While several wavelengths of light make an impact on skin, there is one that is also garnering attention for its ability to reduce pain.
A recent study published in the Journal of Pain by the International Association for the Study of Pain from the University of Arizona discovered that rats exposed to green LED light at 525nm for eight hours a day, five days a week became less sensitive to irritating stimuli and had less pain. Inspired by the healing power of nature, the researchers chose to expose the rats to green light. “We found that, indeed, the levels of endogenous opioids, the free-floating chemicals in your body that are natural pain relievers...seem to go up with green light exposure,” says Rajesh Khanna, associate professor of pharmacology.
Currently, researchers are running a small clinical trial on people suffering from migraines and fibromyalgia. “We see this as a therapy in the future and basically a complementary therapy to whatever medication they’re on,” says Mohab Ibrahim, director of the Comprehensive Pain Management Clinic. In the preliminary data from this trial, the patients’ pain decreased from between 40 to 50 percent, says Ibrahim. However, because this is only the initial finding, a more rigorous trial is needed. Stay tuned for future studies, which could lead to spas treating skin and pain at the same time.
Read More: How Different Hues Are Used for Light Therapy and The Debate About At-Home LED Devices