What is it about?

This paper is all about how light, especially the kind we can see and near-infrared light, affects our skin. The skin is like a protective shield for our body, and it keeps us safe from things like the sun's rays. Surprisingly, these types of light are not harmful to us, and just like our eyes, our skin can sense and understand them. When our skin gets hit by these special light rays, it starts a series of complicated reactions in our cells. It's kind of like how leaves on a tree capture sunlight for photosynthesis. But instead of making food, our skin's reactions affect our cells in interesting ways. Most medical lasers use heat to target and destroy things, but this paper talks about a different type of light therapy called photobiomodulation (PBM). PBM uses low-intensity light that isn't hot to change how our cells work. Since our skin acts like the "solar panel" of our body, when it gets exposed to this gentle light, it can have some interesting effects on our body, both locally and throughout our system. This paper reviews and explains all of these effects.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This paper is important because it sheds light on the remarkable and previously underexplored phenomenon of how visible and near-infrared light can impact the skin. It highlights that our skin, much like our eyes, can perceive and make sense of these light wavelengths, triggering intricate cellular responses. By delving into the mechanisms of photobiomodulation (PBM), a non-thermal light therapy, the paper underscores the potential for this therapy to influence the functioning of the skin and potentially exert systemic effects, offering valuable insights for medical and therapeutic applications in the field of dermatology and beyond.

Perspectives

This inaugural publication focuses on unraveling the mechanisms underlying photobiomodulation (PBM) specifically within the context of skin, in contrast to previous studies that have examined PBM's effects on various human tissues and organs. It represents a novel contribution by offering insights into the unique workings of PBM when applied to the skin, differentiating it from the broader spectrum of research on PBM's effects across the human body.

MD FRCPC Daniel Barolet
McGill University

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Low-Intensity Visible and Near-Infrared Light-Induced Cell Signaling Pathways in the Skin: A Comprehensive Review, Photobiomodulation Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, April 2023, Mary Ann Liebert Inc,
DOI: 10.1089/photob.2022.0127.
You can read the full text:

Read

Contributors

The following have contributed to this page