Question 1

Could the Varichrome® Pro be your go-to light therapy tool for wellness?

Accepted Answer

Lasers and LEDs typically emit non-varying varying wavelengths. Red and infrared wavelengths are the most popular with over 5000 studies that show benefit. However photobiomodulation research has shown that most, if not all, visible wavelengths promote healing.

Unfortunately, no single wavelength "works" for all injuries, pain, impaired functioning or wounds.

The Varichrome® Pro overcomes this problem by letting the practitioner efficiently find wavelengths that "work" for the patient's problem. The body selects the wavelengths that it needs to resume or accelerate healing.

Once absorbed, the photon no longer exists. The body heals itself; the therapy prompts a restart of healing.
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7 Preset Selections vary the wavelength through ranges found by others to increase the likelihood of a return to normal healing. By normal, we mean that healing has resumed or completed as it ordinarily would have but previously didn't.
The practitioner may also manually select any visible wavelength (430-690nm), a few at a time, from the Varichrome® Pro.

Question 2

Why does varying the wavelength make a big difference?

Accepted Answer

Imagine adjusting your shower water to a slightly warmer temperature, then waiting. Within about 30 seconds, your experience of the temperature might begin to fade – to no feeling of temperature at all.

Now, imagine continuously varying the temperature of your shower water. You might notice how your body responds more strongly with each cycle from cold to warm and back.

Neurologists have a term, wind-up, for this increase in sensitivity to a varying stimulus.

Wellness depends upon the body's ability to finely adjust to changing environments. Cold hands rewarm, sensations numbed by sitting resume upon standing, etc. If the balancing act gets stuck, like hands feeling cold when they shouldn't be, then the abnormal sensations may be annoying or painful.

Now, practitioners can aim to efficiently prompt pain relief and the return to wellness.

Varying wavelength redirects the body's attention to the beam location.
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The practitioner can adjust the wavelength and/or frequency during therapy to extend a response.

The varying wavelengths tap into basic built-in functions of living things.

Since terrestrial life began, organisms have employed specialized proteins or pigments that are activated by only a few wavelengths. Varying the wavelengths increases the likelihood of stimulating relief.

Question 3

How might a few photons promote healing?

Accepted Answer

The varying wavelengths tap into basic built-in functions of living things.

Since terrestrial life began, organisms have employed specialized proteins or pigments that are activated by only a few wavelengths. Varying the wavelengths increases the likelihood of stimulating relief.

In 2000 when PhotoMed began, cytochrome c oxidase, opsins, and other photo-transducing mechanisms had NOT been found.

The team focused on the patient's  improvements  rather than possible mechanisms.

Each photon deposits its quantum of energy into a single molecule then exists no more. This all takes place in less than a trillionth of a second.
 
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Each molecule may be "tuned" to absorb photons of certain wavelengths. A wavelength few nanometers away and nothing happens.

Mechanisms
You may know that red and infrared wavelengths promote activation of cytochrome c oxidase that leads to improved mitochondrial functioning.

However, there are many cells that have multiple "opsins" that may allow the individual cell to "see" colors. Consider that the retina is a specialized skin where in it take 3 different sensing cells to detect different colors.

The opsins in the skin may account for some responses to the varying wavelengths. Might the variations be like chaos that redirects the healing system's attention to prompt a restart or acceleration of healing?

A review paper illustration provides an introduction to the myriad photo-transducing molecules and cells.

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Suh et al, The expression of opsins in the human skin and its implications for photobiomodulation: A Systematic Review. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12578 (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12578)

The intensity of the beam (photons per second) from the Varichrome Pro is usually less than for the same wavelengths in direct sunlight. Thus, the therapy remains within the ordinary sensing range of the skin.

The body heals itself. We don't know how that might work.
_______

Fun fact: Skin is mandatory. Bones, complex brains, and eyes are optional.

Question 4

Which wavelengths might restart / accelerate healing?

Accepted Answer

The impaired functions suggest which wavelengths to start therapy.

No single wavelength is likely to address all the different physiological impairments, pain, and wounds experienced by the patient.

The Varichrome® Pro provides energy and information via photons to cells via mechanisms of action. Each mechanism is tuned to absorb photons from only a part of the visible spectrum. Too many competing wavelengths, as may be found in room light, may compete to prevent a response.

Cells in the skin may detect different wavelengths analogous to detecting the differences in touch and pressure. How the cells communicate what they “see” remains unknown but may be the foundation for calling LED illumination “cool” or “warm” based on the relative amounts of blue and red wavelengths. Cool illumination includes relatively more energy in the bluer part of the spectrum.

The practitioner may select from 7 pre-programmed ranges on the Varichrome® Pro with ranges 1 – 5 shown on the graphic. If the 1st selection doesn’t prompt a physiological response, then the practitioner may make a different selection.
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The Varichrome® Pro Selections filters out photons with wavelengths that may compete with the needed ones.

Question 5

What are some of the mechanisms of action?

Accepted Answer

You may be familiar with cytochrome c oxidase as a mechanism for red and infrared wavelengths. This mechanism helps to improve mitochondrial functioning. However, the list of mechanisms and associated wavelengths  is growing rapidly.

A review paper by Serrage et al* shows studies for 53 visible wavelengths and their mechanisms.
 • Cytochrome c oxidase
 • Opsins
 • Flavins and flavoproteins
 •  Porphyrins
 •  Nitric oxide (NO)-containing compounds and nitrite reductases
 •  Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFkB)
 •  Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling
 •  Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling
 •  Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling
 •  Extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling
 •  c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)

* Serrage, H., Heiskanen, V., Palin, W.M. et al. Under the spotlight: mechanisms of Photobiomodulation concentrating on blue and green light. Photochem Photobiol Sci 18, 1877–1909 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1039/c9pp00089e(https://doi.org/10.1039/c9pp00089e)

Fixed wavelengths (◆ below) may access one or a few mechanisms. The Varichrome® Pro delivers the visible spectrum (430-690nm) a few wavelengths at a time. You can now access multiple mechanisms within seconds to minutes with no missing wavelengths.

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Each patient is unique and the Varichrome® Pro provides wavelengths throughout the visible spectrum to customize therapy to meet their needs – often within minutes.

However, the mechanism are only one step in converting and conveying the photonic energy throughout the healing systems.

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In summary, varying the wavelength increases the likelihood of activating one or a few mechanisms that let the healing systems resume their ordinary tasks.

Contextual Sensorimotor Adaptation

Many types of chronic pain and impaired functioning improve or resolve via very basic principles, such as contextual sensorimotor adaptation. The varying wavelengths create a changing "context" in sensation via the photo-transducing mechanisms like those described above.

The Varichrome Pro lets the body select its needed wavelengths as they go by. The varying wavelengths activate different wavelengths sequentially or simultaneously, like playing a melody or chaos. Either way, the body pays attention to the beam's location on the skin.

Thus, there may be many "contexts" that work. The Varichrome Pro lets the practitioner efficiently deliver the "right" context.

The Varichrome Pro's visible spectrum spread across a piano keyboard. Varying the wavelengths draws the body's attention like playing a tune.
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Critically important, would anyone notice if the return to normal functioning occurred when expected?

Question 6

How does the therapy work?

Accepted Answer

The short answer:
​
The body heals itself; the therapy prompts a restart.

Like playing a tune, the therapy directs the body's attention to the beam location. The healing systems select the wavelengths that they need as the Varichrome Pro varies the wavelength during therapy.

Instead of one wavelength, the Varichrome Pro delivers the visible spectrum, a few wavelengths at a time.
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The photons stimulate the skin with ever-changing signals that is the "context" of the therapy. The changing context is like how a multilingual speaker changes languages to match the other person. This only works for languages that are fluent. The speaker can't switch to a not yet learned language.

Called contextual sensorimotor adaption, the body can switch the maps back to an earlier state. Optimally, the therapy prompts the return to normal functioning.

The context includes touch, vision, and hearing. For a "frozen" shoulder, the patient shows the practitioner where their body says "stop". The practitioner applies the therapy while the patient raises their arm to gently test the stop spot. When the spot moves, the patient shows the new spot. Repeat until the should thaws and the full range (optimally) of motion resumes.

Of course, the patient can passively wait during therapy when testing isn't practical.

It's the skin
Under appreciated, the skin is a much more than a bag to hold our inside in. Our largest organ "knows" where all of its parts are in space. That information must be regularly updated via our experiences, such as touch and vision.

However, like when we sit, the sensations can become ignored. If the sensation remains turned off (aka numb or neuropathy), then energy-based therapies may work like standing up by getting the body's attention that the context has changed. PhotoMed's variable-wavelength therapy may be efficient for that awakening.

The varying wavelengths tap into basic built-in functions of living things.

Since terrestrial life began, organisms have employed specialized proteins or pigments that are activated by only a few wavelengths. Varying the wavelengths increases the likelihood of stimulating relief.

Question 7

Could the impairments suggest which wavelengths to start therapy?

Accepted Answer

The impaired functions may suggest which wavelengths to start therapy. Consider that the patient may be experiencing multiple impairments and/or pain. The aim is for each to return to normal functioning and wellness.

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The numbers W1 thru W7 correspond with the Preset Selections on the Varichrome Pro. W6 is Unique Yellow which many people find very stimulating and not a good starting point for chronic pain. W7 sweeps the entire visible spectrum for general purposes but may be less efficient that the optimum range. Like everything in medicine, you have to try "it" to learn if it works.
 
Practitioners familiar with physical medicine devices may consider the selections to be like a suite of similar tools.

Feedback from the patient may help to quickly find which selection "works" for the impairment. (Dogs and cats just jump off their owner's lap with greater ease.)

Physiological improvements in the impaired function(s) provide early markers for deciding when to stop therapy for the visit.

Question 8

Why vary the wavelength and frequency during therapy?

Accepted Answer

What might be the purpose of living things "getting used" to their surroundings? Could static inputs be boring?

What if you continuously varied the temperature of your shower water?

Couldn't the detection of the next small change be vital to living things?

Since terrestrial life began, organisms have employed specialized proteins or pigments that are activated by only a few wavelengths. Varying the wavelengths increases the likelihood of stimulating relief.

The varying wavelengths tap into basic built-in functions of living things.

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Pain specialists call an increasing sensitivity to a varying stimulus "windup" as a quantitative measure of the nervous system functioning.
 
The feasibility studies found that varying the rate of wavelength change also affected the time to observe a physiological response. The automated rate of wavelength change of the Varichrome Pro is from 4 to 32nm/second that can be adjusted during therapy to add even more variability to the stimulation.

Question 9

Is it working?

Accepted Answer

Everyone wants to know how long it might take to see if the therapy is "working".

In seconds to minutes for some cases that were not expected to ever improve. That puzzled the anesthesiologist and neurologist advisors. They asked for more data from the feasibility studies.The real-time recordings show the crazy-fast events like a video referee.

Everyone can watch the replay and make their own conclusions.

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The responses usually begin during the 1st or 2nd visit. Typically, 2 visits with no response or benefits are enough to suggest trying a different therapy. Inflammation may take a bit longer to observe improvements.
 
The therapy works adjunctively to accelerate physical rehabilitation, especially after a stroke or spinal cord injury, in programs such as contraint-induced therapy.

Of course, most injuries take several visits to maximize or refresh the improvements.

Question 10

How can I get a Varichrome® Pro?

Accepted Answer

Contact PhotoMed Technologies. info@photomedtech.com or +1 510-526-7373
 
We're accepting orders for the first devices that are now in limited production (Q2 2023).

Question 11

Regulatory Info

Accepted Answer

The Varichrome® Pro is a Class II physical medical device that Exempt from a 510(k). Before the exemption this type of devices was in the "ILY" product code.
 
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfPCD/classification.cfm?ID=ILY
 
Screenshot 2023-02-07
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