Light therapy device fights acne

Scientists know all about the therapeutics qualities of blue and red light. But until know, sufferers of acne have to go to hospital to benefit from it. But Lumie, the manufactures of this new LED device hope it would see light therapy moving to the home. The innovations manager Samira Cherrouk says the Lumie Clearer was designed for the IPod generation.

"So with that, the option, what the usual we do is take off the credo, use it with the charger, with the lead and treat the acne to the affected area for 15 minutes at a time. But we know that our consumers will not have the time. So what we have designed? We designed the product that will fit back in the desk unit and be used while they are carrying out to do their activities."

Acne affects as many as three quarters of adolescents in the developed world. That is most serious. It can blight lives, and leave emotional as well as physical scars according to Doctor Rakesh Patalay of Imperial College, London.

"It can cause anxiety, low mood, often can cause depression. So these are things that can really scar our adolescence if that's, if it is not that worse."

Researchers show treatment with red and blue light of the right frequency can reduce inflammation in spots by 75%, allowing that treatment to take place at home could put sufferers in the charge of their own condition.

"What this device enables patients to do is to go out, to take control by buying the product that has been showing to work, beyond to use that, usually in conjunction with some of the other treatments that will already be given."

That device will go on sale next month at a price of around 200 US dollars.