Chronic Wounds

See also Acute Wounds page

Q.Light Wound Care

Clinical recognition of the benefits of phototherapy is now becoming widespread. Biostimulation by light energises cells directly, enabling them to function and reproduce more efficiently. Photomodulation of the blood spreads the benefits more widely. Natural healing is accelerated, the immune system is boosted and pain and inflammation are alleviated.

Pain-free Q.Light wound treatment has been proved to enhance microcirculation in skin and tissue by up to 45% and to benefit various phases of wound healing. This includes improved perfusion in blood capillaries, development of new blood vessels, higher concentration of growth factors for cell renewal and optimised oxygen transport function of circulating blood. 

As a result the body's wound healing processes can be enhanced or reactivated and Q.Light is not unique in these effects.  They are generic to many forms of light therapy (phototherapy) and low power laser is often used by professional therapists to treat chronic wounds.  What does make Q.Light unique is the ease and simplicity it provides, with generous coverage for rapid and even treatment of large wound areas.

There is also no need for special training or eye protection, which laser treatments require, so whilst hospitals and clinics use the professional model Q.Light PRO (details in the A1Med professional pages), Q.Light Wound Care was designed for nurses, physiotherapists and other medical professionals who require a more portable version that can be set up and used easily in different locations.  It also means of course that Q.Light Wound Care is safe to use for self-treatment at home and is permitted for sale to the general public.  It is even safe to use on children and infants as there is no ultra-violet light and no risk of burning.

The filter modules included

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• Most uninfected wounds are treated with the Wound Care Including Infra-Red filter module inserted.  The spectrum of 385–1700nm includes some near infra-red which dilates the blood vessels and increases oxygen supply.
  
• For infected wounds or burns, where heat would be uncomfortable, the Wound Care Excluding Infra-Red filter module is inserted.  The spectrum of 385–780nm then excludes both ultra-violet and infra-red.

The treatment regime

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• Light therapy is applied to clean wounds, as the presence of creams or other substances on the surface can scatter or diffuse the light.
  
• Treatment times vary according to the area to be treated, but can be as little as 3 minutes for a 20cm diameter wound so it is easy to apply light therapy during a change of dressings.
• Light therapy is best applied daily, or in severe cases several times daily.  Longer treatments are ineffective, it is better to treat more frequently than for long periods, until healing starts.
• When light therapy activates the healing process in very long-standing, stubborn wounds the process can sometimes proceed quite rapidly and become a little painful.  In these cases all that is necessary is to stop light treatment for a few days until the wound calms down and then resume.
• It should be noted that the presence of steroids may block or interfere with the body's reaction to light, so Q.Light Wound Care may have reduced effectiveness or produce no benefit in such cases.

Applications

Q.Light Wound Care can be used on all acute and chronic wounds and can easily be combined with other wound care programmes.  Just 3-4 minutes daily treatment at change of wound dressings can improve healing times remarkably.  It does not replace professional healthcare but regular therapy at home between consultations can produce highly beneficial results. 

In particular, Q.Light Wound Care is highly effective in the professional or self-treatment of:
Stasis Ulcers/Leg Ulcers                   Visit the Venous Ulcers page
Decubitus Ulcers/Pressure sores       Visit the Pressure Sores page
Diabetic Gangrene                            Visit the Diabetic Ulcers page

Because Q.Light Wound Care works by supporting the body's own natural repair and regeneration mechanisms it can also be used for general health care applications including easing pain and inflammation in arthritis and rheumatism, energising the immune system to fight acne, cold sores and other infections, improving skin tone, increasing collagen formation to restore natural elasticity and reducing dermatitis, psoriasis and other skin complaints.

Product features

• Polarised light radiation with power density of approx. 40 mW/cm² at maximum recommended treatment distance.
  
• Generous treatment area for an even coverage of up to 25cm diameter.
• Easy and safe to use, also on children and infants.
• Non-laser light source requires no special training or safety precautions. No ultra-violet light.
• CE marked medical product, for stand-alone therapy or to supplement most existing treatment regimes.
• Usually supplied with the folding ‘Home’ stand for ease of portability, but also available on the sturdy ‘Regular’ stand’ for clinics or home use.

To see the range of Q.Light stands visit the Q.Light Accessories page

Flexible Q.Light Models

For those wanting a wider range of therapies, Q.Light Skin Care and Q.Light PRO are attractive alternatives.  They share a range of interchangeable filter modules, including two for wounds. There are filters for medical, cosmetic and colour light treatments.

The six medical filter modules largely provide the same treatments as the specialised Q.Light models, and consist of Psoriasis Care, Pain Care, Wound Care excluding infra-red, Wound Care including infra-red, Acne Care and SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Care.

The three cosmetic filter modules are Skin Care, Anti-Ageing Care and Cellulite Care

Visit the Multi-Therapy Page for details of Q.Light Skin Care and Q.Light PRO for medical and cosmetic treatments

The Basic Set of colour filters offers Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Violet and the Advanced Set offers Pink, Magenta, Cyan, Turquoise and Indigo, making eleven filters in all.

Visit the A1Colour pages for details of Q.Light Skin Care and Q.Light PRO for colour light treatments

Download fact sheets for further information