Does Red Light Therapy Really Work?
Red light therapy is an emerging treatment for various skin and health conditions. It’s said to improve acne, hair loss, ease pain, and more. But the real question from many people is if it works. If you want to improve your skin health using this therapy, will it yield visible results?
Decide for yourself by learning more about this therapy in this article. Get a deeper understanding of how it really works and its studied benefits. At the same time, find out what are the potential side effects you would need to consider when practicing it. Use this to determine whether it would be the perfect treatment for your worries.
How Does It Work?
This therapy uses low levels of red light to penetrate the skin. This activates and helps the energy-making parts of our cells work better. At the same time, the extra energy they produce can help make your skin healthier and can help ease muscle pain.
8 Real Benefits of Red Light Therapy
Among all the said benefits of this therapy going around, it’s most effective in these areas:
1. Improve Skin Health
This is the most known and significant benefit, as the light can do the following when your skin absorbs it:
- Stimulate and increase collagen production
- Increase blood circulation to the tissues
- Reduce inflammation in the skin
Because of these, many dermatologists use the therapy to treat various skin conditions. In fact, studies have shown the effectiveness of red light in the following:
- Improve Acne
The light goes deep into the skin and affects how the skin produces the oily substance sebum, which, when produced in excess, can lead to acne. The light reduces inflammation and irritation in the area, which prevents and solves this issue.
Based on a 2021 study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, RLT reduces inflammation and increases the number of cells that make up the structure of the top skin layer. This contributes to the treatment and improvement of acne.
- Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles
The light promotes collagen production and elastin. These two are proteins produced by the body that give strength and elasticity to the skin. With RLT, their production helps build connective tissues and provide better structure and elasticity in the skin. At the same time, the light is able to target the substances that break down collagen, which causes lines and wrinkles.
- Enhance Scars
Red light enhances tissue regeneration and cell growth. However, it can reduce collagen production in scar tissue, which can help prevent scar thickening and improve them instead.
2. Pain Relief
RLT can also be an effective treatment for certain conditions that induce pain. This is potentially because red light can act on neurons that send pain. In fact, according to a 2021 journal article from the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, this therapy can be a non-invasive way of pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions. These include osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, neck pain, low back pain, and knee pain.
3. Improve Hair Conditions
People who struggle with hair loss, like androgenic alopecia, can also enjoy RLT. In another study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, it was found that RLT helped in improving the hair density and thickness of the participants, with minimal side effects. At the same time, certain forms of therapy can support hair growth. From a 2021 study, applying a specific red light band can stimulate hair follicle proliferation.
4. Wound Healing
Red light can help the body heal better because it reduces inflammation. According to a 2019 review of Photobiomodulation Therapy for Wound Care, it can activate a potent growth factor that promotes tissue healing and regeneration, allowing it to help with wound healing. At the same time, light therapy can help by stimulating new blood vessels to form and through fibroblast production in the skin.
5. Reduce Body Fat
RLT can also help reduce body fat in some areas of the body. In fact, laser-based devices are often used to reduce body fat deposits in the arms, thighs, buttocks, and abdomen. Additionally, a 2011 study from the Obesity Surgery Journal found that adults who are regularly exposed to RLT experienced fat loss since their fat cells released triglycerides—a type of fat you can find in the blood. The results showed that the 40 participants lost about 2.1 centimeters of girth over four weeks.
6. Assist in Recovery
The light from the therapy can also speed up the respiration process in cells. This will increase the energy and other mechanistic factors in the cells and stimulate the body’s ability to repair, which is crucial in recovery. At the same time, RLT can reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Additionally, based on a 2015 meta-analysis published by the Lasers Medical Science Journal, the therapy shows promising results in helping with muscle recovery and improving performance if applied before physical activity. Of course, the researchers note that more studies still need to make this more conclusive.
7. Improve Joint and Musculoskeletal Health
RLT is also now being used to treat arthritis symptoms. This is because it can stimulate collagen production, which helps rebuild cartilage. Based on a 2009 Cochrane review, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) offers a short-term treatment to relieve pain and morning stiffness for rheumatoid arthritis patients. It’s also mentioned that even those who struggle with other joint and musculoskeletal issues can practice LLLT.
8. Reduce Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
Research done by NASA showed that red light technology can reduce and relieve the symptoms experienced by people with cancer. These include the painful side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Other research also shows that therapy using red light can decrease oral tissue swelling and inflammation in people who struggle with head and neck cancers.
Debunking Myths and Misconceptions
Despite all the benefits you can get, there are still a lot of misconceptions about red light therapy. But these top myths have actually been debunked:
It’s Only Good For Treating Skin Conditions
The most popular uses of red light devices and the therapy is for treating skin conditions like acne and scars. But it’s not true that it’s only effective in this area. Studies and science show that red light is also effective in treating and easing other health conditions, like:
- Hair loss
- Muscle and joint pain
- Wound healing
- Injury and exercise recovery
- Sleep issues and more
All Light Is the Same and Equal
Light is measured in wavelengths or nanometers, and the therapeutic benefits of light depend on the wavelength used. This also means that different types of light are used for different purposes. Red light has a wavelength of about 630-700 nanometers, making it most effective for improving skin and hair conditions.
On the other hand, infrared light has a higher wavelength, between 700 and 1000 nanometers. It can go deeper into the body, which makes it most effective for recovery and pain-related issues. So, although forms of red light therapies often use a combination of both red and infrared light wavelengths, not all lights are the same.
RLT Burns Your Skin
Many people are afraid that RLT causes sunburn, which is completely not true. It’s ultraviolet (UV) light that can burn the skin, not red light. This is because UV has a much shorter wavelength and produces UV rays, which are harmful to the skin. On the other hand, red light doesn’t produce anything harmful—it doesn’t even produce any heat that can burn the skin.
Final Verdict
Red light therapy has proven to work on many occasions and is based on different studies. It can help improve your skin, wound, hair, and recovery, and can even help reduce fat and the side effects of cancer treatments. However, to avoid misuse of red light, always follow the proper guidelines.
If you’re still looking for a high-quality at-home device, you can check our red light collection. We offer various products that use different forms of infrared that can help improve various skin and health conditions!