Sunscreen is necessary when you go outside, exposed to the sun. It protects you from harmful UV rays, which may lead to skin issues and wrinkles. So, you tend to apply it every single day, along with other serums like vitamin C. However, if you are also using red light therapy, you may wonder about the interference of RLT with sunscreen.
But does sunscreen block red light therapy? You should start checking the ingredients of the products you use for skin care and see if they contain sun-protection factors. If you haven’t, let this article be your reminder to do that and to start paying more attention to everything you’re putting on your skin.
Let’s start and discover whether sunscreen blocks red light therapy and what you can do to maximize your RLT treatments.
Does Sunscreen Block Red Light Therapy?
As you probably already know, the red light wavelengths may do wonders for you. Not only might they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and skin redness, but they may also alleviate some pains that might be bothering you.
Nonetheless, you probably don’t know or haven’t paid attention to many things that can decrease these effects of red light therapy. One of the most common things people forget to check before going to a red light therapy session is the things they put on their faces and the ingredients they contain.
SPF and products that contain sunscreen ingredients are one of those things that might lower, and even block, the effectiveness of red light therapy.
Now, let’s take a better look at how this happens and how to ensure you are not lowering the benefits of a treatment that may improve your life.
Source: everydayhealth.com
How Does Sunscreen Affect Red Light Therapy?
Did you know that sunscreen reduces the effects of red light therapy? You might have thought you were doing a smart thing by applying it to your skin with it before using red light therapy.
Or you probably thought that covering the skin with sunscreen would protect that specific body area against any RLT side effects. But no, that’s not the case when it comes to using red light therapy aiming for great results.
Using sunscreen or makeup containing sunscreen might block some of the red light waves. Of course, we all know that sunscreens are designed to block UVB and UVA.
Nonetheless, even though the red light is free from UV rays, it will still make it difficult for the red light to reach your skin because of the layer of sunscreen. Even if it does manage to do so, its effects will be weakened.
Based on this, the best thing you can do is stop using sunscreen products or don’t put any lotion thoroughly before going to your RLT session. This way, you might be sure to get the most out of the red light therapy treatment.
Things You Can Do to Get the Maximum From the Red Light Therapy
If you’re using red light therapy on your face, you must be careful of the things you put on it. There are a few things that, if you pay just a little bit of your attention, will ensure you’ll be able to gain the maximum benefits from the therapy.
Check your products
The best thing you can do is to check if the products you use on your face and body contain some sunscreen ingredients. If they do, they will act as a barrier and block the red light wavelengths of light. Additionally, your skin must always be clean before your therapy.
Furthermore, make sure to check the ingredients in your moisturizer. Plenty of moisturizers contain sunscreen ingredients, and while that’s great on sunny days for skin protection, it’s very disadvantageous to have it on your skin when using red light therapy.
The same goes for your night face creams. In addition, limit the use of self-tanning products. This is because they can also block infrared lights.
Don’t get disappointed if you find out that the products you’ve been using contain sunscreen protection in them. This doesn’t mean that you should throw them out. Simply pause using them while using red light therapy, and everything will be good.
Clean your skin
Always make sure that you carefully wash your skin to get rid of any dirt and sunscreen leftovers before using red light therapy. You must pay attention to this even if you’re sure that you don’t use products with any sunscreen in them.
Cleaning your skin before your treatment is the only way to ensure no sunscreen or makeup leftover will decrease the therapy’s effectiveness.
Your face must always be 100% clean, as that’s the only thing that might guarantee amazing results.
Choose the right timing
Do you know that choosing the right timing for your red light therapy treatment may also provide your skin with better effects?
To make things easier and more helpful, you can do your red light therapy treatments right when you wake up. That’s when your skin is the cleanest, so fast results might be guaranteed.
Moreover, if your mornings are busy and you don’t have the time, then don’t worry. You can do your red light therapy treatment in the evenings before going to bed after thoroughly cleaning your skin.
Source: beminimalist.c
Read More: What Should I Put on My Face Before Red Light Therapy?
Conclusion
So, does sunscreen block red light therapy? As mentioned above, yes, it does. Avoiding its use, or removing it from your skin before treatment, is the best thing to do if you want to get the maximum effects from red light therapy.
The sunscreen may block some of the red light, resulting in lower effects from the therapy.
Not only this but the process will also be elongated because getting the desired and expected results will take much more time.
After you finish the treatments, feel free to continue using sunscreen products. However, you should use sunscreen every time you go outside. Keep your skin protected!
Hello! I’m Nicky Rodgers.
Almost a decade ago, I got excited about the idea of employing alternative methods like red light therapy to create a healthier life.
To learn more about it, I did my Certified Light Therapist course from Photonic Therapy Institute and started looking into the intricacies of how light therapy influences several bodily processes. Before I knew it, my interest had become an obsession which resulted in this extensive blog.
Here, I offer countless well-researched articles to help you understand the benefits and uses of light therapy. I hope this information gives you a head start in your wellness journey.