Effects of Narrow-band IR-A and of Water-Filtered Infrared A on Fibroblasts.

Exposures of the skin with electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths between 670 nm and 1400 nm are often used as a general treatment to improve wound healing and reduce pain, for example, in chronic diabetic skin lesions. We investigated the effects of water-filtered infrared A (wIRA) and of narrow-band IR-A provided by a light-emitting diode LED (LED-IR-A) irradiation in vitro on 3T3 fibroblast cultures under defined conditions with and without glyoxal administration. Glyoxal triggers the formation of advanced glycation end products, thereby mimicking a diabetic metabolic state.