FAQs
The following are some of the most common questions to do with light therapy.
If you don’t find your question here, check out our resource links or feel free to contact
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What is red light therapy?
Light therapy is the effect of light energy of a certain wavelength on tissues to produce a therapeutic effect. Red light therapy (photobiomodulation) consists of red and near-infrared light waves. Light in red and near-infrared waves penetrates deeper into the skin than other light sources in the spectrum.
Photobiomodulation and other light sources
Red light therapy (photobiomodulation) consists of red and near-infrared light waves. Light in red and near-infrared waves penetrates deeper into the skin than other light sources in the spectrum [1].
Photobiomodulation and the sun. If you compare photobiomodulation and the sun, the healing properties of Laser Light are due to these differences:
The sun has positive effects on the body: it produces vitamin D, gives energy, fights depression, kills bacteria, and strengthens the immune system. But because of ultraviolet rays, the sun can also cause sunburn, skin cancer, premature aging, eye damage, etc. Photobiomodulation, on the other hand, has only red and infrared light, which are not harmful to the body.
Light therapy effects on the body
Photobiomodulation is a painless and non-invasive procedure. There will be no sound, no vibration, and no heat.
The light in red light therapy, due to its penetrating ability, penetrates deep into the cells (skin, bones, brain, blood). One of the main mechanisms of the action occurs in the mitochondria (the unit of cellular energy within each cell).
Red and infrared LEDs, non-invasively enter the treated tissues in the form of non-ionizing light energy. This energy is absorbed by the mitochondria and converted directly into an energy-carrying molecule used to support cellular metabolism. That is, photobiomodulation stimulates cellular energy production and also reduces oxidative stress (reduces inflammation).
Effectiveness depends on the application of the correct wavelength and density of light entering the target tissues over an appropriate time. Superficial tissues are usually treated using wavelengths between 600 and 700 nanometers (nm). For deeper penetration, wavelengths between 780 and 950 nm are used [2].
Why need to use red light therapy?
Although red light therapy (RLT), or in other words photobiomodulation (PBM), is a well-studied and documented topic (there are over 121,000 studies on it on PubMed.gov), it has only recently achieved noteworthy status thanks to today’s technological advances.
PBM uses a low-level laser that irradiates tissue with red and near-infrared (NIR) light. The light penetrates deep into the tissue and affects the mitochondria there, increasing the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), whose role is to provide energy for numerous biochemical reactions. As a result, it stimulates faster production of collagen, vascular structures, DNA, RNA, and other materials necessary for various processes in the body.
To all this, phototherapy uses non-thermal, non-invasive light to achieve a therapeutic result. This means that it is a painless, drug-free, natural procedure, after which no recovery time is required. Therefore, it has no serious consequences or contraindications.
Due to its effectiveness and safety, photobiomodulation is actively used for various medical and cosmetic purposes.
Noticeable results of PBM efficacy achieved concerning:
- reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, and increased collagen density in the intradermal tissue [1]
- treatment of inflammatory diseases, especially acne [2]
- wound healing and scar prevention [3]
- stimulation of hair growth in both men and women [4, 5]
- aid in weight loss in overweight people [6, 7]
- reducing the appearance of cellulite [8, 9]
- оrelief of pain (lower back pain [10, 11], neuropathy [12, 15, 20], osteoarthritis [13, 14] etc.)
- improvement of sleep and depressed mood [16, 17, 18, 19]
The main application of photobiomodulation is tissue repair, pain, and inflammation relief.
However, it is important to understand that red light therapy is not a one-time treatment. The treatment period is prescribed individually for each case. In some cases, treatment lasts one to three months with several weekly sessions (e.g., for temporary pain relief, wound healing, or seasonal mood disorders), and in some cases, continuous maintenance therapy may be needed to maintain results (e.g., to combat wrinkles or chronic pain).
Sources
[1] Alexander Wunsch and Karsten Matuschka.Photomedicine and Laser Surgery.Feb 2014.93-100.
Red Light Therapy — Before and After
Red light therapy is used in many cases. This has been made possible by many clinical studies that have demonstrated the visible results of red light therapy. Below are some illustrative examples of photographic results before and after such studies.
Reduction of fine lines
[1] A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Germany in 2012 on 136 volunteers on the effects of light therapy on age-related changes in facial skin.
Source: US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
Collagen increase
In the same study [1] an ultrasound scan showing collagen density in the skin was done.
Source: US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
Acne treatment
Red light therapy is already actively used to treat acne, as there have been many studies proving its effectiveness. [2] One such study is a randomized, blinded clinical trial conducted in 2007 on 28 volunteers in Korea
Source: Official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.] 2007
Scar healing
[3] In 2010, a study was conducted on the effectiveness of using RLT as a prophylactic method to alter the wound healing process. The photographic results show a marked difference between the treated and control sides.
Source: Research Gate
Hair loss treatment
Red light therapy increases the amount of hair by transforming the activation of down or intermediate follicles. This proves it a randomized double-blind clinical trial on 128 men and 141 women with typical alopecia [4].
Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information
Lose weight
RLT, under certain conditions, promotes a decrease in body volume. This change is due to the reduction in fat, not to the movement of fluid or fat through the body. [5] One study of the effects of light therapy was conducted back in 2009. According to its results, participants in the experimental group had an overall decrease of -3.51 inches, while the placebo group had a decrease of -0.684 inches.
Source: Semantic Scholar
Cellulite treatment
In addition to its effect on fat reduction, RLT combined with exercise has the additional effect of improving body aesthetics and aiding in the treatment of cellulite [6].
Source: Research Gate
Sources
Light Therapy Treatment
I’m Lavinia Rusanda. I decided to try the LED mask for my acne and scars. I’m getting a breakout or two just from the fact that it’s just my skin. This is my result after 7 days of using the mask.
Honestly, this mask is great for just sitting down at the end of the day and doing nothing as I just close my eyes, put my phone down and just relax.
You know for 15 to 20 minutes we just sit there, relax, and you get light therapy for your skin, which is cool. I feel like the pores in my t-zone look better, they’re not enlarged, so that’s awesome.
I’m super impressed with the results that I’ve had, my skin looks great and even though I still have some scars, obviously it’s going to take a lot longer to go away and stuff, but I think as I continue to use this testing, I found that the red light has really helped with some of my scars, just you know, in these couple of trials.
Source: YouTube channel
My name is Alison Taurus. I am a makeup lover and a licensed esthetician in Colorado.
The two main skin conditions I deal with are acne and sensitivity. When it comes to my acne, unfortunately, I have a hereditary type of acne that a lot of people in my family have dealt with.
I don’t have pictures of my acne since high school just because when you have acne, you don’t want to be in front of the camera.
I used antibiotics for treatment. I was so sick of taking various antibiotics and seeing very little or just short term results that I asked my dermatologist to just put me on Accutane and my dermatologist agreed, luckily I had a pretty easy time with Accutane, I had no serious side effects from Accutane other than extreme dry skin.
But before you even go to Accutane, you have to sign tons of waivers. You have to submit two negative pregnancy tests to confirm that you will be using multiple types of contraceptives. This is no joke. Dermatologists are well aware of the risks this can have on your body.
The full treatment for me was about 8 months, and I saw results very quickly within the first month. Honestly, my skin has stayed clear for about 4-5 years since then. I was so happy that my skin stayed almost completely clear.
During this time, I knew very little about skincare. I followed a very basic skincare routine:
- just cleansing and moisturizing
- even going to bed with makeup on my face
In the early summer and fall of 2019, my acne started coming back. I started taking spironolactone with no effect. I have been dealing with acne for 10+ years.
Finally, I tried LED therapy with LightStim. For the first 6 weeks that I owned it, I used it very intensely every day at night.
That first night I only used it on areas where I had hormonal acne, and the next day I woke up and my current breakouts were much less wicked. They weren’t as high as the acne I was having at the time.
I did this for two weeks every night, and I started to notice that it was treating the existing acne very well, it was kind of reducing these individual breakouts, making them less painful, making them less inflamed.
After about 6 weeks of very consistent use of this product, I experienced great results. I have to say that when I feel like I can see a breakout, so I like that it has been very successful for me.
So, as I said from my own experience, I used it very intensely in the first couple of weeks after that, and now I use it as needed, and I would suggest the same to you.
Source: YouTube channel
I’m Jazmin. I was very unsure if LED therapy was effective. I decided to try it in hopes of helping cure chemical facial burns.
I used it for six months. In addition to the daily bio-oil treatment, I used the LED mask at 5-minute intervals in red and green light mode.
This is my result after 6 months
Of course, the skin is raised but the pigmentation is almost identical before the burns.
Source here.
Hi, my name is Carissa. I bought a Juve panel with red light blocks last November and I love it. I live in the Pacific Northwest and it gets very dark during most of the day and oh my gosh the winters are just brutal sometimes.
The more I researched it, the more I realized that light only works if it’s a specific wavelength, and you need to buy a clinical-grade device or use something like that to make it really work and not just be a placebo.
The first thing I noticed after using the panel for 2-3 weeks was the quality of my skin. I struggled with acne on a massive scale for about a year. But after a couple of weeks of red light therapy, because the clarity and tone of my skin were like night and day. I had a lot of acne scars left, and just, in general, the texture and tone of my skin were not where they used to be, so I noticed a huge difference.
The second thing I noticed after using my Juve consistently was the healing time. I had surgery about 6 months before I bought my red light therapy device.
I was trying to figure out how to fade my rather large scars when I had excellent scar surgery, about twice as long as the original implant scar. Because I need more room to get the scar capsule out of my breasts, and so I had very large scars.
But after a year of using my red light therapy device, my scars are very minimal. It’s crazy how well my scars have faded.
The last key benefit I noticed in using my red light therapy device throughout the year was my recovery time after workouts. And if I pull a muscle or hurt my neck, I recover much faster than before.
Source: YouTube channel
I’m Sonia. I’m from Canada. I have acne and scars on my face.
I tried the LED light therapy mask for my acne for a month. I used it every day and I think it’s okay to use it regularly. After a session with the mask, I feel refreshed, like I’m getting a massage or something. That’s my result.
I see that scientific studies prove that LED therapy does the deed or activates the deeper layers of the skin. And it’s effective for my acne. I’ve only had one new acne this month, which is amazing.
I loved it. I will continue to use it. Yes. I think it will be more effective for me when I use it for 6 months.
Source: YouTube channel
Hi, I’m Kyle. I had an experience with LED light therapy for 60 days, and that’s what I want to say. I’ve tried a lot of things to improve my health, to increase my energy, to work on my well-being, all these different weird things. And of all the things I’ve tried, red light therapy was probably the one I went into with a lot of skepticism.
The first day I did it, I sat in front of it, you know, I did 10 minutes in the front, 10 minutes in the back, and when I got up, I was blown away, I shot the certificate and sent it to the CEO immediately because of my level of skepticism, it was like I didn’t expect to feel any differently.
But there was a radical shift in my mood of cognition. It wasn’t so extreme that my whole state changed, but I noticed very subtle happiness or very subtle energy. It was like an elevator.
I would describe it like an elevator, like an uplifted mood, just a little bit, so cognitively what I felt was just a feeling of light, if that makes sense. And I also do it when I’m in pain. I put myself right in front of that place, right in front of the light, and it helps alleviate some of that pain. It raises my energy, and I love it.
Source: YouTube channel
