Psychology

Light energy

Laser therapy

Clinical trial

Dermatology

Medical physics

Phenomenon

Physics

Neuroscience

Optics

Intensive care medicine

Intense pulsed light

Quantum mechanics

Internal medicine

Laser

Low level laser therapy

Medicine

Journal of Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery

Light energy is harnessed for therapeutic use in a number of ways, most recently by way of photobiomodulation (PBM). This phenomenon is a cascade of physiological events induced by the nonthermal exposure of tissue to light at the near infrared end of the visible spectrum. Therapeutic PBM has become a highly commercialized interest, marketed for everything from facial rejuvenation to fat loss, and diode-based devices are popular in both the clinic setting and for use at home. The lack of regulatory standards makes it difficult to draw clear conclusions about efficacy and safety but it is crucial that we understand the theoretical basis for PBM, so that we can engage in an honest dialogue with our patients and design better clinical studies to put claims of efficacy to the test.

Photobiomodulation: A review of the molecular evidence for low level light therapy