FDA clears new light-based anti-wrinkle treatment
has been given the green light by the FDA, adding to a growing
number of home treatments in this category.
The Virginia-based company says that the approval of its GentleWaves LED Photomodulation technology makes it the first company to be given clearance for a device that treats periorbital wrinkles. Although the technology is already being used by qualified physicians, the FDA approval means that it can now be bought on an over-the-counter basis, eradicating the need for a qualified beauty therapist or dermatologist to carry out the treatment. The technology uses amber-colored LEDs to target fine lines and wrinkles, in turn helping to stimulate collagen production, while also slowing down collagen breakdown, the manufacturers claim. Opens the way for the technology in the home Invented by David McDaniel, M.D. and director of the Institute of Anti-Aging Research, the treatment is also said to be non-ablative, and has no pain or other side effects. "I expect many new applications for the GentleWaves technology in the future - this is only the beginning of what will be possible for both hom and medical light therapies," said Dr. McDaniel. Meanwhile Rick Krupnick, CEO of Light BioScience, said that the FDA clearance marked an opportunity for the company to break new ground in the home use market, making the technology 'more accessible to the public'. The company first introduced its GentleWaves LED Photomodulation System onto the market in 2003, a product that it claimed was an industry first and the its flagship product. In December last year L'Oreal announced that it was following Proctor and Gamble (P&G) move into the market for light-based skin care devices after sealing a marketing and research agreement with Light BioScience. Big players compete for light therapy market The move followed P&G joining forces with Israeli-based Syneron to sell skin care products using Intense Pulse Light technology direct to the consumer eariler in 2007. L'Oreal will also market BioScience's products including its GentleWaves device, currently sold to physicians and medical spas. Although this kind of treatment has been available in beauty parlors and through qualified dermatologists for some years, the launch of this product brings the treatment into the home, a move that could make it more widespread. As well as treating seasonal depression, light therapy has also been increasingly used to treat skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. However, more controversially, it has also been used as a beauty treatment due to its supposed ability to help rejuvenate the skin on a temporary basis.
