elements that contribute to aging, hyperpigmentation, and inflammation. This means that you can get all the healing benefits of sunlight - minus the sunburn.
FAQ™ 500: Broad and narrow-spectrum together
There is nothing foreign being introduced to your body with the FAQ™ 500 devices. Your skin and cells already know what to do with light and how to use the energy from the sun to repair, rejuvenate, heal, and rebuild their tissues and systems. The interplay of various wavelengths of full-spectrum light targets the root causes of skin aging at a cellular level, whether you need help minimizing fine lines and deeper wrinkles, blotchy pigmentation, or smoothing rough texture and calming redness.
FAQ™ 500 is the first at-home device to utilize both broad-spectrum light and narrow-spectrum light technologies, mimicking the biologically rich light environment you'd experience when stepping into the sun. This is basically sunlight, but scientifically refined. While traditional red light only targets specific layers with 650 - 700 nm, FAQ™ 502 devices cover a much larger portion of the spectrum from 590 nm to 1200 nm, reaching both the epidermis and deeper layers of skin for stronger and longer-lasting skin rejuvenation results.
This is what makes it different from all other red light therapy devices: the ability to optimize results across multiple skin layers and at precise depths. The surface skin aging we see and are bothered by is only the end result of the deterioration of various layers below. The new collection is an evolved form of red light therapy – designed to work with your skin’s natural biology, not just on it.
Specialized skincare
Oh, and there's a topical from the same brand developed to boost the effects of red light therapy, FAQ™ Red Light Peptide Serum, an all-in-one (don't you love those) antioxidant-rich serum enhanced with collagen-boosting Peptides, brightening Sea Daffodil, hydrating HA, soothing Green Tea & repairing Cica. Two and two sometimes equals seven, if you know what you're doing.
FAQ™ 500 Before and After
IMPROVES PIGMENTATION & MINIMIZES WRINKLES
Once we reach a certain milestone in life, some sunspots, age spots, and discoloration are essentially inevitable if you haven't been extremely cautious about direct sun exposure and the quality of every single bite in your diet. Cudos to moms, but for us who are only human, FAQ™ 500 devices can help us fade the damage already done, and prevent the formation of new spots and hyperpigmented areas.
If you stick to the use schedule, your skincare wand will also reliably boost collagen and elastin production, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve firmness by rejuvenating the skin’s structure on multiple levels, not just the surface.
Powerful full-spectrum red light therapy will start giving visible results by day 14 (if you use it consistently). The increased collagen and elastin lead to tighter, more elastic skin. You'll notice fewer wrinkles and a smoother texture. By day 28, you'll see the pigmentation fade and the thin, fragile epidermal (top) skin layer become thicker and more resilient, resulting in smoother, more even, younger-looking, and healthier skin.
ACNE, SCARRING, REDNESS, AND TEXTURE
We all know it's not just about the breakout. Sometimes we get stuck in a breakout loop on a particular area due to the spread and smearing of acne-causing bacteria to healthy surrounding skin. The wand will take care of these, helping prevent the formation of new blemishes and accelerating tissue healing to help soften and fade the scarring already gracing our faces.
If there's inflammation, there's a biological response of redness, meaning there's more blood in the area, trying to resolve the unnecessary inflammation (some is necessary). FAQ™ 500 devices will effectively calm redness and rosacea by targeting the underlying causes of skin inflammation, resulting in a more balanced complexion.
Improved collagen renewal and cellular turnover will help reduce roughness and pore size, and will enhance the touch factor quality, making the skin feel smoother and softer.
So for the young in mind and heart who want their skin to match their soul, for the techy futurists and holistic non-invasive healing fans, for those who want to learn more, join us in finding new ways to be and love ourselves. Stay curious, stay gorgeous, and enjoy living in your skin.
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