Some people ask, “How quickly does light therapy work?” The answer isn’t always obvious. It can work for a few days, or it can take weeks. In most cases, the answer is a little less than a month. However, with proper care, light therapy can help you feel better faster.
Light therapy works by changing the cells of the skin from the inside. However, this process takes time, so it won’t produce immediate results, especially if you want to reduce wrinkles. Most of the changes in the skin happen gradually, and the effects are cumulative. This is why it’s important to take before and after photos of the skin after treatment.
Although it may seem like an overnight miracle, light therapy requires several days to produce noticeable results. To see results, you should spend at least 60 minutes in front of a bright light every day for a couple of days. If you’re experiencing symptoms more frequently than that, try reducing your exposure time to a few hours a day. Your doctor can give you further advice in the right amount of time.
As with other treatments, the timing of light exposure is critical. For those with non-24-hour sleep-wake disorders, it may be beneficial to use light therapy during the early morning. For those with advanced sleep phase disorders, use it in the evening. Some people who use light therapy regularly also continue to use it in the winter months to prevent symptoms from reappearing.
