Red light therapy, or using red light to heal the body, has been used by the medical community and alternative medicine practitioners alike for years. This is because red light can help your body improve circulation, fight infections, and promote tissue repair, among other benefits. Here we break down nine LED red light therapy benefits you may not have known about. But first, I want to explain why red light therapy works for various health conditions.
What is Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy (RLT) is a non-invasive, drug-free treatment that penetrates deep into damaged tissues to help promote healing and health by improving circulation, stimulating collagen production, and restoring your skin’s natural elasticity.
Red light therapy is gaining popularity for a number of reasons:
- it’s FDA-approved, and doctors recommend it to treat several conditions.
- It’s easy on your skin.
- It requires no downtime.
- You can use it in conjunction with traditional treatments such as lasers, chemical peels, or microdermabrasion.
But what makes RLT so effective? Here are nine things you may not know about red light therapy.
Top 9 LED Red Light Therapy Benefits
1. Helps with Hair Loss
It’s no secret that most of us start losing hair rapidly as we age. After all, that’s why we spend thousands on products to help us look like we have fuller, healthier heads of hair. But there is a way to combat baldness, and it’s not by applying minoxidil solution and hoping for the best. It can actually be as simple as getting red light therapy treatments at home or from a professional center in your area.
Studies have shown that women who received red light therapy at 650 nm experienced a 51% increase in hair growth and new hair counts.
In fact, RLT can be more effective than pills or other hair restoration methods in providing thicker and healthier locks without unwanted side effects.
This revolutionary new form of alternative treatment promises to do just that: eliminate hair loss and provide full head coverage once again. With no known adverse side effects associated with red light therapy, you have nothing to lose but those embarrassing patches where your hair used to be. Better yet, once you get accustomed to using your device regularly, you may begin seeing results within a matter of weeks.
LED caps such as iRestore Laser may be the best choice if you wish to focus solely on hair growth. Our iRestore review explains how you can grow fuller hair in just 3 months.
2. Promotes Weight Loss
Even though it might seem like you’re just sitting there, your body actually works hard when you sit in front of a red light therapy device. It increases your core temperature, which causes your metabolism to spike and burn more calories. The result is weight loss in an easy, painless way. Studies found that LLLT (low laser light therapy) can reduce fat, eliminate cellulite, and improve blood lipid profile with no side effects. Red light therapy will even work for people who are already at a healthy weight by helping maintain healthy levels of cortisol, a hormone that controls your appetite. The increased calorie burn and decreased appetite make it easier to lose excess pounds or stick to any diet changes you’ve made.
Read: Red Light Therapy and Weight Loss: Does It Really Work?
3. Relieves Pain
Red light therapy has been shown to decrease pain and soreness, making it a great alternative for post-workout aches and pains. Many athletes who suffer from tendinitis and chronic pain are turning to red light therapy as an effective way to relieve pain.
What makes red light therapy so effective? It’s believed that red light encourages your body’s production of Nitric Oxide, which promotes blood flow. As you know, your body needs blood flowing through it in order to deliver oxygen and nutrients where they need to go. When your muscles aren’t getting enough blood, they start to hurt and become inflamed. This is why many doctors recommend ice packs for injuries—ice constricts blood vessels and keeps them from swelling up.
However, when you turn on a red light, it dilates your capillaries (the tiny little vessels that make up our circulatory system), allowing more oxygenated blood into your muscles. RLT also gets rid of lactic acid build-up at the same time!
The increased circulation also helps reduce muscle spasms by increasing flexibility in tight muscles. And since most people experience better sleep when their muscles aren’t hurting or stiff, using a red light before bed can help ensure better rest!
Read: Why You Should Consider a Red Light Therapy Device for Pain Relief
4. Improves Skin Condition
Red light therapy is a great beauty tool that helps to improve your skin condition. It’s a natural way to exfoliate your skin while healing acne and sun damage. No more expensive treatments at spas or plastic surgery offices! The light works by penetrating deep into layers of your skin while soothing inflammation, increasing circulation, and boosting collagen production. It’s also completely non-invasive and painless, meaning anyone can do it safely! It even has anti-aging benefits. You’ll be stunned by what it can do for your skin!
5. Decrease Signs of Aging
We all want vibrant and smooth skin, which is why so many people are turning to red light therapy. Red light therapy is an amazing technology with a wide range of uses. One such benefit is in treating wrinkles. Red light therapy or photobiomodulation helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating collagen production, providing anti-inflammatory effects, and reducing cellular damage from free radicals.
While it’s not an overnight process—results take around a month to kick in—it can be an effective way to minimize signs of aging for people who want a quick fix with no side effects.
6. Improve Scars
LED light therapy can also help to reduce redness, improve skin texture and even minimize scars. How? LED light therapy helps your body repair scar tissue faster by stimulating collagen production. Scar tissue often results in excess collagen, which is why a lot of people with scars find them hard to fade no matter how many creams they apply.
If you notice that your scars are having a hard time healing, it might be worth giving light therapy a try. This therapy can provide you with an overall improvement in scar appearance – helping them fade more quickly and appear less conspicuous when healed. And considering that scars are one of the most challenging conditions to treat (especially for deep cuts), these benefits could come in handy.
7. Improves Sleep Quality
Of all light therapy benefits, better sleep quality is likely one of the most talked about. This isn’t surprising. Insomnia and other sleep disorders affect more than 50 million Americans each year. As many as 25% of them are looking for an effective solution to improve their sleep patterns. While there is no miracle cure for insomnia, red light therapy has shown to be incredibly beneficial for people struggling with sleeping issues. Regular use of red light therapy can improve various aspects of sleep quality, including:
- Improved Sleep Efficiency – the average percentage of time in bed that you spend asleep.
- Quality Of Sleep – reduced number of awakenings during sleep duration.
- Increased Wake Time Remaining – you don’t need a full eight hours!
8. Promote Wound Healing
One of LED light therapy’s many benefits is its ability to promote wound healing. That makes it an excellent tool for treating cuts, burns, abrasions, and scrapes that you may have sustained. It also helps repair cell damage caused by conditions like eczema and psoriasis while soothing pain due to conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. If your wounds are severe enough, consult your doctor before trying RLT.
9. Improves Mental Health
Studies have shown that red light therapy for depression can help relieve seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and bipolar disorder symptoms. This non-invasive, non-drug therapy is perfect for treating depression because it doesn’t cause any side effects. It also shows promising results for those struggling with clinical depression. And while there are numerous different types of red light therapy devices on the market, they’re not all created equal. The right one will be bright enough to trigger a therapeutic response but won’t cause eye strain or headache. The device should also last a long time, so you don’t have to replace it frequently. Look for FDA approval on devices, which indicates testing and accreditation.
Can You Do Red Light Therapy At Home?
The answer is YES, but it takes some research and knowing what you’re looking for. The good news is that quality red light therapy devices aren’t hard to find. Once you start looking around and learning more about red light therapy (and how to use it), you may be surprised at just how many types of things it can help. And these benefits include not only pain relief but also an array of medical conditions and skin issues like rosacea, acne, eczema, psoriasis, stretch marks, and more.
Not sure where to begin? Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before purchasing a device:
How much does it cost?
Your budget will depend on your answer. LED red light therapy devices range from $50-$1500 or more. A $50 device might get the job done in terms of reducing pain or improving circulation or healing wounds—but most likely won’t improve your overall health as much as a pricier model would. If you want to reap all of the benefits possible, then spending a little extra money now could save you thousands down the road.
Do I want portability?
If so, then look into handheld devices. Some larger systems need to be plugged into an outlet. If portability is important to you, think about whether you want something small enough to fit in your purse or pocket; if so, handheld models may work best for you.
How often do I plan on using my device?
It would help to consider how often you want to use red light therapy. Most manufacturers suggest doing treatments 2-3 times per week for 10-20 minutes to see the best results. If you don’t know when you’ll be able to use your device, then consider getting one with a battery pack. Otherwise, make sure it comes with an outlet cord and easy-to-understand instructions on usage.
What type of device do I need?
There are three main types of products available:
If you want to learn how to find the perfect RLT device suitable for your needs, I’ve created a list of the best red light therapy panels with a complete buyer’s guide on what to check for when purchasing a device.
Are there any risks or side effects?
When it comes to red light therapy, there aren’t many risks or side effects. Since LEDs don’t emit UV rays, you won’t experience skin damage like you would with traditional tanning beds. There have been no reports of adverse health problems from using LED devices. However, since these devices are relatively new, long-term studies haven’t been conducted yet.
If you notice any irritation or a rash after using an LED device, stop using it immediately and consult your doctor. In addition to not having any known risks or side effects, LED devices are relatively inexpensive compared to other treatment options for various ailments.
Final Thoughts
It can be challenging to find information about red light therapy because of how new this treatment is, but we have outlined the top led red light therapy benefits backed by scientific research. Although science has not yet reached a solid conclusion on how exactly red light works, we are confident in its benefits and potential. If you’re interested in using red light therapy, we recommend first looking into any side effects and ways to boost your experience if possible!
Have you experienced any benefits from red light therapy? Please share your story below!