The health benefits of light have been known for thousands of years. Records of it can be found in the Hindu text, Atharva Veda, dating back as early as 1400 BCE. In the past, exposure to sun rays and the consumption of herbal blends were used to relieve symptoms of vitiligo, a patchy hypopigmentation of skin, which was then believed to be a form of leprosy. Compared to today’s medical approach, not much has changed in vitiligo treatment. Instead of natural sunlight, doctors use ultraviolet light generating devices and photosensitivity increasing medications instead of herbs.

Starting in the 18th century, different reports have been published in medical journals about the use of sunlight for treating infected wounds and other skin conditions. Notably, in 1776, scientists LePeyre and LeConte found that sunlight concentrated through a lens accelerated wound healing and destroyed tumors. Then, in 1917, Einstein contributed to the research by predicting the process of stimulated emission. Finally, in 1964, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Charles Townes, Nicolay Basov, and Aleksandr Prokhorov “for fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics, which has led to the construction of oscillators and amplifiers based on the maser-laser principle.” Later, in the 2000s, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Russian scientist, Zhores Alferov, for the studies that formed the foundation of diode laser, or LED research.

Elina Fedotova is the founder and chief formulator for Elina Organics, an award-winning cosmetic chemist, a celebrity licensed aesthetician, and the president of the Association of Holistic Skin Care Practitioners