Does LIGHT THERAPY Work For PAINFUL & CONTAGIOUS Cold Sores?
Does LIGHT THERAPY Work For PAINFUL & CONTAGIOUS Cold Sores?

Cold sores (also called fever blisters) are a viral condition that is usually caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). The sores have no known cure, and often take several weeks to clear up and fade away.

Most home remedies for cold sores are ineffective; all they can do is numb the pain and reduce swelling. Prescription antiviral drugs can help to some extent, but may have unwanted side effects.

There is only one remedy that’s clinically proven to heal cold sores, and that’s light—but not just any light.

In this article we’ll discuss two types of light to avoid since they can aggravate cold sores and make them worse.

Light That Worsens Cold Sores

All light is not the same. If you want to quickly heal cold sore lesions and prevent flare-ups, these two types should be avoided.

Sunlight/Ultraviolet Light

Natural sunlight is made up of many wavelengths of light, visible as well as invisible.  Sunlight, for instance, is an effective treatment for depression, largely due to increased production of the mood-affecting neurotransmitter, serotonin. Sunlight can also benefit bone health due to increased vitamin D production, and help regulate the circadian rhythm, which improves sleep.

Ultraviolet light, or UV radiation, is part of the invisible spectrum of sunlight. UV radiation has been used to successfully treat psoriasis and other skin conditions, but it must be administered with extreme caution since overexposure is known to cause skin damage and skin cancer.

Blue Light

The effects of blue light on skin are mixed.

On the positive side, blue light is antibacterial; it eliminates the bacteria found in the skin’s oil glands, which makes it a viable therapy for acne. Another benefit of blue light is that it helps to regulate the circadian rhythm, which is why sun exposure in the morning is so energizing.

However, many of us get most of our blue light exposure not from the sun, but from our electronic gadgets and their artificial light. After-dark exposure to blue wavelengths interferes with our circadian rhythms and, therefore, our ability to sleep.

More importantly, blue light has been associated with damage to the skin and eyes.

Red and Infrared Cold Sore Therapy

Red light therapy, which is also referred to as photobiomodulation and low-level light therapy (LLLT), is known for its healing, skin-regenerating, and anti-inflammatory properties. The term “red light” includes red wavelengths and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths, both of which are measured in nanometers (nm). The difference between them is that NIR wavelengths are longer and penetrate deeper than red light wavelengths.

Read full article at Light Therapy

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