How can you use red light therapy for cold sores?
You may wonder how red light therapy for cold sores could be of any use, but there are many ways it can be utilized.
Firstly, you need to know that not all light therapies are created equally. Sunlight or UV radiation are ineffective treatments for cold sores and should not be used without consulting with a doctor. Red light therapy is particularly designed for healing, regenerating, and reducing inflammation in the skin. To know about the basics of red light therapy refer to the previous article- https://holisticallysane.com/7-questions-about-red-light-therapy-answered/
Red light therapy is used to treat cold sores. Red-green wavelengths and infrared (IR) wavelengths are combined, accelerating the healing process.
What is the main cause of cold sores?
Cold sores are often caused by particular strains of the herpes simplex virus. More often than not, HSV-1 causes cold sores. HSV-2 usually causes genital herpes.
Red light therapy has been known to help your body in a lot of different ways. One way that red light therapy can help you is by stimulating cellular reactions, thereby increasing the amount of energy produced inside your mitochondria. When stimulated, these cells work to repair and rejuvenate cells at a faster pace. They have also been found to shorten recovery time with cold sores.
It’s a misconception that only blue light helps your skin and makes it look better. For best results, use red light at the very first tingle or sign of skin discomfort. The fact is that if you use red light before the first tingle or sign of skin discomfort, it can help prevent a flare-up.
Otherwise once the cold sore was formed. It would need more time.
Some individuals find relief from cold sores by either applying ice packs to the area or taking outdated pain relief medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. While some find relief in taking over-the-counter creams such as Zovirax or Abreva.
Nonetheless, if these methods don’t work for you, you can try a new treatment called red light therapy for cold sores. This treatment uses light to kill the virus that causes cold sores without any side effects, which usually occur in treatments involving antibiotics or antiviral creams.
Is there any research on red light therapy for cold sores?
A 2013 study looked at herpes around the mouth area. They divided the patients into two groups: one group being treated with infrared wavelengths and the other with a placebo.
The patients were then asked to rate the severity of their symptoms. The healing time was significantly reduced for patients undergoing infrared therapy, as their healing time was an average of 129 hours, compared to 177 hours for the placebo group.
In one study, participants saw an average healing time of 3.8 days after eight sessions of red light therapy, which is more than a 50% reduction in healing time. compared to the 2.6 days seen in a placebo treatment group. In another study, participants who used red light therapy saw an average healing time of 2-3 days and were able to go on with their daily activities almost immediately after healing sessions.
Another well-conducted study found that light therapy increased healing rates of cold sore ulcers and decreased pain more than Acyclovir. Cold sores are often treated with oral or topical medications, such as the antiviral drug Acyclovir, but many people seeking these treatments experience adverse side effects and slow improvement.
This study found that the use of a low-level laser for treating cold sore lesions is an effective and affordable way to treat the herpes simplex virus. Hence, it is evident that these well-designed trials clearly show the efficacy of treating and preventing cold sore outbreaks with light therapy
However, the light must be applied at both the proper wavelength and irradiance to achieve these results. That’s exactly why Luminance RED was designed specifically to meet these specifications.
Is red light therapy for cold sores treatment effective?
Cold sores are caused by a virus called Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1. It is transmitted through saliva and contact with an infected person. The virus can be found in the blister or on the skin around the blister.
The virus remains inactive until it becomes active again, usually during periods of high stress, illness or exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight. When these conditions are met, it enters the nerve cells and moves to the surface of the skin where it multiplies and creates a cold sore.
The myth that light therapy is ineffective for the treatment of cold sores has been propagated because patients have not been consistently using light therapy long enough for it to work effectively. The length of time required before light therapy starts working varies from person to person but it generally takes between two and four weeks for a patient’s immune system to build up antibodies against HSV 1 that will protect them from future outbreaks.
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