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LED Light Frequencies

Do LED Facial Treatment Devices Produce Danagerous Radiation?

Hi Jean,

I've noticed that different portable LED machines use different types of light, some red some NEAR infrared and some other types of infrared.

It seems like the near infrared is safer type of infrared light. Dr. Perricone just came up with his LED gadget called light renewal and it uses both red (633 nm) and NEAR infrared light (830).

The salesperson said the near infrared light actually appears yellow.

It looks like LED light uses a form of radiation. I also know that radiation has been linked to the development of cancer.

So I’m wondering if LED lights are safe.

Have the long term effects of this type of radiation been assessed? I trust Dr. Perricone so I'm thinking of trading my Baby Quasar in for the light renewal.

Did NASA use near infrared or another type of infrared light?

I called the makers of the Baby Q and their wavelength is slightly different from the ones you noted.

They use:

• 632 - amber indicator light
• 650 - red indicator light and
• 880-950 - green indicator light.

Just thought I’d let you know.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Amy

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Hi Amy,

First of all, thank you and kudos for your resourcefulness in actually calling the Baby Q company to ask about their wavelengths.

Why didn’t I think of that?!

This very question came up recently in my blog.

In my first Ageless Beauty article on the Baby Quasar I sited the wavelengths published on Amazon (650 to 1200 nm). I considered Amazon to be a credible source.

With your information, I was able to complete the thread on my blog, as well as correct my Baby Quasar article.

I am a Dr. Perricone fan myself and have published an article which describes Dr. Perricone’s LED device and his opinions on LED therapy.

It was after reading that Dr. Perricone considers LED phototherapy unequivocally beneficial that I purchased my own Baby Quasar.

The advantage of Dr. Perricone’s device is that it is in the form of a mask rather than a wand. Therefore treatment is quicker and easier to administer evenly. I still like the Baby Quasar wand, however, because I can use it to spot treat around the eyes and mouth where wrinkles first appear.

Do LEDs Emit Carcinogenic Radiation?

Your question about the safety of LED radiation is an excellent one. And the simple answer is, “No. LED radiation does not cause cancer.”

There is an extremely interesting article on electromagnetic radiation on Wikipedia if you care to learn more.

I particularly like this article because it includes some excellent graphics which the layman can easily grasp. The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all electromagnetic radiation and is, theoretically, infinite.

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum which we know most about is the portion spanning from the longest wavelengths of radio and TV to the shortest wavelengths of gamma radiation.

Energy released by matter can be measured and described directly by its level of photon activity or indirectly by its frequency (Hertz) or wavelength (meters, centimeters, nanometers, etc.).

Electromagnetic energy travels in waves. Measuring the distance between two wave peaks gives the energy type’s wavelength.

Referring to one of the graphs in the Wikipedia article, the distance between two radio waves is as long as a skyscraper is tall.

Wavelengths in the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum visible to the human eye (the visible spectrum) are only as long as single cell protozoans.

At the shortest end of the spectrum are gamma rays with wavelengths the size of atomic nuclei.

From longest to shortest, we describe the electromagnetic spectrum thus:

• Radio/TV (UHF, VHF and FM);
• Microwaves;
• Infrared light;
• Visible light;
• Ultraviolet light;
• X-rays; and
• Gamma radiation.

Though there is overlap along the spectrum depending on the atmospheric conditions under which measurements are taken, scientists describe the visible spectrum as that between 400 and 700 nm. The infrared range spans approximately 750 nm to 10,000 nm.

From this you can see that LED phototherapy devices use light at the longer wavelength end of the visible spectrum and the shorter end of the infrared spectrum.

Unless you have concerns about being exposed to yellow (600 nm) and red (700 nm) visible light or infrared rays just a tiny bit beyond visible red (such as that found in lamps restaurants use to keep food warm), you should feel perfectly safe using any of the LED phototherapy devices on the market.

The salesperson was incorrect to tell you that infrared (or near infrared) light appears yellow.

You now know that infrared light is far beyond yellow along the electromagnetic spectrum. It is just beyond red, which is the end of the visible spectrum. Therefore the human eye cannot see infrared energy.

NASA research thus far has indicated that optimal LED wavelengths for tissue penetration are 680, 730 and 880.

The only wavelengths associated with cancer risk are at the other end of the electromagnetic spectrum (UV, X-ray and Gamma radiation).

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.

 

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