Fototerapia LED para Hiperpigmentación: Qué Funciona y Qué No

Posted by Shopify API on September 24, 2026

LED Phototherapy for Hyperpigmentation: What Works and What Doesn't

In short: The relationship between LED phototherapy and hyperpigmentation is more nuanced than marketing suggests. Red light does not directly inhibit melanin, but it can address the inflammatory processes that trigger certain types of dark spots. In this article, we explain which types of hyperpigmentation respond best to LED, which ones do not, and what to expect in terms of timing and real results. We do not cover topical treatments or advanced clinical procedures in depth.

First, what do we mean when we talk about hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation is the general term we use when some areas of the skin produce more melanin than usual, becoming darker than the rest of the skin tone. But this umbrella term covers very different situations, and that distinction matters because not all of them respond to treatments, including LED phototherapy, in the same way.

The main types you should know

Sunspots or solar lentigines. These form due to the accumulation of sun exposure over time. They are most common after age 40 and appear primarily on the face, hands, and chest. The melanin is concentrated in the superficial layers of the epidermis.

Melasma. More extensive, symmetrical patches, often linked to hormonal changes (pregnancy, contraceptives). It can be epidermal, dermal, or mixed, and this classification significantly changes the treatment prognosis. Dermal melasma is particularly resistant to most options.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). This is the darkening that remains after inflammation: an acne pimple, a rosacea flare-up, irritation from friction, or from an ill-tolerated product. It is reactive, not structural, and this is where LED phototherapy is most relevant.

Chronological aging spots. Not directly related to the sun; they are associated with the passage of time and the slowing of cellular turnover.

What red light does (and doesn't do) regarding melanin

It is important to be precise here because a lot of content on the internet conflates mechanisms and creates incorrect expectations.

Red light at 630nm and 660nm wavelengths does not directly inhibit melanogenesis—in other words, it does not "turn off" melanin production. It does not act on the melanocyte in the same way as, for example, hydroquinone or azelaic acid.

What it does do, and this is backed by evidence, is act on the inflammation that precedes and maintains hyperpigmentation, especially in the case of PIH.

The mechanism documented in photobiomodulation is the stimulation of the mitochondrial respiratory chain via cytochrome c oxidase. This translates into increased ATP production, reduced oxidative stress, and the modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In simple terms: the cell functions better, inflammation is reduced, and with it, one of the primary stimuli that activate melanin in response to aggression.

A landmark study in photobiomodulation, Wunsch and Matuschka (2014), documented improvements in skin texture and inflammatory response using combined red and near-infrared light protocols. Avci et al. (2013), in their review published in Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, noted the potential of LED phototherapy for inflammatory skin conditions, with clearer results in erythema and regeneration than in direct depigmentation.

Near-infrared at 830nm adds another layer: it penetrates deeper into the dermis, supports collagen synthesis, and improves microcirculation. This contributes to a more uniform appearance of the overall tone, albeit indirectly.

For which types of hyperpigmentation is there more evidence?

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