Full-Body Red Light (LED) Therapy at Skin by Stephanie

Red light therapy uses devices fitted with specifically calibrated LED bulbs. These bulbs produce non-invasive wavelengths of red and/or near-infrared light to promote cellular health, which can be the key to relieving a range of conditions. 

Wavelengths of light, which are measured in nanometers (nm), absorb to various depths of the body’s tissues. Red light in the 620–660 nm range and NIR light in the 810–850 nm range is considered to be in the “therapeutic window” of light that delivers benefits without side effects.

 Red light therapy is safe to use since it is non-invasive and the light does not generate heat in the cells. Red and NIR light photons have clinically proven positive effects on the body’s tissues, and no adverse side effects have been reported.

The most common use for red light therapy is skin rejuvenation. The result of light therapy treatments is healthier skin cells, which can help to restore a more youthful appearance by supporting the skin’s natural cellular regeneration.

 Studies have shown red light therapy to be an effective treatment for wound healing, chronic skin disorders, muscle recovery, low back pain, chronic pain from arthritis, neck pain, neuropathy, weight loss, and hair growth, among others.

But, the treatment has many diverse applications that go far beyond skin rejuvenation.

As mentioned earlier, different wavelengths of light have different effects on the body. There are four major ways the body can benefit from red light therapy.

Increased Cellular Energy Production

Inside cells are tiny organelles called mitochondria, which are responsible for producing cellular fuel known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Sometimes, for a multitude of reasons (aging, illness, lifestyle, etc.) the mitochondria can’t produce enough ATP. 

When that happens, cells struggle to survive, rather than being able to function optimally or effectively repair or regenerate themselves. This mitochondrial dysfunction, as it is known, can snowball, as depleted cells in one bodily system cause a ripple effect in other systems. Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered to be at the heart of most major diseases and disorders. 

Energized cells are happy cells. They perform better, repair themselves more efficiently, and replace themselves faster. As old, damaged cells are replaced, healthy new cells emerge. This is one of the reasons that red light treatments are so popular for improving skin complexion and speeding up wound healing.

Reduced Inflammation

Inflammation is one of the main contributing causes of mitochondrial dysfunction. Red light therapy has an astonishingly powerful effect on reducing inflammation in treated areas of the body. 

Improved Circulation

Red/NIR light treatments increase blood circulation as well as lymph circulation in skin tissue and beneath the skin, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the treatment area and removing waste and toxins. 

Increased Collagen and Elastin Production

One of the key components of healthy skin is an ample supply of collagen, the protein that makes up about 80 percent of the skin’s structure. Collagen production declines naturally with age. It is also influenced by inflammation, oxidative stress, chronic emotional stress, poor diet, too much sun exposure, and other factors that cause thin, crepey, sagging skin.

Intradermal collagen density increase is essential for reducing crepey skin and regaining firm youthful skin. Yet, intradermal collagen density increase isn’t the whole picture when it comes to skin rejuvenation. Red and NIR light treatments also promote the synthesis of elastin, the protein that gives skin its youthful elasticity, treating stretch marks as well. 

Now that you know how red light therapy works, let’s look at what this natural treatment has been clinically proven to do. 

Skin Rejuvenation

The anti-aging properties of red light therapy are well-documented. 

In 2014, for example, German researchers conducted a study on the effects of red light therapy on aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, and skin roughness. A total of 128 participants completed the study. Those who received red light treatments experienced significant improvement in skin feeling and appearance, including noteworthy intradermal collagen density increase and patient satisfaction with the treatment.

Overall Skin Health

Chronic skin disorders have been shown to respond well to consistent red and NIR light treatments. One of the main benefits of red light therapy is reducing inflammation. This could be beneficial in treating inflammatory skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. 

One study with positive results involved 81 patients who suffered from atopic dermatitis, which is the most common form of eczema. The study found that 830 nm NIR light therapy effectively decreased itching and skin eruptions. This study used low-power laser therapy; more recent studies are increasingly using LED light therapy devices.

Faster Wound Healing

A series of studies compared the effects of red light on helping heal skin wounds. They compare the effects of light delivered via light-emitting diode (LED) devices versus lasers. Both mechanisms delivered results including reduced inflammation, angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), increased fibroblast proliferation (fibroblasts are the precursors to collagen), increased collagen synthesis, and formation of granulation tissue, which is the first tissue you can see as a wound is closing and healing.

In the past, lasers were the only way to deliver light photons to cells. Many original studies used low level-laser therapy.

Today, you can achieve similar results with a high-quality, powerful medical-grade red light therapy device. LED lights are coming into the spotlight because results could be more easily reproduced outside of a clinical setting.

Scar Reduction

Red light therapy supports tissue regeneration. When used immediately after injury, red light shows great potential for reducing the growth and appearance of scars. If a scar has already formed, regular use of red light can gradually soften the scar and reduce its appearance as new, normal, healthy skin cells work their way to the surface.

Treatment with 633 nm light has been shown to inhibit the migration of skin fibroblasts involved in skin fibrosis, which is excessive growth of scar tissue.  

Better Muscle Performance and Faster Recovery After Workouts or Injury

Red light therapy can be used to precondition muscle tissue before a workout to enhance performance and stimulate faster recovery of workout-stressed muscle tissue. A review of 46 studies involving 1,045 participants used red/NIR light to increase muscle mass and decrease inflammation. 

In fact, the benefits outlined in this review are significant, leading the review’s authors to question whether red light therapy offers an unfair advantage in athletic competition.

Weight Loss 

An exciting development in red and NIR light therapy is its potential to help you lose excess fat. 

A 2015 study by researchers from Brazil tested whether a combination of red light therapy and aerobic exercise could reduce obese women’s chances of developing heart disease. The researchers gave 62 women an exercise regimen. The participants were randomly assigned to receive red light therapy or a placebo for four months. At the conclusion of the study, the red light group had greater losses in waist circumference and other measures. 

How does red light therapy help with fat reduction? Research has shown that red and NIR light cause temporary perforations in fat cells that allow lipids to leak out; then, they are naturally expelled by the body. This shows potential for targeted fat reduction and body contouring. 

This does not mean, however, that red light therapy is a “miracle weight loss” approach – because there is no such thing. You can achieve the best results by combining LED light therapy with a healthy diet, exercise, and stress management techniques.

Hair Growth

Hair growth is one of the most popular uses for red light therapy because results have been promising. One study, for instance, found significantly greater hair counts in men with androgenetic alopecia (male- and female-pattern hair loss) who self-treated with 655 nm red light once daily for 16 weeks.

Red light stimulates the cells in dormant hair follicles and promotes two important hair growth phases in hair follicles: anagen (growth phase) and telogen (reentry from dormancy). At the same time, the treatment inhibits early transition to catagen (regression), keeping hair follicles in “production” mode longer.

Pain Relief

Whether you’re injured or are looking at treating rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis pain, red light therapy could help. 

A large, promising study on university athletes with a variety of injuries found faster return-to-play after 830 nm near-infrared LED treatment. 

In another double-blind study, elderly patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis and similar pain levels were randomly split into groups receiving red light treatment, NIR light treatment, or a placebo. The patients self-applied the treatment to their knee for 15 minutes twice daily for 10 days.

After the 10-day treatment, pain had been reduced in the red and infrared groups by more than 50 percent. The red and infrared groups also experienced functional improvement after treatment, with no improvement in the placebo group. And, the red and infrared groups experienced longer intervals between the need for additional pain relief treatments.  

Using Red Light Therapy Panels

More usage is not necessarily better. Research has determined that three to 20 minutes daily is the optimal treatment time. Beyond that, extending the treatment time will not yield faster or greater benefits. As easy and pleasant as the treatments are, always follow the recommendations.

There’s a huge difference in the quality and efficacy of light therapy devices. That’s why Skin By Stephanie offers the best, high-quality FDA-cleared medical-grade device on the market, which will deliver more energy needed for the light to absorb effectively into your tissues.

Larger panels deliver much more energy than small devices – meaning, more intense light and a greater coverage area. The intensity of LED lights is close to that of low-level laser therapy, but with more broadly dispersed light to reduce treatment time.

Go easy on the eyes. Although red light therapy has been used successfully for eye health, always wear proper eye protection to prevent eye strain and potential damage, especially from longer NIR wavelengths. Because NIR light is invisible, you can’t see it; thus, it may not seem intense, but the eyes are still affected.

And absolutely, consult your ophthalmologist before using any red light therapy on your eyes.

How Long Does Red Light Therapy Take to Work?

As beneficial as red light therapy is, it should not be considered a miracle treatment for any condition. Whether benefits are skin-deep or deeper in the body, they often take time to manifest because red light therapy works at the cellular level. Cells need time to repair themselves or replicate, and for the effects of millions of cells working together to result in improvement. 

Consistency is key to seeing results. You may see some results very quickly, but the full effects may not be visible for three to six months of daily use.

We recommend taking “before” and “after” photos to monitor your progress.

Once you’ve achieved the results you want, you can continue with less frequent treatments to maintain your results.  

The Side Effects of Red Light Therapy

Scientists have found that red light therapy is free of side effects when used as directed, including using protective eyewear and not overdoing the treatment times. In every study we’ve reviewed, patient satisfaction has been very high.