Safety
Phototherapy is safe for nearly anyone, and side effects are mild.
What to expect during light therapy
For two weeks prior to a light therapy session, you may need to avoid retinols and other skin care products that thin your skin.
If you’re on any anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your ND if you should discontinue them.
Avoid tanning beds and prolonged, unprotected sun exposure in the days just before your treatment appointments.
Red light therapy sessions last approximately 15 minutes. During the session, you’ll lay down or put your head in a special device meant to keep your face still.
A trained light therapy professional will apply pulses from a light therapy device to different parts of your face, working in a circular fashion. After several repetitions of this process, the treatment is complete.
After phototherapy, your treated skin may be pink.
Your skin may be more sensitive, and you might need to skip your typical skin care regimen for a few days afterward, especially scrubs, exfoliants, and topical vitamin A.
While we recommend you wear sunscreen every day, you’ll need to be especially vigilant with sunblock while your skin recovers although there is usually zero downtime.
