11 Incredible Infrared & Red Light Therapy Benefits You Didn’t Know About

Red light therapy, also known as infrared light therapy or photobiomodulation, has become one of the most popular wellness trends in recent years. The practice, which involves sitting with special lamps on your body to treat health problems, may sound too good to be true, but there are some amazing infrared red light therapy benefits that science can back up. In this article, we’ll look at 10 of these benefits, as well as some basic facts about red light therapy that you should know before you start using it on yourself.

What is Infrared Light Therapy? 

Infrared light therapy, also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), is a type of treatment that’s similar to phototherapy. LLLT uses infrared light to promote increased blood flow and stimulate natural healing processes in your body. This treatment has been used for years by physical therapists, chiropractors, and athletic trainers; however, most of us are still pretty in the dark about how it works and which conditions it can treat. For example, did you know that infrared light can boost your immune system? If not, keep reading! We’ll go over 10 incredible uses for infrared and red light therapy—which you probably didn’t know existed!

Read: Top 5 Best Red Light Therapy Panels Reviews

Infrared vs Red Light Therapy

What’s The Difference? When it comes to infrared and red light therapy, you might think they’re essentially interchangeable. 

Both are forms of light that can be used to treat aches and pains, improve sleep quality, and more. In fact, some devices advertise their products as treating pain with both red light therapy and infrared technology. 

However, there are distinct differences between these two types of light therapies that are important to understand when you’re researching whether or not they’d be good options for you. 

Let’s take a look at what those differences are so you can make an informed decision about which type of treatment is right for your needs. 

• Red light is best used on the surface of the skin and is also part of the visible spectrum. Red light waves are of a longer wavelength (from 630nm-700nm). Red light is best for treating surface-level skin conditions such as acne, wrinkles, and scars. 

• Infrared is an invisible light that penetrates through the surface of the skin as well as a few inches into the body. This type of light sits right next to red light on the electromagnetic spectrum at 800 nm to 1 millimeter. The deep penetration of infrared light works to heal the body within and recharge your mitochondria. 

11 Infrared & Red Light Therapy Benefits

1. Improves Blood Circulation

A lack of blood circulation can lead to various health problems. When your red blood cells aren’t able to carry oxygen, your muscles and body tissues suffer. The infrared and red light therapy improves blood circulation in order to cleanse, detoxify and nourish your body with oxygen-rich blood. This allows for greater energy levels, more endurance during workouts, an overall boost in mental performance and mood, better sleep quality, and recovery time after strenuous exercise. 

With increased red blood cell count comes a healthier cardiovascular system which leads to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. It can also reduce cholesterol as well as regulate healthy glucose levels by burning fat faster than ever before!

2. Stimulates Collagen Production

Collagen is what gives skin its firmness and elasticity. As we age, collagen production slows down. It’s also reduced by factors like stress, environmental exposure, and poor diet. This can lead to wrinkles and sagging skin. The good news is that infrared light therapy stimulates collagen production, reversing these aging effects. 

Multiple studies have demonstrated that even people with sensitive skin benefit from this! And it doesn’t stop there. infrared and red light are both known to help clear acne and psoriasis, promote healthy hair growth, improve skin blood flow, and much more.

3. Reduces Scar Tissue

The warmth generated by infrared light penetrates deep into scar tissue, helps break down collagen, and reduces inflammation. This can speed up your recovery and reduce any pain you might experience from scar tissue that’s still healing. 

The best part? This therapy is safe for most people to undergo, even those with sensitive skin. 

You can use it just about anywhere on your body without fear of damaging your skin or causing new damage to scars that are no longer bothering you.

4. Treats Skin Conditions

Skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema can be painful, embarrassing, and just plain hard to deal with. Thankfully, infrared therapy is an effective treatment option for these conditions and others like them. 

It might sound strange at first, but if you think about it, your skin is just another body part that needs blood circulation for healing. That’s exactly what infrared light therapy does—it helps get more blood flowing through your skin by encouraging heat absorption from your body. When you increase blood flow in one area of your body (like your face or legs), numerous benefits begin to take place.

5. Reduce Stretch Marks

Stretch marks can be caused by growth spurts during puberty or rapid weight gain or loss. No matter what age or weight you are, they can appear for anyone. Stretch marks are natural and display the beauty of growth. It is common for people to wish to reduce the appearance of stretch marks or prevent them to boost their confidence. 

Fortunately, infrared and red light therapy can effectively reduce stretch marks and prevent them at the same time! However, to get rid of stretch marks for good you’ll need to repeat your sessions every week for the best results. You should aim to complete three to five treatments per week for 10-20 minutes. 

6. Boosts the Immune System

When we exercise, our immune system is boosted. Strenuous workouts or fitness classes can cause your body to release feel-good hormones that help protect against infection and disease. 

But if you’re sick and your body isn’t up for a challenging workout, infrared therapy can still help your immune system by delivering similar benefits of exercise—minus the stress on your joints. 

Like any great exercise session, infrared therapy will leave you feeling invigorated and stress-free; but more importantly, it will also boost your immunity so you’ll be less likely to get sick in general. 

So, why not turn to red light therapy when flu season sets in? It just might save you a lot of time spent under blankets!

7. Heals Sore Muscles

Whether you’re an avid runner or someone who finds themselves sore from exercise often, infrared and red light therapy can do wonders for your aching muscles. Red light therapy heals sore muscles by improving blood flow and detoxifying your body. A 2016 study by Laser Therapy found that near-infrared light therapy works to control pain and relaxation of muscle spasms.  

Simply shine it onto your problem areas after a tough workout or during a strenuous day at work.

8. Fights Infections

Infrared and red light therapy not only boosts your metabolism and burns calories but it also has been known to help fight infections. Infrared therapy can be effective in fighting skin infections by boosting your immune function, increasing circulation, and removing toxins from your body. RLT has also been used professionally to treat complicated skin conditions such as skin cancer, acne, and psoriasis.  

9. Increases Energy Levels and Stamina

The infrared and red light emitted from these devices will instantly boost your energy levels and endurance, making you feel more awake and alert. Tiredness, fatigue, exhaustion – no more! And don’t worry – those are natural feelings after a long day at work. It doesn’t mean you’re sick. With regular use of infrared therapy treatments, people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome can experience an improvement in symptoms.

10. Improves Sleep Quality and Promotes Mental Wellbeing

In contrast to a boost of energy, did you know that infrared and red light therapy can improve your sleep? A 2012 study published by the Journal of Athletic Training found that RLT treatments improved sleep, melatonin levels, and endurance for participating female basketball players within two weeks. 

Light therapy is known to help people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Bright white light can reduce depression and boost energy levels. Many people find that standing directly in front of a red light therapy panel for about 30 minutes to an hour is most effective for treating their depression and other symptoms of SAD. 

11. Simulate Hair Growth 

One of the most interesting advantages of red light therapy is its ability to grow your hair quickly. Hair loss occurs due to many underlying issues such as alopecia, stress, and aging to name a few. Backed by clinical studies, RLT is a natural and safe way to restore hair follicles and increase your hair’s thickness. Annals of Dermatology reported that using 650 nm of red light for five to ten minutes per day resulted in hair shaft growth and an increase in overall hair length. There are LED caps such as iRestore Laser that are FDA approved and target the scalp specifically. 

Final Thoughts

The healing benefits of infrared red light therapy have been known for thousands of years. Those who are unaware of the therapeutic powers of RLT should learn about them as soon as possible. Consistent red light therapy might be able to heal a number of your ailments and improve your overall health drastically. 

RLT should, however, be used under the guidance and knowledge of an expert. So, if you are planning to start treating yourself with infrared or red light therapy, make sure to consult a doctor first.