Thanks for the tip from Dan, this very interesting paper has recently surfaced. The researchers found that simply placing cotton pads that had been soaked in green tea on the skin for 20 minutes improved the outcome of red light treatments.
The author suggests that the scavenging capability of green tea extends the `action spectrum’ of phototherapy. If this complementary action is further detailed and proven we may see new ways of using topicals and low level light to treat skin conditions.
This paper confirms a 2009 paper that suggested that Green Tea helps in the recovery after and efficacy of IPL treatment.
You just have to love a paper that manages to use a term like “synergistic complementarities” !
Green tea and red light–a powerful duo in skin rejuvenation, Photomed Laser Surg. 2009 Dec;27(6):969-71.
OBJECTIVE: Juvenile skin has been the subject of intense research efforts since ancient times. This article reports on synergistic complementarities in the biological actions of green tea and red light, which inspired the design of a green tea-assisted facial rejuvenation program.
BACKGROUND DATA: The approach is based on previous laboratory experiments providing insight into a mechanism by which visible light interacts with cells and their microenvironment.
METHODS: After 2 months of extreme oxidative stress, green tea-filled cotton pads were placed once per day for 20 minutes onto the skin before treatment with an array of light-emitting diodes (central wavelength 670 nm, dermal dose 4 J/cm2).
RESULTS: Rejuvenated skin, reduced wrinkle levels, and juvenile complexion, previously realized in 10 months of light treatment alone were realized in 1 month.
CONCLUSION: The accelerated skin rejuvenation based on the interplay of the physicochemical and biological effects of light with the reactive oxygen species scavenging capacity of green tea extends the action spectrum of phototherapy. The duo opens the gate to a multitude of possible biomedical light applications and cosmetic formulas, including reversal of topical deterioration related to excess reactive oxygen species, such as graying of hair.
Hello
There is something I do not understand about green tea.The first studies about green tea were made by a fraud, dr Syed, who sold a hydrocortisone cream. Does it mean that the studies were right and that he simply sold the wrong cream or does it mean that the efficiency of green tea is just an invention? Your site, which I like and read from France, is getting me confused.Thanks for answering me before I start toning my face with my tea pot!
Liza (from Paris)
Hi Liza,
There are some studies that show that some of the actives in green tea are good for inflammation.
Here are some links to some encouraging studies
http://www.rosacea-research.org/wiki/index.php?title=Green_Tea_Products
Sadly Dr. Syed has muddied the waters by including cortisone in his particular formulation.
I was happy to see that this particular study used plain green tea on cotton pads – suggesting that it might not actually be necessary to create extracts and fancy formulations to obtain some kind of benefit.
hope this helps,
davidp.