Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy is an amazing healing modality that can help to heal your skin, reduce pain and inflammation, and more! Keep reading to discover all the amazing benefits of red light therapy.

Over the years I’ve tried many different diets, supplements, and biohacking devices in an effort to heal my body and feel better.

Some have worked and some haven’t.

To be completely honest I’m not a big fan of biohacking devices. In my experience, most of them are a complete waste of money.

The things that have helped me the most on my healing journey are eating real food, lowering stress, spending time in the sun, grounding, food-based supplementation, and prioritizing sleep.

You can click here to learn more about my healing journey.

I think the alternative health community is oversaturated with expensive biohacking devices that are nowhere near as beneficial as the things I mentioned above that for the most part are completely free!

But there is one exception and that is red light therapy.

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I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please do not ask me for medical advice. Click here to read my full disclaimer.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a therapeutic treatment that exposes the skin and cells to low-level wavelengths of red light and near-infrared light.

It is a form of photobiomodulation. You can click here to learn more about photobiomodulation.

What does Red Light Therapy do?

Red light therapy can reduce the appearance of many skin conditions such as acne, wrinkles, and scars.

It can also help to combat hair loss, reduce pain and inflammation, promote wound healing, and so much more.

The Science Behind Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy may seem strange but the practice of red light therapy is actually based on science.

Natural light exposure is essential for good health. It is quite fascinating how important light exposure is to the human body.

Blue light helps to set the circadian rhythm in the brain. UV light initiates vitamin D synthesis. Red light and near-infrared light stimulate ATP production in our cells.

Red light is able to penetrate deep into the skin tissue where the cells are able to absorb it. This allows the mitochondria to absorb light particles.

It all comes down to the mitochondria. It is in the mitochondria that the cell’s energy is created. Red light therapy increases the function of the mitochondria which increases cellular energy in the body.

Hair loss, skin issues, and slow wound healing are all due to a lack of cellular energy in the body.

Red light therapy increases cellular energy in the body so cells can function more efficiently and repair damage.

Does Red Light Therapy Work?

Red light therapy has become increasingly popular over the years and that is because it does work and many people are experiencing positive results.

Red light therapy has also been widely tested and studied as well.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy has many proven benefits. You can learn more about some of these proven benefits below.

Promotes Wound Healing

Red light therapy stimulates tissue repair and promotes wound healing. This study concluded that red light therapy is an effective therapeutic modality to promote the healing of skin wounds. 

Stimulates Hair Growth

Red light therapy has been shown to regrow hair along the crown and hairline area.

This study done in 2021 concluded that red light therapy was able to regrow hair in patients with androgenetic alopecia.

Relieves Pain & Inflammation

Red light therapy can help reduce pain and soreness associated with chronic pain conditions and it can also reduce pain caused by working out or injury.

This study concluded that pain and inflammation caused by Achilles tendinitis were reduced with the use of red light therapy.

One of my favorite times to use red light therapy is immediately after a good workout. It is extremely beneficial to muscle recovery.

Improves Skin Conditions

Red light therapy can improve numerous skin conditions. It has been shown to improve acne, age spots, sun damage, psoriasis, and more.

Check out some of the studies below.

• Light-based therapies in acne treatment
• Combined 633-nm and 830-nm led treatment of photoaging skin
• A Controlled Trial to Determine the Efficacy of Red and Near-Infrared Light Treatment in Patient Satisfaction, Reduction of Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Skin Roughness, and Intradermal Collagen Density Increase

One reason red light therapy is so effective in healing skin conditions is because of its ability to stimulate collagen production.

Red light therapy is also believed to help boost your mood, reduce cellulite, and strengthen your immune system – although there aren’t any studies to confirm this.

As I mentioned earlier, we are naturally exposed to red light from the sun but many of us don’t get as much sun exposure as we should.

Red light devices are a great way to supplement the red light that we should be getting from everyday sun exposure.

We are also constantly being stimulated by blue light that emits from our computers, TVs, and cellphones.

Red light therapy can help to reduce the harmful effects of too much blue light exposure.

Red Light Therapy at Home

Red light therapy can be done safely and effectively at home using an at-home red light therapy device.

There are many different at-home red light therapy devices to choose from and they range drastically in price.

Best Red Light Therapy Devices

The alternative health industry is oversaturated with red light therapy devices. In my opinion, most of the devices on the market today are low quality and overpriced.

For red light therapy to be effective the light must be placed very close to the skin. Many red light therapy devices emit very high electromagnetic radiation fields which can make them very unsafe.

I have done extensive research into red light therapy devices and the only red light therapy device I feel safe using is from the company GembaRed.

GembaRed’s red light therapy devices emit very low electromagnetic fields. Much lower than other red light therapy devices.

Flickering is another issue when it comes to red light therapy devices. Nearly all lights flicker from being powered by the AC mains but GembaRed’s lights use high-quality power drivers to ensure practically no flicker.

GembaRed’s red light therapy devices aren’t just safer to use compared to other brands but they’re also more affordable.

I personally own the GembaRed Vector Mini Red and NIR LED Light Panel. I use it almost every day and I absolutely love it!

It is a multiple-wavelength red light panel. It emits four wavelengths – 630nm+660nm+830nm+850nm.

It is also ultra-thin and lightweight, making it fantastic for travel and portability. You can click here to check it out.

You can use the code HappyHeart10 to receive 10% off your purchase!

I originally wanted one of the full-body panels but after doing some research I learned the smaller panels are just as effective.

Targeting specific areas of the body with red light has systemic effects throughout the entire body.

The most effective areas of the body to target are the tibia, forehead, navel, and sternum.

Red Light Therapy Beds

Many different spas and tanning salons offer red light therapy using red light therapy beds. You can simply google red light therapy beds near me to locate a business in your vicinity that offers red light therapy.

Keep in mind sessions can range anywhere from $10-$25. It’s much more cost-effective to invest in an at-home red light therapy device.

How Often Should you do Red Light Therapy?

To experience the best results – red light therapy should be done twice a day for 15-20 minutes each time.

But you could also experience good results by only doing it a few times a week.

Can You Overdo Red Light Therapy?

More is not always better. You really only need 15-20 minutes of exposure twice a day. There aren’t any major risks associated with overdoing red light therapy but there aren’t any additional benefits either.

Red Light Therapy Dangers

Red light therapy is generally considered very safe. Although some patients of red light therapy have complained about sleep disturbances and headaches.

It is important to use a high-quality red light therapy device that doesn’t emit high EMFs.

What are the Negative Effects of Red Light Therapy?

As I mentioned earlier the only negative effects that have been reported are headaches and sleep issues. These negative effects are very rare.

Red light therapy is very safe as long as you are using a high-quality red light therapy device.

How Long Does it Take to Feel the Effects of Red Light Therapy?

Every individual will respond differently to red light therapy. Some may start to experience benefits after only a few weeks of red light therapy. For others, it can take 4-6 weeks.

Do You Need to Wear Goggles for Red Light Therapy?

Red light is generally safe to look at but it really depends on the device that you are using. I personally would not recommend staring directly into it though.

Most red light therapy devices do not produce UV light so they are not harmful to the eyes. But you should always check with the manufacturer.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of red light therapy I highly recommend reading the book – The Ultimate Guide To Red Light Therapy by Ari Whitten.

If you have any questions about red light therapy or about the GembaRed Vector Mini Red and NIR LED Light Panel please let me know below!

And remember you can use the code HappyHeart10 to receive 10% off any red light device from GembaRed!