3 Amazing Medical Uses of LED Lighting

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3 Amazing Medical Uses of LED Lighting
by Scott Danielson

Reliable lighting is crucial for any healthcare facility, especially at twenty four hour locations like hospitals. Consequently, medical buildings have begun a shift to LED lamps due to their long lives, energy saving capabilities, and a complete lack of mercury. In short, LED lighting is ideal for a medical facility looking to cut costs. But LEDs aren’t just lighting up medical facilities around the world, they’re also being used in treatments. Here are three fascinating ways LEDs are helping patients heal.
#1 Dermatology

Though many treatments are still in the exploratory stage, dermatologists have found many ways LEDs can improve skin ailments. According the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), LEDs can modify the function of mitochondria within cells, accelerate the growth of collagen, and perhaps even improve patients’ levels of vitamin D.

Blue-light LED therapy is an FDA approved method to treat acne in cases where traditional medicine such as oral antibiotics are not an option. This specific wavelength of light is said to kill bacteria that causes breakouts. Other frequencies of LED light are currently being tested to treat inflammation, wrinkles and even sun damaged skin.

There’s also an entire series of drugs that are activated by LED light. The process called photodynamic therapy is used to treat cancerous skin lesions and is being tested as a viable option to chemotherapy and radiation treatment in cancer cases.
#2 Infant Jaundice

According to the Mayo Clinic, infant jaundice is a yellow discoloration in a baby’s skin and eyes due to an excess of the pigment bilirubin. Though not uncommon and usually not life threatening, jaundice can eventually lead to brain damage without proper treatment.

Enter light therapy with LEDs. Using a blue-green frequency similar to light used in acne treatments, infants with jaundice are placed under an LED lamp with a UV filter. The newborns are given eye patches to avoid damage to their vision. Once under the light, the blue light changes the structure of bilirubin molecules so the baby’s body can break them down. The treatment is continued until the infant can break down the pigment on its own.
#3 Psychology

Sufferers of seasonal affective disorder begin to feel a noticeable drop in their energy once the days get shorter and the winter months begin. This form of depression can also cause general moodiness and disrupt an individual’s sleep schedule. So how can we replace the sun’s bright glow? LED Lighting.

Using LED lights designed to mimic outdoor light, patients will sit near a brightly lit box for a designated amount of time each day. The exposure then positively affects the chemicals in the brain and can improve the user’s mood within days. The simple nature of the treatment also means users can avoid any nasty side effects associated with medication.
- See more at: http://blog.tcpi.com/2012/12/05/3-amazi ... 2mXjW.dpuf