The

management

of

psoriasis

in

a

new

light

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects, among other things, the skin and joints in the body. "Autoimmune" means that the body's immune system mistakenly attacks various tissues and structures in the body. In the case of psoriasis, the skin is attacked, which flakes, itches, and in many cases turns into sores. Joints can also be affected by psoriasis. Sun therapies have long been used as part of the treatment. Unfortunately, sunlight does not only have positive effects, as too much sun can lead to negative effects. Here, therapies with red and infrared light have become popular. This is because they are effective, but without the side effects associated with sunlight.
Since inflammations drive psoriasis, most treatments focus on reducing these processes. Research also suggests that the inflammations occurring in psoriasis affect the entire body and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to get the inflammations under control. To achieve this, anti-inflammatory drugs such as cortisone and chemotherapy agents are used. Unfortunately, these treatments are far from free of side effects, so it is crucial to do what one can through lifestyle.

What affects psoriasis?

It is already known that factors such as stress, alcohol, diet, and overweight affect the activity of psoriasis. The goal here is to minimize stress, be moderate with alcohol, and avoid overweight as much as possible. Diet is also important as it can influence both ways. Eating a lot of vegetables, berries, fibers, fatty fish, and many spices seems to be positive for alleviating the disease. If you base your diet on these foods, you not only get a positive effect on psoriasis but also on a number of other lifestyle factors. Conversely, there are many foods that can drive inflammatory processes and thereby make life worse for those with psoriasis. Such aggravating foods are fried and heavily industrially processed foods like chips and fast food. Additionally, refined carbohydrates and sugar are something that should be minimized.

It has long been known that sunlight has a positive effect on psoriasis. Sun therapy has been one of the classic methods to reduce the negative effects of the disease. The problem with sunlight is that it can also damage the skin, at least in high doses. Can one get the good effects from light without the harmful ones? The answer to the question seems to be "yes".

Infrared and red light against psoriasis

Sunlight provides a broad spectrum of light. Both the kind we can perceive with our eyes, but also the kind that lies outside our field of vision. UV light is the kind of light that tans us in the summer, but it is also this type of light that can damage the skin and is the one we ultimately want to target when using tanning beds. There is also infrared light. It is light with such a long wavelength that our eyes cannot perceive it. Infrared light, as well as visible red light, has been shown to provide many of the positive effects that sunlight delivers. Additionally, the frequency is so low that there is no risk of side effects with normal use. Red and infrared (NIR) light have become very popular for treating psoriasis, and research suggests that it can actually alleviate symptoms without side effects.

How does it work?

Light of certain frequencies, such as red and infrared light, can activate so-called photoacceptors inside our cells. One such is cytochrome C oxidase. And when this is activated, a series of events happen in the body that include improved healing and reduced inflammations. Researchers talk about bio photomodulation, while users often talk about "magic." Additionally, oxygenation of tissues can be positively affected and the body's own production of antioxidants increases. Altogether, this is believed to have positive effects on inflammatory conditions, including psoriasis.

One advantage of this type of therapy is that the risk of side effects is nonexistent, so it can be a good idea to try this kind of therapy. If you feel that you get good effects from it, it might be a good idea to invest in such a lamp that you can use at home, which of course makes it both easier and cheaper to maintain regular treatment. That you can also gain a long range of other health benefits is a nice bonus!

References:
Derek Ho, Eugene Koo, Andrew Mamalis, Jared Jagdeo. A Systematic Review of Light Emitting Diode (LED) Phototherapy for Treatment of Psoriasis: An Emerging Therapeutic Modality. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017 May 1;16(5):482-488.

M M Kleinpenning 1, M E Otero, P E J van Erp, M J P Gerritsen, P C M van de Kerkhof. Efficacy of blue light vs. red light in the treatment of psoriasis: a double-blind, randomized comparative study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2012 Feb;26(2):219-25. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04039.x. Epub 2011 Mar 24.

Glynis Ablon 1. Combination 830-nm and 633-nm light-emitting diode phototherapy shows promise in the treatment of recalcitrant psoriasis: preliminary findings. Photomed Laser Surg. 2010 Feb;28(1):141-6. doi: 10.1089/pho.2009.2484.

Author: Martin Brunnberg

The studies and research presented here are conducted by independent researchers and institutes. Nutrilight does not fund these studies and has no connection to their execution. These studies generally concern photobiomodulation and are not specifically related to Nutrilight's products.