Colin Cook
I proposed Celluma for eczema in this blog a couple years ago. Although I have found no research that specifically prescribes it, photobiomodulation has a long history of clinical and lab research showing that it nourishes skin. Celluma is a type of photobiomodulation. One major research paper said photobiomodulation “has beneficial effects on wrinkles, acne scars, hypertrophic scars, and healing of burns.” In addition, it can both treat and protect from UV damage and can alleviate pigmentation disorders.
All of that is true. Celluma, however, doesn’t cure eczema, although it may provide some relief from it.
About one tenth of the U.S. population struggles with eczema. That is a large enough community for the condition to have its own advocacy organization — the National Eczema Association. It often shows up as a childhood disease, but you can develop it an any age. Nevertheless, about 80% of children who suffer from it eventually grow out of it.
Genes + Environment
It may be a symptom rather than a disease, as nobody has found exactly what causes it. Most researchers believe it results from an interaction between your genes and your environment. That is to say, you may have a disposition to develop it when an allergen or irritant provokes it. Your immune reaction stimulates inflammation. This inflammation makes the skin lose moisture. Dry skin is itchy skin, and damaged skin loses moisture more easily. So an eczema flare-up can create a vicious cycle of itchiness, scratching, and moisture loss.
According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors treat eczema with moisturizers to restore the skin and drugs to fight infection. In serious cases, they may opt for a short-term course of corticosteroids to control inflammation. Lately some may prescribe a recently approved monoclonal antibody called dupilumab (trade name Dupixent).
Living with Eczema
But living with eczema almost always means managing the itch. For that, you may need to find out what your triggers are so you can avoid them. In the event of a flare up, you can try wet dressings, relaxation, behavior modification, or biofeedback. There is also light therapy, which is administered by a dermatologist.
You need to go to a dermatologist for this particular light therapy. The laser used for eczema, unlike any photobiomodulation we offer here at Peak, includes UV light. UV light damages skin, so using it is best left to medical professionals.
Celluma for Eczema
Our Celluma is highly targeted photobiomodulation. It is a flexible panel of LEDs, which we can shape to the targeted body part, like an elbow or knee. This is not the dermatological device, which is a 308-nm excimer laser. But because photobiomodulation nourishes skin, it may be worth trying Celluma for relief from itching. In any case, Celluma is FDA-cleared. Dozens of clinical studies and thousands of applications have shown it is non-toxic, non-invasive, safe, and painless. It requires no recovery time and can be used on all skin types.
If you have serious eczema, you should see a dermatologist. But if you have a mild case, you may want to see if Celluma can give you some relief. You may have nothing to lose but your itch.
