Decades ago acupuncturists learned that lasers have the same effects as needles to promote healing and the flow of energy throughout the human body. Almost immediately clinics in Europe, Asia, and then North America began to use lasers alongside needles. Practitioners have since relied on laser acupuncture as the only other alternative to the physical pricks that traditionally characterized the treatment. Recently, though, another method has gained some attention: using LED light in lieu of lasers. Because LEDs are incredibly cheap to produce, some consider this development the next alternative for reducing the cost of acupuncture. Others, though, remain skepticaland wisely so. Though a surplus of scientific literature has validated laser acupuncture, nothing has yet proven the effectiveness of LEDs. In fact, the majority of evidence seems to widely discount LED light as a useful treatment. By observing the innate qualities of the two light forms, its clear that all of the attention is due only to cheaper cost, not because LED is a viable alternative to existing acupuncture methods.

Lasers as Pins
The reason laser acupuncture works similarly to traditional methods is the intensity of its light. Like pins, lasers can very precisely target the same areas that promote the flow of energy through the body. Their bandwidth ranges from 1-10 nanometers, whereas LEDs have a much broader distribution of light: generally 30-100 nanometers. To equate the two is like claiming ballpoint pens are equally effective in acupuncture treatments. Lasers can achieve the narrowed focus that acupuncture requires; being so broad LEDs simply cannot.

Comparing power
Focused or not, no one can argue that LEDs have the same strength as lasers. The intensity of laser light accounts for the real potency of laser acupuncturea fact that has been shown in numerous clinical studies. One probe of light can produce up to 500 milliwatts of energy. An LED diode typically emits about 20 milliwatts. Even when LED diodes are clustered together, they cant produce any level of strength comparable to lasers. Acupuncture relies fully on a focused application of pressure, which is next to impossible for feeble LED light.

Speckling
Different types of light waves interact in radically different ways, and many studies of laser acupuncture have theorized that part of its effectiveness is due to its ability to speckle. Speckling is a unique phenomenon in which laser light varies in optical density. Instead of being the focused and constant beam that LED light produces, every wavelength of laser light acts as though it has a mind of its own. It twists and bends, making some waves more intense and some less. Tissue responds very well to this specklingmuch better than the dull constant beams of LED light.

Conclusion
Other comparisons may be made, but in everything the unique qualities of lasers dont just emerge as more effective than LEDs: they alone appear to be capable of replacing traditional pins. Scientific literature has supported this. Countless studies have proven that the intensity, focus, and speckling of laser light instigate the same healing powers of acupuncture. LEDs may be cheaper to produce, but if they dont actually heal the body, the savings are worthless.