Light Therapry General FAQ’s

What is a Softlaser?
The Soflaser is a non-burning laser device used for Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). In numerous studies, Softlasers have been proven to be effective in treating a number of conditions including acne, canker sores, cuts, bruises, wrinkles and fine lines. While Softlasers are new to the USA, they have been used widely in Europe for over 35 years, For more information about LLLT, please check www.laser.nu for the latest news and clinical trial data.

How do skin healing lasers work?
It works on principle of Bio-Stimulation. Basically, the Softlaser laser light stimulates the Mitochondria (the cell's powerhouse) in the cells to produce ATP. Increased ATP energizes the cell, making it reproduce faster which in turn, leads to more collagen production. The Softlaser light also promotes cell wall exchange, leading to increased blood circulation. Both effects lead to tighter, healthier skin and reduced healing times for conditions like acne or small cuts and insect bites. For more detailed information please check our Bio Stimulation explained page.

Will the laser burn my skin? Does it hurt to use it?
No. The lasers are non-invasive and do not burn or cut your skin in any way. They are completely painless and safe to use

How long does it take to work? How soon will I see results?
For anti-aging, results of using it everyday can be visible in a little as a week. However, everyone is different, so results will vary. Most everyone sees the rejuvenating effects within 2-3 weeks. For pimples or small cuts and bruises, increased healing times are noticeable in as little as a day. We are always interested in how well the Softlaser has worked for you. Please tell us about your Softlaser experience by emailing us at info@softlasers.com.

How often should I use it?
We recommend using it everyday between 6 and 18 minutes, depending on the type of condition you are treating and the size of treatment area. In general, the larger the area, the longer the treatment times, but we usually recommend treating a 3-5 inch radius area for 6 minutes. For best results, use your Softlaser twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening. We find that treating the skin twice a day is more effective than one long treatment because the cells can only absorb so much coherent laser energy light. After you have energized your skin cells in the morning, they slowly give off their energy during the day and therefore able to absorb more energy during an evening treatment.

Does the Softlaser work for acne?
Yes, Softlasers have been proved to be extremely effective for acne and pimples. Not only does Bio-Stimulation decrease acne healing times but the new, more energized cells are more sterile and less susceptible to infection. When using the Softlaser for acne it is important that your skin is clean and that you do not rub the laser against the skin while treating, as it will spread the bacteria around the treatment area. It is best to hold the laser about 1 cm above the skin. Some people find treatment easier when they hold laser directly to the skin, if this is the case, please put a piece of clean cellophane over the aperture of the laser during every treatment. The cellophane can be secured around the laser body with a rubber band.

What else can I use my Softlaser for?
While we make absolutely no medical claims in the U.S., clinical trials in Europe have proven the Softlaser to be highly effective as part of an overall treatment regime for conditions such us: Acne, Bruising, Ulcers, Eczema/Dermatitis, Psoriasis, Herpes/Cold Sores, Pressure, Sores, Blisters/Chapped Skin, Plantar Fascilitis, Sprains, Burns, Wrinkles, Spider, Veins, Tennis Elbow, Pain relief, Tendinitis, Arthritis, Gingivitis, dental Ulcer, Sinusitis/Rhinitis, and Stimulation of Acupuncture Points.

Can I use skin creams with your Softlaser?
Yes but it is best to use any cream or moisturizer after the laser treatment, as creams applied to the skin before using the laser can block the laser light penetration making the treatment less effective. Also, cream and jells can get trapped behind the laser lens making it impossible to clean. It is best always use the laser with clean skin, guaranteeing the most effective treatments

What type of lasers are used in the Softlaser?
The RED Softlasers use a 635-660nm 5mw Class 3a diode laser. The Ther Infrared Softlaser uses a 780nm 5mw Class 3a diode laser.

What is the difference between the Softlaser and a laser treatment performed at a doctor's office?
It uses LLLT Energy to stimulate a natural rejuvenation process, improving your skin's condition in a non irritating, non-invasive way. There is no irritation, redness or downtime from the treatment.

Does it work on darker / African American skin?
Yes. All skin colors receive the same rejuvenating effects of the Softlaser. However, in some cases longer periods of treatment time may be required for darker skin types.

Is the laser dangerous to use around my eyes?
No. Just use caution not to look directly into the laser's aperture. If you accidentally glance into the laser light no warm will occur. Always follow the directions and read all warning labels.

Are there any side effects to using the Laser?
After 30 years of ongoing clinical tests, trials and studies, there have been no reported short or long term side effects from low level laser treatments of any kind.

What is the difference between LED Light Therapy and Low Level Laser Therapy? Which is more effective?
Both LED Light Therapy treatments and Low Level Laser Treatments (LLLT) work on the same principle of bio-stimulation (also known as photo-stimulation). Bio-stimulation is caused by single frequency coherent light stimulating the Mitochondria in the cell, which makes more ATP, energizing the cell. This in turn increases blood circulation allowing the cells to reproduce faster. The byproduct of this effect is that the cells act like healthier younger cells fighting bacteria better, producing more collagen and healing much faster.  This is why LED Light Therapy and Low Level Laser therapy is used for so many conditions.
Coherent light is the key here and the light leaving from a laser is coherent while an LED’s light is not. (Coherent light is light that is all traveling at the same frequency.)  Normally this would lead you to believe that LED must not be effective. However, the light from an LED turns coherent as it travels though the cell. This is because our buddies and cells are about 80% water and as the LED light passes though the cell a portion of it turns coherent. You can see this effect easily when you look into the bottom of a pool and see the concentration of light in some places. This light is coherent.
Without a doubt, Laser light treatment times are shorter as all the light stays coherent.  But the laser beams coverage area is directional requiring you to move the laser from place to place. On the other hand, LED light therapy can cover a much larger area as the light is non directional but only a portion of the light is coherent requiring longer treatment times.   Which is better really is a question of how you plan to treat you skin. Some people prefer having a light in a fixed place while others like to hold a device to their skin. And others would like to do the treatments as quickly as possible but some people prefer to  have longer treatments.  
Our opinion is that both are good. Using both at the same time is the best solution (like our Laser Hair brush which has Lasers and LEDs) as you know you’re getting the full effect from a laser while at the same time you can be sure you are hitting all areas with the LED.

What is the difference between you Laser Comb brush and a laser pointer?
There are 2 big differences between cheap and expensive laser brushes.  The 1st difference is the type of laser that is used. The Laser brushes for home use are certified to use Class 1 Lasers which means 5mw lasers OR less. The cheap brushes use MUCH lower power lasers as the weaker 1mw or less lasers are much cheaper. They are still Class 1 as they are 5mw OR LESS but you are getting much less light power meaning the treatment times would have to be very long.
The 2nd difference is the use of capacitors and regulators. These components make sure that the lasers output the exact light power evenly through all the lasers even when the batteries are getting weak.  These are the same types of components used in a flash for a camera.  The reason for using capacitors and regulators is that as the batteries get weaker the laser’s light gets dimmer making it impossible to have consistent treatment times. With these components the lasers always put out the exact amount of power and when the batteries get too low instead of getting dimmer the lasers will shut off.  If you turn the laser on and it shuts off automatically it means its time to change the batteries.

How long does it take to see results using your Laser Comb Hair Brush?
As for results realistically you have to use the brush (any legitimate laser hair brush) for at least 3 months but more like 6 months. It should be used for 10 minutes every day for the first 30 days and then every other day after that. All laser hair brushes generally use the same protocols.
You should not wait to use this or any other type of balding treatment if you are just starting to loose hair as the hair follicles are much harder to treat the longer you wait. The sooner you treat it the more likely the treatment will be effect. I cannot stress this enough, even if you do not get my brush or other laser device, please check with a hair specialist and start treating the hair loss right away before it is too late.

Does Light Therapy stimulate facial hair growth as well?
Light Therapy LED's and Lasers like the BrightPad uses cannot make hair grow on the face.  The hair on your face and the hair on your scalp are very different. (Otherwise you would have to cut the hair on your face the way you would the hair on your head) The hair on the skin and face grows in 6 week cycles which means it grows, then falls out, then goes dormant, then grows... etc. Facial and body hair follows this cycle about every 6 weeks.
Scalp Hair follicles stay active. (This is why your hair grows long and has to be cut unlike hair on the skin or face) As you get older the follicles start to slow down and go dormant which leads to baldness. Light therapy stimulates the cells so they start acting like they did when you were younger. The follicles on the scalp start growing hair faster or come out of dormancy. The skin cells start making more collagen, elastics, and puffs up like younger skin.   The skin is healthier which is why it can fight acne better.
Light Therapy does not cause new hairs follicles to form. (nothing can do this) It can only activate follicles that already exist in the scalp. It cannot make new hairs grow on your face that were not on your face already. It cannot make the hairs on your face grow stonger or thicker either. It will only make your skin act more like it did when it was younger.

Can the BrightPad LED Acne Light or Softlaser be used under eyes for dark circles?
Thank you for the email. Yes Laser and LED Light Therapy  works for reducing the dark circles under the eyes. Treatments should be done every day for about 3 minutes under each eye. It takes about 30 days to see results. (skin cycle is 28 days and you need to have at least once full cycle for the newer healthier skin to reach the surface.)  You need to close your eyes and look away from the laser when treating near the eyes. We offer goggles if the light is uncomfortably bright while yours are closed but closing your eyes and looking away is usually all that is needed.

Is the BrightPad L84 Acne Light  Battery Powered?
No, the BrightPad Acne Light  requires too much electricity to be conveniently battery powered. Right now, with currently technology the batteries would be too big to carry if we made it battery powered.  However, we hope in the near future with improved battery tech we will be able to offer a portable version of the BrightPad.

What is the difference between Lasers and LEDs? Or What kind of LEDs does your laser SL50 use?
 LED and Lasers are very different. While they both use semiconductors, Lasers don't use LEDs to make their light but the use the same semiconductor process. It would be better to think of them as different kinds of lights like a florescent light and an incandescent bulb. Here is an explanation about how lasers work: http://www.howstuffworks.com/laser.htm
As for the SL50 Cluster Laser, lasers work faster for light therapy than LEDs as Laser light is coherent (all their photos are synchronized) which is what the mitochondria in the cell responds to making more ATP and energizing the cell. Treatment times are generally a 1/3 to 1/2 that of an LED device for light therapy. However, LED Light Therapy covers a larger area at one time so the trade offs and benefits usually equal out each other.