Washout effect and microcirculation: what it is and how it® works

Imagine a warehouse where incoming goods keep coming, but outgoing goods stop. The shelves are filling, the aisles are clogged, everything slows down. It's not that the goods are defective — it's that the sorting system isn't working. Something very similar happens in inflamed tissues: the body produces signaling substances to initiate repair, but if the microcirculation does not flow well, these molecules become trapped, irritate the surrounding nerves and fuel pain well beyond the acute phase. 

It is one of the mechanisms underlying chronic pain — a condition that affects about one in four adults in Italy, according to data from the National Institute of Health. And one of the most effective ways to interrupt it passes through a precise physiological process: the washout effect induced by photobiomodulation. 

Why certain pains do not go away: the role of microcirculation 

When a tissue becomes inflamed — due to trauma, overexertion, or a chronic condition — the body releases molecules such as prostaglandins, interleukins, and histamine. Their task is to activate the immune response: useful in the short term, problematic if they accumulate over time. 

These substances, called algogens, directly irritate the nerve endings of the affected area. The more they remain in the area, the more the pain signal remains active. Have you ever noticed that a sprained ankle continues to hurt even weeks later? Often it is not because the ligament is still injured: it is because that area is still saturated with inflammatory mediators that the microcirculation has not been able to drain. 

The microcirculation — the capillary network that brings oxygen and nourishment to the cells — is the system that is supposed to take away this biological waste. When it is compromised, the cycle of pain closes in on itself. 

What is the washout effect and how does photobiomodulation trigger it

Washout literally means "wash away". In physiology, it describes the removal of inflammatory mediators through improved local blood and lymphatic flow. Like turning on the tap when the sink is clogged: the water flows again and takes away everything that had accumulated. 

Photobiomodulation — red and near-infrared light therapy — triggers this process through a precise biochemical cascade. Photons in the wavelengths around 650 and 810 nm penetrate up to about 3 cm deep into the tissue and activate cytochrome oxidasei, the fourth complex of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The cellular response is twofold and immediate: 

• Increased ATP, the cell's energy molecule, which supports repair processes
  
• Release of nitric oxide (NO), a powerful vasodilator naturally produced by the body, which is released just as cytochrome oxidase is stimulated by light 
  

Nitric oxide is the protagonist of the washout effect: it relaxes the smooth muscles of the blood vessels, improves local microcirculation and also activates the lymphatic system in the treated area. The practical result: 

• Algogenic substances are drained away from the stream 
  
• Edema is reduced 
  
• Mechanical pressure on nerves and fasciae decreases 
  
• The tissue receives more oxygen and can finally repair itself 
  

Less inflammation, zero systemic side effects: how does light do it? 

Controlled clinical trials of photobiomodulation have documented the reduction of key inflammatory markers, including prostaglandin E2 (Bjordal et al., 2006; Mizutani et al., 2004), interleukin-1β and TNF-alpha (Hamblin, 2017), the same targets as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). 

The substantial difference is in the safety profile. NSAIDs act systemically and pose known risks to renal function and blood clotting. Photobiomodulation produces a similar anti-inflammatory effect through an endogenous photochemical mechanism: no substances introduced from outside, no systemic side effects. It is not an alternative to medication when needed, but a complementary option with a structurally different safety profile. 

Why therapeutic continuity is crucial 

Any light therapy works as long as the stimulation lasts. A lamp, a clinical tool, an outpatient session: the biochemical cascade is activated during treatment, then stops. The data speak for themselves: the most intensive biophysical therapies reach 10-20 hours per month for a very popular patient. 

Taopatch® solves this limitation structurally. Quantum Dot nanocrystals — award-winning technology A pilot study of 10 cross-training athletes — continuously convert body heat into therapeutic wavelengths. The device is wearable 24 hours a day, as big as a coin, without batteries: 720 hours of photobiomodulation at the MESand, against the few hours guaranteed by any other approach. 

A pilot study of 10 cross-training athletes, with blood chemistry follow-up over 8 weeks, found a statistically significant reduction in interleukin IL-6, and creatine kinase (p<0.05) in the Taopatch® group, as well as an improvement in lower limb strength.  

This finding is particularly relevant because it suggests a role of Taopatch® in modulating the inflammatory response and post-exercise muscle damage. In this context, the continuous action of Taopatch® adds a distinctive element: the support is not limited to the moment of sitting or application in the office, but can continue during daily activities, rest and sleep (precisely at night when the tissue healing processes are most active), supporting recovery and washout over time. 

Intensityand continuity: the integrated approach in the studio 

The continuity guaranteed by Taopatch® integrates with Tao Technologies' high-intensity outpatient light therapy instruments, such as the BODY STATION PULSE and the PHOTONIC BREATH.™ Their differentiating element compared to any conventional photobiomodulation device is the integration of Taopatch® nanotechnology within them, which amplifies the therapeutic spectrum and enhances the biological effect of each session. 

The synergy of these approaches (high intensity in the office, continuous photobiomodulation with the wearable device) makes it possible to maximize the washout effect between one session and another, offering the patient a complete and constant therapeutic path. 

Curious to find out how to integrate Taopatch® into your wellness routine or clinical protocols? Learn more about Taopatch® or visit this page, if you are interested in seeing the products.  

 Communication aimed at professional operators.