Red Light Therapy Benefits, Side Effects & Uses

Light therapy has been around for decades and was prominently explored by Hungarian physician Endra Mester in the 1960s. It helps combat seasonal effectiveness disorders, heal scarring, and treat skin disorders. Red light therapy benefits are unlimited like treating acne, reducing inflammation, muscle recovery, post-workout healing, mood enhancement, and overall well-being.

In this article, you will learn more about red light therapy benefits involved, along with its side effects and uses.

What is Red Light Therapy(RLT)?

Dermatologists have used different light wavelengths to cover treatments for more than 50 years now. With this point in mind, one of the commonly cited red light therapy benefits has to be the improvements to your skin.

With red light therapy, you can expose your skin to the device, lamp, or laser with a red light. Mitochondria will soak it up and make more energy. Red light therapy uses lower heat levels and does not hurt or burn the skin. It is not the same light used in tanning booths and does not expose your skin to damaging UV rays.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy:

• RLT reduces acne:

Light therapy is currently used for treating acne for many years, especially with medicines and therapies to enhance light absorption. It is one acne treatment plan. A recent study has shown that using red light therapy to treat acne has reduced mild to moderate breakouts by 36%.

• RLT helps reduce wrinkles and fine lines:

A study in “The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology in 2020” stated that light-emitting diode phototherapy is quite effective in treating aging skin. Here, red light therapy shows promising effects towards positive skin rejuvenating effects. It does that by boosting fibroblasts, which helps to make collagen and gives skin strength, structure, and elasticity.

• RLT helps with scar healing:

Scarring or skin fibrosis affects over 100 million people worldwide. Even though some extra clinical trials are needed, there is growing evidence that red light therapy will help modulate the main cell characteristics that might contribute to scarring. It is one of the benefits of red light therapy. During such instances, this light therapy reduces collagen production within scar tissue. It helps in preventing or improving thickening scars.

• RLT helps to heal wounds:

Some difficult-to-heal wounds, like diabetic ulcers, can create significant skin issues. But, with the help of red light therapy, you can accelerate the healing process of such skin treatment issues. Researchers state that red light therapy can increase cell mitochondria activity, collagen production, and fibroblast proliferation. All these stages help contribute positive effect of red light therapy.

• Hair growth and scalp health:

Some studies have proven that red light therapy helps in reducing androgenetic alopecia effects. It is the most common type of hair loss due to genetic predisposition. By decreasing the inflammation and increasing blood flow towards the scalp, red light can bring more cell activity within that area. With the help of red light therapy, you can promote hair thickness and density.

How does the Red Light Therapy work?

Red light therapy works by acting on a “power plant” in the cells called mitochondria. With extra energy, other cells get to cover their tasks rather effectively. Right from repairing skin to boosting the growth of new cells and even enhancing skin rejuvenation, active cells can work in every manner possible.

Some cells might absorb light wavelengths to get stimulated to work. Some of how red light therapy can work in skin health is:

• Reduce cell inflammation
• Increasing blood circulation within tissues
• Increase fibroblast production to help make collagen
• Stimulating collagen production to give your skin strength, structure, and elasticity

Safe usage guidelines:

• Duration and frequency: You should start with a few sessions of red light therapy per week and increase the frequency as tolerated. In maximum cases, 3 sessions per day for 20 minutes each is enough to procure significant benefits.
• Distance and Angle: You can sit or stand, but the user experience and clinical research have demonstrated around 6 to 12 inches as the ideal distance during the treatment.
• Skin and Eye Protection: The lights are very bright. It can get uncomfortable for some individuals with light sensitivity. So, you should wear black goggles while going for the treatment.
• Considering skin type: Red light therapy works on every skin type and tone. It helps with various skin issues, from acne and inflammation to aging signs.

It is essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting the therapeutic session, mainly for those with underlying health conditions.

Which skin conditions can you treat with red light therapy?

There are some common skin conditions that you can treat from their core with the help of red light therapy. Some of those conditions are:

• Reducing stretch marks and improving wound healing
• Reducing age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles
• Improving the current facial texture
• Improving scars and skin otherwise damaged by the sun
• Improving rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis
• Improving proper hair growth among people suffering from androgenic alopecia
• Improving acne by presenting flawless skin in the end

Once you are through with the red light therapy benefits and how it helps to address your skin, it is time to check in with the side effects. That brings us to the next lot of the blog.

Side effects and precautions:

You have probably heard about the Red light therapy detox symptoms, which is why doctors are advising patients to opt for such treatment. But, is there any potential side effect? RLT is a natural procedure. It exposes the skin to various light levels, which are not harmful. Therefore, you won’t get any side effects while undergoing the RLT.

• Red light therapy can cause temporary skin redness or irritation. However, this redness lasts for a few minutes.
• When proper guidelines are followed, there is a rare chance that you might suffer from severe side effects. If you suffer from photosensitivity, red light therapy is not for you.
• Pregnant women should not opt for red light therapy sessions. Even those taking photosensitivity medicines should avoid going for this treatment plan.

Red light therapy for pain relief:

Many recent studies and research papers talk about Red light therapy’s benefits for pain. It is found that red and infrared light therapy can cut osteoarthritis-related pain by around 50%. Some people have suggested that RLT lessens inflammation and pain among people suffering from Achilles Tendinitis.

• Red light therapy uses lower levels of red and NIR wavelengths of light, which will penetrate deep within the skin layers to increase energy within cells.
• The power surge can increase the ability of your cells to repair and improve their overall function and efficiency.
• RLT is scientifically proven to decrease inflammation. It lessens the pain tolerance amount.

Some studies have shown that red light therapy devices can help with conditions like burns and musculoskeletal pain. Even though more research is required about the best dosage for every situation, the results are promising. Many healthcare practitioners are now considering using RLT as one of their primary tools.

• One most significant advantage of RLT is that it can be used on different body parts.
• Red light therapy will deliver focused pain relief. That makes the result highly flexible to cover various kinds of conditions.
• Oral pain medicines, on the other hand, sometimes have unwanted side effects. But, using an alternative method like infrared therapy light will reduce the dose of pain medications.
• It is pretty welcoming for people trying to cope with chronic pain.

Choosing the suitable red light therapy device:

Looking to choose a suitable red light therapy device for your use? Some of the selective points might help.

• Wavelength Range: The typical range of frequency used in a typical red light therapy device is from 633nm to 850nm
• Intensity and Power Output: The effective range of red light therapy will be between 5mW/cm^2 and 50mW/cm^2 in maximum panels. However, more intensity does not always mean better results. Sometimes, it is more practical to use lower-power lights.
• Device Type: Different types of red light therapy devices are available. Some of those are lamps, red light panels, and handheld devices
• FDA clearance: It is advisable to choose the red light therapy device, known to be FDA-approved. After all, you are using it on yourself. So, to avoid any severe side effects, going for the FDA-approved tool is the need of the hour.

This is strongly suggested to seek devices from reliable manufacturers to invest money towards better products.

The future revolving around red light therapy:

To some people, red light therapy might seem futuristic. However, there are some extra benefits down the line.  Experts from the American Wellness Authority are trying to find new uses for this effective yet simple treatment for pain and other ailments.

• For now, you can take advantage of the current benefits associated with muscles and joints, skin conditions, and hair loss treatment plans.
• Whether you have just one issue or multiple conditions, red light therapy can offer the best relief you want.
• You have to chat with the primary care doctor before going for the right treatment plan.

The cost and insurance:

It is difficult to pinpoint a cost associated with red light therapy as it varies from one patient to another. The price solely depends on the type of service and location. However, it can run anywhere from $25 to $200 for every session.

Always remember that you need to go for red light treatment thrice a week and might have to continue for months. So, it will be a big investment plan from your side. You may also consider buying a personal device as well. These RLT devices you use at home can range between $149 and thousands of dollars, depending on size and usability.

Most insurance policies are not going to cover the red light therapy sessions. If your chosen provider’s office offers the said service, the health insurance plans will not cover it. So, chances are high that you must pay for the sessions out of your pocket. However, the insurance provider can offer guidance on the cost and benefits involved with your plan.

The final say:

Red light therapy is gaining high-end popularity in the media and has shown positive results in treating multiple skin conditions. Even though there are RLT devices available online, it is always better to speak to a doctor about the symptoms before trying any treatment.

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