Seeing Red? Red-Light Therapy Unplugged: What You Need to Know
What exactly is Red-Light Therapy?
Red-Light Therapy is a treatment used to assist your body to heal muscle tissue, help skin regenerate from a cellular level by increasing production of mitochondria - known as the “powerhouses of the cell,” mitochondria produce the energy necessary for the cell's survival and functioning.
It’s often used to treat signs of aging and sun damage.
How Does Red-Light Therapy Work?
By exposing your skin to a Red-Light Therapy lamp, or laser with the correct spectrum of red light, your mitochondria will soak it up and absorb to make more energy, helping cells to repair themselves. Red LED light travels deeper into the skin than blue LED light, which is sometimes used to heal the skin conditions such as acne.
By using low levels of heat, that does not hurt or burn the skin, Red-Light Therapy is a safer, unlike tanning booths, it does not expose your skin to damaging UV rays.
Using Red-Light Therapy Devices
There are many Red-Light Therapy devices on the market and are now more commonly used in the convenience of your own home. Such as:
- Red Light Therapy Masks:
This fits over your entire face, and has LED lights on the inner side, sitting on top of your skin. These devices are worn for a short length of time, several times a week, and can be used in conjunction with your existing skincare regime. This revolutionary at home treatment is used to treat acne, wrinkles, or other skin conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea and eczema.
- Red Light Therapy Bed:
This is similar to what a tanning bed looks like but has red LED lights instead of harmful UV lights. It’s large enough for a person to lie down inside, exposing your entire body to the red light.
- Red Light Therapy Panel:
A portable panel of red LED lights can be mounted to a wall, or be placed either on a table, or propped up on a stand at home. These panels can be purchased in various sizes depending on your requirements. These are popular for use on targeted areas of the body, such as your knee, back of your hand, etc.
What Are the Benefits of Red-Light Therapy?
With ongoing regular use, research shows that LED Red-Light Therapy is useful for several health and beauty reasons.
- Red-Light Therapy for Dementia
A 2021 research review showed all 10 studies saw benefits of Red-Light Therapy for people with dementia.
In one of those studies, 5 people with dementia who were treated regularly with light therapy on their heads and through their noses for 12 weeks experienced improvement in memory, slept better, and experienced a lesser amount of anger.
- Red-Light Therapy for Pain
Research show that red-light therapy may be useful for relieving some types of pain, particularly due to inflammation (irritation and swelling of body tissues).
A review of 11 studies looking at the effect of red-light therapy on paid found positive results. A smaller study on subjects with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) had less pain, clicking, and jaw tenderness after red light therapy.
- Red-Light Therapy for Arthritis
A review of studies found red-light therapy helped those experiencing pain and morning stiffness from rheumatoid arthritis. However, it does not seem to assist with other forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis.
- Red-Light Therapy for Hair Loss
A review of multiple case studies found that red-light therapy can be an effective treatment for androgenic alopecia, a genetic disorder that causes hair loss.
In some studies, hair thickness improved as well as hair growth.
- Red-Light Therapy for Skin
Red-light therapy has been a popular alternative treatment to help mitigate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. By stimulating collagen production, which helps improve skin elasticity. Research shows it also helps improve pigmentation and sun damage.
- Red-Light Therapy for Acne
Red-light therapy is widely used to treat acne due to its ability to help reduce inflammation. In addition to healing wounds and lesions, red light lasers also help to treat scarring.
- Red-Light Therapy for Weight Loss
Whilst red-light therapy can reduce the circumference of your body through ‘body contouring’ or ‘body sculpting’ in the treated area, the effect is most likely to be temporary and not due to any real weight loss.
What are the dangers associated with Red-Light Therapy?
Red-light therapy is safe to use – especially if used correctly. There are many forms of red-light therapy and various strengths of lights.
However, when used even at a doctor’s office, there are some risks. If LED lights at a higher-level, caution is advised to avoid redness on the skin and potential blistering.
Red light therapy can also cause eye damage if direct eye contact is made. Always where protective googles and do not look directly into the lights.
Does Red-Light Therapy Cause Cancer?
There is no evidence that red light therapy causes cancer as red-light therapy does not use ultraviolet rays. UV rays are a form of radiation found in tanning booths and sunlight that can lead to skin cancer.
Can I Use Red-Light Therapy During Pregnancy?
There is not a large of research on the effects of red-light therapy on pregnant woman, but limited studies and research suggest that it is safe. One study examined 380 pregnant women during pregnancy and found that it was safe for both the parent and foetus.
Using Red-Light Therapy At Home
When choosing to use Red-Light Therapy at home, not that it might not be as powerful as devices used by doctors or other professions.
Our LED Red-Light Therapy devices and masks have been sourced from a reputable supplier, complying with the Therapeutic Goods (Medical Devices) Regulations, 2002, Schedule 3 Part 1 (excluding Part 1.6) - Full Quality Assurance Procedure. Which means that it is safe and equivalent to the other devices on the market.
For safety reasons, we recommend using proper eye protection and follow all directions that accompany the device upon purchase.
***Please consult with your doctor or health professional before using our devices in conjunction with medication or prescribed creams.
Conclusion
Red-light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that may help with several health conditions including:
- Wrinkles
- Acne
- Hair loss
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriasis
- Rosacea
- Eczema
- Muscle repair
- Body contouring
- Skin pigmentation
- Collagen production
Reference:
WebMD
Written by Therese Cassar
