Aging. As much as we
prefer for it to not happen, it’s a fact of life. And unfortunately, our skin
is very good at showing our age.
That’s because our skin contains very
specialized cells and structures.
After you reach the big 2-0, the skin
synthesizes less and less collagen.
Estrogen levels slowly decrease, fat
decreases and sinks, and eventually the skin is left dry, wrinkled, thin, and
stretched out. It also is more easily damaged.
While the endless search for the fountain
of youth continues, we can thank celebrities — our fearless and capital-endowed
investigators — for finding the best ways to look ageless.
So what exactly are these seemingly magical
treatments celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham,
and countless other stars are using?
A hint: It doesn’t involve surgery! *
The answer is energy-based skin treatments.
These treatments use varying wavelengths of electromagnetic field energy to
change the properties of your skin.
*Although many have also had surgical
procedures
Types
of Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)
Everyone is exposed to a complex mix of
electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on a daily basis, some natural, some man-made.
All of these fields fall on the Electromagnetic Spectrum.
Your cells react differently to these
varying frequencies, based on the frequency’s properties and the body’s
sophisticated mechanisms for dealing with these frequencies.
However, the body does not possess
protective mechanisms for all biological effects, especially ones that stress
your body for long periods of time.
We know that ionizing frequencies (Gamma
rays, X-rays, UV rays) can instantly damage cells.
In terms of non-ionizing frequencies
(visible light, infrared, microwaves, radio frequency (RF) waves, extremely low
frequency (ELF) waves), they cannot instantly damage a cell, but some have been
shown to lead to adverse health effects with chronic, long-term exposure.
The specific radio frequency EMFs used in
cell phones and mobile devices can create thermal and biological damage after
chronic exposure.
These frequencies aren’t naturally
occurring, and the cell doesn’t have defense mechanisms to protect itself from
over-exposure. This leads to oxidative stress and other biological effects,
like DNA fragmentation and cell mutation.
However, some non-ionizing frequencies,
like visible and infrared light, are naturally occurring, and have not been
shown to create damaging biological effects.
Energy-Based
Skin Tightening Treatments
Some light energy frequencies have actually
been found to be healthy for cell growth and healing, whether it’s by
stimulating collagen and elastin production, or by increasing antioxidants and
blood flow.
These energy frequencies have been
harnessed in non-surgical skin-tightening and skin-restoring treatments.
According to the American Society for
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there was an increase in overall non-surgical
procedures by 4.2% in 2017.
Non-surgical skin tightening procedures,
including (RF) radio frequency treatments, increased by 15.1%. There was over
half a million skin rejuvenation procedures done in 2017.
These procedures target different layers of
your skin to help reduce wrinkles, sagging skin, age spots, uneven skin tone or
texture, sun-damaged skin, acne, and scars.
Radio frequency waves are used for ‘RF’
skin tightening, infrared waves are used for laser phototherapy and
resurfacing, and visible light waves are used for LED light treatments.
Ultrasound skin treatments, while very
similar in terms of effects, use a sound wave instead of an electromagnetic
light wave.
Radio
Frequency (RF) Skin Treatments
Radio frequencies are a low-energy form of
radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum.
These treatments are able to tighten skin
suffering from wrinkles and laxity by directing this low-energy (0.3 to 10 MHz)
to thermally heat cells and create new collagen and elastin in the middle layer
of the skin.
RF treatments can also boost blood flow and
break down cellulite and fat.
The heat reaches the deeper layers of your
skin and subcutaneous tissue (3mm deep) due to radio frequencies, which have
long wavelengths and can penetrate through many different materials.
Dr. Harold Lancer —
who uses RF and laser treatments on clients like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer
Lopez, Beyoncé, and Scarlett Johansson — explains collagen like this: “Heating the skin can change the collagen by
immediately contracting the molecule itself, remodeling or ‘reorganizing’ the
molecular network, and stimulating fibroblasts (the cells that build the
collagen ‘mesh’) to create new collagen.”
It is most often administered via a laser
device placed over the skin, but can also be given by probes inserted into the
skin to target deeper tissues.
Besides the face, RF treatments can be used
to treat excess pockets of fat on the stomach, hips and thighs, reduce
cellulite and tighten saggy skin caused by weight loss or pregnancy.
Is it
Safe?
While the cells heat up, there is a very
low risk for heat damage due to the controlled application.
In a study of over 600 patients, the
results showed that there were no permanent side effects and only 2.7% of the
treatments resulted in temporary side effects.
When looking at the entire spectrum, the
energy level of radio frequency waves is at the low end.
And while that doesn’t mean it’s free of
harmful effects, adverse biological symptoms have only been shown to occur from
chronic exposure to radio frequencies.
While cell phones may be up against your
body for very long periods of time, RF treatments are short (a half hour) and
usually completed in 10 or fewer sessions, which greatly reduces the
probability of it causing the type of biological cell damage that chronic cell
phone radiation can cause.
Additionally, a cell phone RF emission is
about 2.4 gigahertz, which is about 10 times higher than the 0.3 to 10
megahertz used for RF skin treatments.
This means that with such a short duration
of exposure, there should not be much cause for concern that these skin
treatments will create any of the health effects shown with cell phone
radiation.
However, it is still a relatively new
treatment, and recurrent treatments over a long time period might produce
different effects.
Most skin care offices will not treat women
who are pregnant, since the baby is more vulnerable to the effects of
radiation.
LED
Photo Treatments
LED treatments use non-thermal, noninvasive
light energy in different colors and wavelengths to achieve a therapeutic
outcome.
LED lights don’t give off heat, which makes
LED phototherapy different than other skin treatments. Instead of thermally
promoting skin renewal, visible light biologically affects your cells.
Originally developed by NASA in the 80s to
help astronauts with tissue healing and repair, it has been used clinically for
wound healing, basal cell carcinoma, and various diseases.
Now, LED light treatments are used
extensively for aesthetic purposes. Studies show that natural light enhances
activity within the lymph system to reduce swelling and inflammation.
Benefits include boosting collagen,
reducing acne bacteria, and preventing pigmentation. This 20-minute treatment
can also complement other skin procedures.
LED lights range from 400 THz to over 600
THz.
Red and near-infrared (heat-less form of
infrared) therapy is the most popular. It goes the deepest (up to 10mm) and
stimulates cellular mitochondrial respiratory pathways, which protect against
nitric oxide and oxidative stress.
This creates ATP, collagen, and elastin to
combat wrinkles and environmental damage. It is helpful for wound and muscle
healing, and has been shown to increase testosterone levels. It is used by many
athletes and fitness experts like Ben Greenfield.
Green light is used to even out skin tone
by targeting melanocytes, preventing excess pigment from reaching the top layer
of skin.
Blue light is used on acne. The result is
free radical formation and destruction of the P. acnes (Propionibacterium
acnes) cell membrane, which creates acne vulgaris.
A study conducted at the University of
Chicago found that blue and blue-red light had the greatest effect on acne.
Is it
Safe?
Research shows that phototherapy treatments
are a very safe option, since they have zero thermal effects and are
non-invasive treatments. Unlike the sun, harmful UV light is not emitted by
LEDs.
Research on how visible light affects the
body has only shown positive biological changes, or no changes at all. However,
heightened power levels and prolonged exposure might create different effects
on cells.
Because LED phototherapy is a popular
at-home treatment, the strength of the devices are lessened, and there are many
other differences that might not replicate the clinical results of LED
phototherapy done at a physician’s office.
Laser
Treatments
Laser treatments send infrared energy
(sometimes mixed with visible light) into your skin. They can be ablative or
non-ablative.
Ablative lasers use mid-infrared
wavelengths from 2,790-10,600 nm, which kills and removes blemishes, age spots,
freckles, and acne scars due to its high absorption in the water in our skin.
Ablative lasers may require local anesthetic injections or sedation, and have
more side effects and recovery time.
However, they are more effective at
treating skin irregularities, and might only need one session.
Nonablative lasers use near-infrared
wavelengths from 700-2150 nm can treat wrinkles, help with skin texture and
pigmentation, and tighten skin by heating cells similar to RF treatments.
Non-ablative lasers go deeper into the skin
(3mm), where heat stimulates collagen and elastic fiber production and a new
layer of skin to form.
This causes your body to begin creating
new, fresh looking skin. They are often fractionated, sending thousands of tiny
columns into the skin in a sort of checkerboard pattern, with intervening
normal skin.
In these microthermal treatment zones, heat
is delivered to a fraction of the treatment area to lessen the recovery period
and reduce complications.
IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light, is a
different type of treatment (not technically a laser) that uses a blend of
visible and infrared light in one pulse to treat a variety of targets at once,
such as dilated blood vessels and brown spots.
Is it
Safe?
Laser treatments can have the most
side-effects compared to the other skin treatments, since the ablative lasers
are invasive and vaporize skin cells.
In the hands of a poorly trained
individual, they can be dangerous and lead to scars, burns, and pigmentation
problems.
Nonablative lasers create a temporary
swollen sunburnt effect. These side effects come from the thermal effects of
the laser.
As for long term effects, research has not
shown any harm from these infrequent treatments.
Although it is a dose of light-energy
radiation, it is short and controlled to specific areas, similar to the other
light energy treatments.
Laser skin treatments have not been shown
to cause cancer or any long term adverse biological effects. They have actually
been used to remove precancerous cell lesions, reducing the risk of developing
skin cancer.
Ultrasound
Skin Treatments
While it is an energy treatment, ultrasound therapy is a little different. Instead of an electromagnetic wave, it is actually a high frequency sound wave.
As the name suggests, ultrasound uses
frequencies so high we cannot hear them.
While our ears can hear frequencies up to
20,000 Hz, these ultrasonic treatments start at 0.5 MHz and reach 10 MHz for
shallower treatments.
The optimal temperature is found with
frequencies between 4 to 7 MHz.
There are many treatment options using
ultrasonic energy.
Diagnostic ultrasound, called sonography,
sends high frequency sound waves into your body, which bounce back to create an
image. This is used during pregnancy for fetal development imaging.
Ultrasonic therapy treatments send higher
frequency localized sound waves to heat up cells through vibrations. This has
been done for promoting blood flow and healing for injuries since the 1950s.
In 2008, high-intensity focused ultrasound
(HIFU) was introduced as an aesthetic treatment to tighten, reduce wrinkles,
and lift the skin on the face and neck.
HIFU waves can penetrate up to 5mm
deep—deeper than radio frequency and laser—reaching the second layer of muscles
(SMAS) below the facial muscles.
Similar to radio frequency and laser light
treatments, ultrasound treatments release concentrated energy to heats up
tissue and produce new compact collagen fibers.
However, HIFU delivers precise and intense
fractional ultrasound energy, while radio frequencies heat an entire specified
area. HIFU is done once, while RF treatments need a couple sessions.
Is it
Safe?
Because it is a sound wave and not an
electromagnetic wave, it does not pose the biological health risks like EMF
radiation exposure.
The potential side effects come from the
thermal energy produced. It can cause overheating effects, create gas bubbles
that put pressure on tissues, and move fluid surrounding your cells.
Because of this, you should be mindful of
using it on sensitive skin. For sonogram imaging of fetal development, there
have been some studies showing associated risks.
In a study conducted at the Hanyang
University Seoul Hospital, some patients experienced temporary discomfort with
the higher energy ultrasonic waves.
After the procedure, there was some
incidents of temporary swelling and bruising, but no long term adverse effects.
In the first five years of HIFU cosmetic
treatments, between 2009-2014, there have been 35 studies that have shown HIFU
treatments to be safe and effective.
Should
I Use These Treatments?
It is important to be mindful that these
treatments are all a form of energy that you are directing into your body at
varying levels of intensity to change the properties of your skin.
While wireless EMF radiation emitted by
mobile devices has been shown to be harmful, both thermally and biologically,
current research on light energy skin treatments has not found any significant
adverse health implications, besides temporary thermal side effects.
RF, laser, and ultrasound treatments all
pose thermal effects, that can lead to infection, permanent scarring, or
pigmentation issues.
While LED light treatments don’t have any
thermal effects, their biological changes can vary based on your body and skin
type.
In all the treatments, the controlled and
relatively short exposure time lessens the risks of adverse health effects.
However, most of these treatments have only
been available to consumers for the past 10-20 years, and while the treatment
procedure has evolved to be safer, research is still developing as the
popularity of these skin treatments increase.
Please consult a doctor when considering
these treatments. Only trained professionals should be conducting these
treatments, or instructing at-home treatments.
Your skin type and stage in life can make you more susceptible to side effects. It is important to understand if these treatments are right for you and your skin.
Daniel T. DeBaun( Engineer &
Telecommunications Executive, Author )
Daniel
T. DeBaun is an internationally recognized and influential expert in
Electromagnetic Radiation (EMF) and shielding electronic emissions, with a
particular focus on the effect of exposure from mobile devices such as laptops,
tablets and cell phones. Daniel’s concern regarding the health impact of
electronic radiation emissions grew from over 30 years of engineering
experience in the telecommunications industry, where he held a variety of
leadership and executive positions at Bell Labs, AT&T, SAIC and Telcordia.
Daniel
is co-author of recent bestseller, Radiation
Nation: The Fallout of Modern Technology, a complete guide to EMF radiation
safety and protection. Daniel is also a highly regarded industry
consultant, speaker as
well as frequent
guest national radio and television programs discussing EMF health
issues.
DefenderShield
Created
by a former telecommunications engineer and executive, DefenderShield® has been
recognized as the trusted worldwide leader in EMF radiation protection and
education.
Over
the past decade, our mission has been to support consumers in living healthy
lives by sharing our knowledge of EMF radiation and its potential health issues
while providing the most effective EMF shielding solutions possible.
https://www.defendershield.com/are-laser-radio-frequency-led-light-skin-treatments-safe/
You might also like:
Lasers
Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation
CLICK HERE . . . to view . . .
https://puricare.blogspot.com/2018/07/lasers-name-laser-is-acronym-for-light.html
........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Zeolites
hydrated
aluminosilicate minerals
CLICK HERE . . . to view . . .
https://puricare.blogspot.com/2019/12/zeolites-most-interesting-thing-about.html
........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Allergies at Home
CLICK HERE . . . to view . . .
https://puricare.blogspot.com/2020/03/allergies-at-home-is-your-water-quality.html
........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Chlorine Rash
CLICK HERE . . . to view . . .
https://puricare.blogspot.com/2020/08/chlorine-rash-chlorine-is-element-that.html
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................
Showering in hard water
CLICK HERE . . . to view . . .
https://puricare.blogspot.com/2020/03/showering-in-hard-water-when-you-bathe.html
........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Inner Beauty
CLICK HERE . . . to view . . .
https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2020/05/inner-beauty-true-beauty-comes-from-our.html..
No comments:
Post a Comment