You've heard of red light therapy, but do you know what it is?
By using a device that emits a combination of light-emitting diodes (LED), red light is produced along with the heat that can be focused on areas on the human body. Red light therapy is so powerful because it helps promote healing of the body from the inside out.
The low wavelength of light can be focused on any body part, stimulating positive healing and rejuvenation on the cellular level. Red light therapy is still developing as science and evidence are still being collected to this day, but with each study, the results say the same thing: red light therapy works.
The benefits of red light therapy are on a cellular level. Meaning, whether you have a skin condition, sports injury, or experiencing depression, red light therapy can help. While red light therapy is highly popular in the celebrity world for skin-related conditions, including helping to fight acne, wrinkles, wounds, scars, and cold sores.
Studies have shown that red light therapy can prevent hair loss, ease the negative effects of cancer treatments, reduce joint and muscle inflammation, anxiety and arthritis to name a few. Of course, if you have a serious health problem, consult a doctor before trying this method.
The safety risks for red light therapy are incredibly low, just like the strength of the light wavelength is used on your body. A common mistake is holding the light too close to the troubled area or for too long, resulting in burns or irritation. These are all relatively simple fixes; just make sure that you read the instructions of your red light therapy device to treat yourself or another properly.
Yes! Naturally, data and evidence from the health community and other scientists are still being collected and researched. Still, red light therapy has been proven to work and help with a wide variety of issues.
Because the pharmaceutical industry has suppressed red light therapy, researchers are just starting to tap into the benefits of red light therapy. However, red light therapy is being used in the medical industry in helping cancer patients ease some of the side effects of cancer treatment and joint and muscle injuries.
How much does it cost?
A typical facial treatment from a professional could cost anywhere from $20 to $200, depending on their equipment and if they are just doing a certain spot of the skin, an area, or the entire body. You also have the option to buy your own device, which you can use in the privacy of your home at any time.
These devices can range from $50 to $600, again depending on the quality, amount of light emitted, the frequency, and other available treatment options. For an entire bed or full body panel, those can range from $2000 upwards to $12,000. Just remember to visit your doctor to talk about red light therapy before you can for any treatments.
Luckily, Kaiyan Medical produces MDSAP-certified and FDA-approved light therapy products and devices for your own at-home treatment or even for your patients. We've worked hard to provide solutions for both patients and healthcare practitioners, catering to various needs. Whether you're looking to private label your own light therapy devices or for home use, contact our team, as we would love to help you through your light therapy journey.
As humans, we are made of energy and fueled by light. While nutrition and exercise play a role in our well-being and health, light plays a crucial role in us functioning optimally. New and groundbreaking research is unearthing a new understanding of how our cells function and the evidence points to the power of light.
Through technological advancements in science, it’s discovered that our bodies operate similar to a battery. Wavelengths of light give us power, while our overall health determines our ability to receive and maintain the energy from light. And this is where light therapy comes into the equation.
Science has proven that our bodies interact with specific wavelengths that benefit our bodies in various ways.
Red light therapy devices, such as light therapy masks, shine red and near-infrared light onto the skin, stimulating the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within the mitochondria. By stimulating ATP, damaged cells heal, and new cells are produced faster than normal. But we’ll talk more about that in-depth a little later.
Red light therapy comprises both red light and infrared wavelengths, penetrating through the skin’s layers, right into the cells. Red light wavelengths boost collagen and elastin and improve cell communication. It penetrates superficially and helps aid various skin conditions.
Near-infrared wavelengths stimulate healing, increase mitochondrial function, and improve blood flow and tissue oxygenation. Near-infrared wavelengths penetrate deeply into the body.
At the core of your body’s healing capabilities are the mitochondria. The mitochondria play a vital role in your internal organs and tissue, including the liver, skin, heart, and muscles. It’s in charge of the body’s energy supply via ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
With both working together, they provide energy to our body and maintain the cell cycle and growth. This is why you’ll often hear the mitochondria referred to as the “powerhouse of the cell.”
Here's how the mitochondria is affected by red light:
Interestingly, our body weight is made of 70% water, with 99% of our bodies' molecules also made of water, making it a powerful component in red light therapy treatment.
Research by Prof Gerald Pollock of the University of Washington proved that water adjacent to a cell is structured water, also known as EZ water. This specific water forms a separation of charge, functioning in the body as positive and negative poles - similar to a battery.
While we’ve been talking about red light therapy, what does it actually mean? Typically, “red light therapy” refers to natural light treatments which deliver red and near-infrared wavelengths as natural sunlight using LEDs or cold lasers.
While you may think red light therapy includes all colors of light, it doesn’t. The term doesn’t include blue or white light, and it isn’t equivalent to full-spectrum light. Red light therapy doesn’t rely on heat, differentiating it from other light-based treatments such as infrared saunas and heat therapy.
Red light therapy is also known as RLT, photobiomodulation (PBM), phototherapy, LED therapy, LED light therapy, infrared therapy, low-level laser therapy, or low-level light therapy (LLLT).
As stated before, red light therapy works to heal the entire body and functions on multiple levels.
Red light therapy affects the body in multiple ways, including bodily systems:
Fascia
Fascia is the thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds virtually every organ, muscle, nerve fiber, blood vessel, and bone in place. While it performs as an internal structure for your body, the fascia also contains nerves, making it almost as sensitive as skin.
The fascia may look like a layer of tissue; however, it’s made up of interwoven layers of collagen and elastin fibers. The fascia is overlooked, yet over recent years, it has been the key to understanding how changes in one area of our body affect others. Red light therapy works to improve communication within the fascia network.
Gut-Brain Axis
The gut-brain axis connects the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain with peripheral intestinal functions. Recent research discovered the importance of gut microbiota concerning these interactions.
Red light therapy can positively influence mood and neuropsychological issues by the following:
Immune System
Red and near-infrared light penetrate through the skin into the cells, which results in low-dose metabolic stress that strengthens the cells’ anti-inflammatory and natural defense systems. In turn, the body becomes resilient to infections.
Safe and low exposure to red light therapy improves the body’s response to external viruses and bacteria. Red light therapy can influence the immune response in the following ways:
Circulatory System
Red light therapy is scientifically proven to increase the micro-circulation of blood and support the circulatory system as a whole by stimulating the development of new capillaries which carry oxygen throughout the body.
Proper oxygen supply and flow are essential for the proliferation of cells, protein synthesis, tissue restoration, inflammatory response, and angiogenesis. In addition, circulation is also responsible for waste elimination, specifically degenerated cells.
Nervous System
The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, neurons, and neural support cells, which is your body’s command center. It controls your movements, automatic responses, and other body systems such as digestion and breathing.
Red light therapy affects the nervous system in the following ways:
For all forms of nerve damage, red light therapy offers non-pharmaceutical treatment options.
Stem Cells
Red light therapy shows impressive results regarding stem cell growth, maximizing the potential of stem cell implantation for various medical needs. Therefore, red light therapy may show positive results after surgery to stimulate stem cells which repair tissues and organs.
In studies, red light therapy has proven to stimulate mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow, enhancing their ability to reach the brain. This research shows the possibilities of using red light therapy to heal degenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.
It’s clear red light therapy provides multilevel treatment to the body, becoming a popular natural and holistic option for both professionals and consumers, but where did it come from?
Light therapy technology isn’t new; it’s been around for decades as NASA experimented with red light therapy during the 1980s and 1990s. Over the past 10-20 years, red light therapy reached a breakthrough in LED lighting technology, allowing the production of safe and affordable clinical and at-home devices.
In 2016, Kaiyan Medical became the first leading manufacturer of red light therapy of affordable FDA-approved and MDASAP-approved light therapy devices.
We mentioned red light therapy being a holistic treatment option, but what does that mean. Holistic medicine is a full-body approach to healthcare. By focusing on the body, mind, and soul, the body receives the full support and care it needs to function optimally.
Principles of Holistic Medicine
Holistic medicine is based on the following principles:
The purpose of treatment is to identify the underlying cause of the disease, rather than treating only the symptoms.
While there are endless benefits the body receives from red light therapy, here are the six main benefits.
Photobiomodulation, in other words, red light therapy, has proven effective against carpal tunnel syndrome, mucositis, neck pain, menstrual cramps, temporomandibular joint pain, and neuropathic pain from amputation. It also significantly reduces the pain of hypersensitivity while improving sensorimotor function.
These improvements come after anti-inflammatory cells populate the injured area, providing long-lasting pain relief. In addition, it’s also been shown to provide effective relief by affecting the following:
Red light therapy has proven to be highly effective in rapidly treating wounds from burns, scars, bedsores, ulcers, surgery incisions, and diabetic neuropathy.
NASA strongly supports this claim as this technology was used in treating wounds. Red and near-infrared light proves effective in all four phases of the wound-healing process:
These processes are regulated by various factors connected via nitric oxide (NO) signaling release, adjusted by light energy.
An issue the body encounters when trying to heal a wound is low oxygen flow, and red light increases the flow of oxygen, speeding up the natural healing process. By reducing inflammation and increasing oxygenation of the wounded area, blood vessels can form, rapidly repairing the area, lessening pain and scarring.
By reducing pain, red light therapy eliminates the reliant on pharmaceutical painkillers during the healing process.
The human body receives energy on the cellular level, maintaining communication between organs and ensuring disease resistance.
A strong immune system works to protect the body from harmful bacteria and viruses at all times. With red light therapy, the body receives a boost of support as it releases nitric oxide and melatonin, two components involved in DNA repair and antimicrobial.
This process is called hormesis. Red and near-infrared wavelengths penetrate through the skin into the cells, causing mild metabolic stress, which stimulates cells to activate their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant response.
With the support of red light therapy, the body is better prepared to fight infections. Numerous studies have proven red light therapy to have the following effects on the immune system:
Inflammation in the body can be acute and topical (short-term, resulting from sprains, infections, and accidents) or chronic and general (long-term, caused by ongoing conditions).
Acute inflammation is a healthy bodily response; however, chronic and general inflammation can negatively impact long-term health.
As of today, the current treatment for inflammation is NSAID or steroid drugs, both having a detrimental effect on the healing process and long-term health. Red light therapy stimulates the body to activate its natural healing mechanism, reducing the health risks of long-term drug use.
Red light therapy decreases the number of inflammatory cells, increases fibroblast proliferation (cells that synthesize collagen and other matrix macromolecules), stimulates angiogenesis (creation of new blood vessels), and activates the body’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant response.
The following conditions are connected with chronic and acute inflammation, all proving promising results with red light therapy treatment:
Red light therapy is extremely popular in competitive sports and performance. It offers natural and non-pharmaceutical treatment, which applies to many areas of the body.
Aside from the overwhelming benefits on overall health, red light therapy encourages muscles growth and repair by stimulating the production of ATP, which aids in faster recovery and better performance.
Red light therapy used before training prepares and strengthens the body while aiding muscle recovery after training.
Here are the scientifically documented effects of red light therapy:
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depressions, impacting 5% of Americans, specifically during the winter when there’s less natural sunlight. SAD is also known as seasonal depression or winter blues.
Many people treat SAD symptoms via bright white light treatment, mimicking the sun’s light daily. However, researchers recommend natural light treatment, like red light therapy, to help with light deficiency. Over recent years, physicians recommend red light therapy alongside psychotherapy and medication.
While many people are using red light therapy devices for at-home treatment, red light therapy systems are found in many clinical and professional settings:
Skincare Professionals: Red light therapy is a popular skincare treatment among Hollywood celebrities, including Kourtney Kardashian, Julia Roberts, and Emma Stone. Leading skincare professionals like dermatologists and aestheticians use red light therapy to help promote collagen production, reduce wrinkles, and treat skin conditions.
Health Practitioners: Health practitioners from all specialties are incorporating red light therapy into their practice. Dentists use it to reduce inflammation, physicians for mental health conditions, and oncologists for cancer side effects.
Natural Health Experts: Leading voices in the health and wellness industry such as Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, Ben Greenfield, and Dave Asprey strongly support the use of red light therapy. Paleo and Keto health experts like Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson, Luke Story, and Dr. Anthony Gustin also support red light therapy.
Sports Medicine Pros: The National Sports Association of Sports Medicine (NASM) adopted red light therapy to treat sports injuries. Top trainers and doctors, including Dr. Troy Van Biezen and Dr. Ara Suppiah, use red light therapy to heal their athletes.
Elite Pro Athletes: Professional athletes worldwide, including NFL stars like Patrick Peterson, UFC champion Anthony Pettis, and gold medal gymnast Sanne Weavers use red light therapy to enhance performance and quicken recovery.
Fitness & Training: World-renown fitness trainers, including Lacey Stone and Jorge Cruise, use red light therapy to enhance athletic performance and muscle recovery.
Supportive Cancer Care: The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) recommends the treatment of red light therapy for oral mucositis (OM), a common symptom of cancer treatment.
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A circadian rhythm is a natural bodily process that happens roughly every 24-hours. It’s a cycle, like sleeping & waking, or eating & digesting, that completes & restarts daily. Our circadian rhythms are tied to the earth’s rotation and light/dark cycle, but they are also encoded in our genes.
We are naturally diurnal animals, meaning we’re awake during the day and asleep when dark. It’s how we evolved, like how mice are designed to be nocturnal mammals that sleep during the day and forage at night.
Another example of an internal process operating on a circadian rhythm is the human digestive system. Our digestive system cannot create and burn fat simultaneously, so our cells alternate according to a circadian rhythm. When we’re awake and actively taking in calories, our digestive system breaks down food and creates stored fat. When we sleep, our stored fat keeps our bodies fueled.
Going against your natural rhythms and not establishing routines can have systemic effects, like sleep disturbances and metabolic slowdowns. Poor sleep can affect hormone production as well as your ability to recover from injury and overcome inflammation.
Dr. Satchin Panda of the Salt Institute is the author of the book The Circadian Code, which discusses circadian biology in much greater detail. Dr. Panda writes about three “core rhythms” that our body aligns with.
Without artificial lighting and screens, we will typically sync with the planet’s day/night cycle: rising with the sun and sleeping when it’s dark. We’ve come a long way from those origins, but our bodies are still designed to work with an abundance of light during the day and restful sleep when it’s dark at night. If you sleep from 5 am to 2 pm every day, you may get enough sleep, but the quality of your sleep will likely not be as good.
Our bodies work best when we’re getting restful sleep every day. But even if you’re getting 7–8 hours, you may not be aligned with your body’s optimal sleep cycle.
According to Dr. Satchin Panda, our body has an 8 to 10-hour window for optimal food intake that begins when we take our first bite in the morning. Digestion of even a small bite of food takes hours, and efficiency slows dramatically once we’re outside that window. There’s a set window of time because our internal organs follow circadian rhythms to do their jobs, like processing food and liquids.
The stomach, liver, pancreas, and other key internal organs work best when our eating aligns with our circadian rhythm. Following a routine or schedule with your eating that allows your body to operate along the same patterns is more efficient for your digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall metabolism. Limiting your food intake to a specific window of time is also ideal.
Our bodies are programmed to shift into a night mode after the sun goes down. Heart rate and breathing slow, body temperature lower, and we usually go to sleep. When you’re exercising after dark, your body has to work hard to make and use all that energy and then start the recovery process late in the day. This can clash with your sleep cycle and the circadian rhythm of digestion & eating, making your recovery and fat burning less efficient.
It might seem obvious, but our bodies are made to be active while we’re awake. Physical activity during the day, in line with our sleep and digestion cycles, is a key part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Exercise has too many health benefits to list, but it’s most beneficial when you get your main activity done during the day, not late at night.
Light intake is one of the most important factors in sleep and circadian rhythm. The brain interprets light as a sign of when to be asleep and awake. Your circadian rhythm is designed around the sun, but the bright lights and screens of modern life can knock the body’s natural signals and rhythms out of whack. If you stare at a bright screen at midnight, your body may be tired, but your brain is getting the message that it’s time to be awake. Too much bright, artificial light after dark can make it much more difficult to sleep and establish a healthy wake/rise schedule.
Two hormones that regulate the sleep cycle are directly affected by light. Cortisol, a steroid hormone produced by your adrenal glands, helps wake us up and keep us going. Cortisol levels tend to be highest in the mornings and lowest when we’re in our deepest sleep, typically around 3–4 am. Bright artificial light can stimulate cortisol levels that keep you awake, as documented in clinical studies.
The hormone melatonin is a counterpart to cortisol. Produced by the pineal gland, melatonin helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Your body usually starts producing melatonin in the early evening, when you’re starting to wind down and get closer to bedtime. Bright light, especially bright blue light from phones and computers, has disrupted melatonin production.
Based on Washington Post, an estimated 20.3% of Americans (50 million) experience chronic pain, making it seem as if it’s a part of being alive. And while we’ve grown to accept the fact we’ll experience pain at some point, we rarely realize the negative impact pain can have physically and mentally. When ignored or mistreated, acute pain can manifest into chronic pain, bringing along a series of adverse long-term effects. This can create a cycle of pain and can immensely affect one’s ability to use the area in pain. Chronic pain can also develop many health issues, including high blood pressure, fatigue, sleeping problems, and even eating disorders.
When we talk about pain relief, it’s mandatory to bring up pain medications. While this type of pain relief is tempting because of its convenience, it can bring further health complications. Low-risk drugs such as ibuprofen may be harmless at first, but overuse can have adverse health consequences. And opioids are proven to lose effectiveness long-term, making them highly addictive. But then, “how do we manage pain safely and effectively?” One option is the holistic method of red light therapy.
To understand red/infrared treatment clearly, one must first understand what the light spectrum is and how it works. The light spectrum visible to the human eye is just a portion of the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Our eyesight is only able to see wavelengths from 380 to 700 nanometers. Nanometers are units of measurement which measure light. One nanometer equates to one billionth of a meter.
Humans can only see violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red colors on the light spectrum. Humans are not able to see infrared, which is measures in the mid-800s nanometer range. As objects become hotter, they produce more energy which is dominated by shorter wavelengths. Thus, changing colors before our eyes. Flames from a blow torch, for example, transform from red to blue as their temperature increases and wavelengths grow shorter.
Scientists use the light spectrum as a method for measuring the temperature of stars. Our sun produces more yellow light because it has a 5,500 C° temperature. If our sun were cooler, say 3,000 C°, it would have a reddish appearance. If it were 12,000 C°, it would appear to be blue.
One the light spectrum, blue light is measured at 400 to 500 nanometers. This type of light therapy is commonly used for bright light therapy (aka phototherapy). It’s proven to increase alertness, memory, and moods. It’s beneficial for turning off melatonin production to make us feel more alert. It should be noted that too much blue light can cause sleep disorders. It’s recommended to limit electronic usage at night because they emit blue light.
When it comes to blue light therapy, it’s best to proceed with caution. Due to its lower wavelengths and higher energy levels, blue light can cause eye damage. Studies have shown light colors between 415 and 455 nanometers to cause harm to the eyes — standard electronics including TVs, computers, and cell phones produce wavelengths from 400 to 490 nanometers. Additional research is needed to understand the long-term effects.
In comparison to blue light, red light is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Red light is delivered in the mid-600 nanometer range, while infrared is in the mid-800s. Due to its range and longer wavelengths, infrared is invisible to the human eye.
Red and infrared light, commonly used to treat skin and pain conditions, have been proven to be a holistic treatment for:
These types of light are effective because of their ability to penetrate deep into the skin. Red and infrared light promotes melatonin production. This stimulates the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is essential to function properly as it provides our body’s cells with energy. This is why red light therapy products are so effective for speeding up the healing process.
Red light therapy lights are effective because of their ability to reach deep into the skin without damaging it. Red light therapy machines penetrate 2–7 centimeters into inner skin layers using red and infrared light to effectively reach muscles, nerves, and bones. Wavelengths from 700 to 1,000 nanometers are ideal for treating inflammation conditions.
The warmth we feel from the sun is infrared light. Infrared light does not contain ultraviolet radiation, which is harmful to us. Once the skin is penetrated, red and infrared light becomes absorbed by photoreceptors in our body’s cells. This creates a series of metabolic events and natural processes within the cells. When our bodies are exposed to red light therapy, here’s what happens:
When it comes to how red light therapy works and improves our body’s functions, it’s pretty complex. There is still much research required to understand how it works fully, its benefits, and the long-term effects. Yet, our current knowledge shows a promising future for pain relief and holistic health.
Red light therapy has clinically proven to be versatile for treating many pain types, including chronic, joint, neck, osteoarthritis, and more. Because it provides targeted pain relief, it’s incredibly versatile for various conditions. We’ve provided a list of the many pain types red light therapy helps, along with studies.
Because of its general safety, red light therapy can be used at home or anywhere it’s needed. It’s excellent for anyone with chronic pain and can be used as often as it’s needed, up to three times per day per target area.
A study on elderly patients with osteoarthritis in their knees (joints) found red light therapy to treat their pain and disability.
Red light therapy for neck pain is an effective treatment for chronic pain in the neck. One study involving 60 students with chronic neck pain found red light therapy an effective pain relief method. In six weeks, red light therapy increased range of motion, decreased pain, and improved functionality.
By nature, osteoarthritis causes inflammation in affected areas. This makes red light therapy an excellent treatment for osteoarthritis. A study that compared high-intensity light therapy to low-intensity light therapy found both effective decreasing pain and improving function when combined with exercise.
Red light therapy enhances the healing process by boosting the body to lower swelling in target areas. Chiropractors use red light therapy to treat bursitis because it effectively treats this condition.
Healthline reports red light therapy as an effective short-term method for carpal tunnel relief. However, these studies are limited.
45 patients with diabetic foot ulcers, in a study, reported improved blood circulation and autonomous nervous system regulation after using red light therapy.
A study conducted in 2011 on patients with psoriasis compared red and blue light therapy’s effectiveness. Participants were given high-dose treatments three times each week for four hours, applying 10% silicic acid solution to plaques. The study concluded both are effective in treating psoriasis.
It’s been shown that red light therapy reduces pain and stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Healthcare professionals are now starting to study and consistently use red light therapy to diagnose and analyze this condition. Red light therapy gives them the ability to see how much light passes through the body. RA often alters the number of tissues, water, and blood in the affected area. Red light gives doctors an insight into how it’s progressing.
When treating ailments, red and infrared therapy offers a drug-free, safe, and effective relief method. Extensive studies on red light therapy show it a great source of foot pain relief, back pain relief, and more. As studies move forward, we’ll continue to gain a fuller understanding of red LED light therapy, its capabilities, and the conditions it can treat.
When it comes to recovery for athletes, red light therapy has made significant strides. During the Rio Olympics, the US track team was spotted bringing a $181,000 red light therapy bed to the event. Micheal Hamblin, a Harvard expert, stated, “red light therapy may help you recover from exercise, sleep better, heal wounds and injuries like tendonitis, reduce arthritis.” What’s more, a study involving 65 athletes with varying strains, sprains, tendonitis, ligament damage, and contusions found red light therapy to reduce the average return to play period. This treatment was able to reduce the average recovery time from 19.23 to 9.6 days.
Rats with Osteoporosis experienced enhanced bone repair and growth via red light therapy. This was achieved through stimulation of the newly formed bone, fibro vascularization, and angiogenesis.
With more than 15 years in the light industry, we can help you develop a light therapy device for all the conditions described above.
Each day we are surrounded by light energy, sometimes we see it, and sometimes we don’t. For centuries, great minds have theorized what it is, how it travels, and how it affects life on our planet. Ancient cultures, researchers, and philosophers came up with many concepts, but sometime in the 1860’s James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish physicist, proposed the concept of electromagnetism. He concluded, because light moves in waves and does not need a medium to travel through, light must be made up of both electric and magnetic fields. This led to the discovery of electromagnetic radiation, the electromagnetic spectrum, and a way to measure light with its frequency and wavelength. The electromagnetic spectrum starts with safe radiation like radio, microwave, infrared, visible, and ultraviolet and ends with the not-as-safe x-ray and gamma rays.
The human eye can see wavelengths of light that range from 380 to 700 nanometers, but the human body can feel parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that cannot be seen, such as infrared heat.
Many wellness services employ light or heat therapy; two of the most popular are red light therapy and infrared heat. Both infrared and red light therapy is becoming progressively popular in the spa, wellness, and beauty realms and is often confused. Still, they are different, and they do provide different benefits.
For ideal health, we humans require regular exposure to light. A great example is Vitamin D which comes from sunlight. The sun’s n rays include the more commonly known ultraviolet light (UV), but more than half of its output is infrared. When it comes to visible light, violet-colored light produces the most energy, and red-colored light provides the least.
As mentioned above, this spectrum classifies each form of energy by nanometers and its effect on the human physique. Nanometers are a unit of length equivalent to a billionth of a meter, and they are used to measure the wavelength of light. Since we’re comparing red light to infrared, it’s important to note their order on the spectrum.
The wavelength infrared puts out is longer than the wavelength of red light, allowing infrared to penetrate more deeply into the body. Thus, the reason infrared provides some similar but some completely different benefits than red light. The science behind these concepts has been around for centuries. In the 1800–the 1900s, physician, and scientist Niels Ryberg Finsen researched and successfully implemented light therapy to treat smallpox, later winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology 1903 for his work. In 1910 John Harvey Kellogg also researched and wrote about red light and infrared heat benefits in his book “Light Therapeutics.” NASA then utilized red LED lights for plant growth on trips to space and noticed the astronauts also positively affected their mood, healing, and wound treatment. NASA also used infrared heat to provide the astronauts with cardiovascular conditioning, and since then, both have become available as effective wellness services.
Although infrared is classified as light energy, we don’t see it; we feel it as warmth. Because all humans produce infrared, it’s safe, natural, and easily absorbed by our tissues. During and after absorption, participants notice effects such as pain relief, increased circulation and blood flow, weight loss, detoxification, skin rejuvenation, relaxation, improved sleep, and more. Still, those are just a few of the benefits! For millennia, people worldwide have used infrared to improve their health and assist with boosting the metabolism, reducing inflammation, lowering side effects of diabetes, reducing allergy symptoms, improving heart function, and bettering their quality of life. How does infrared do it? When it enters the body, it breaks up fats and toxins trapped in water molecules, it makes us sweat to let them out, and therefore, an infrared session is one of the best ways you can naturally detox your body!
Tissues that don’t receive great circulation because they have been injured can benefit greatly as infrared heat can provide healing and skin regeneration. Infrared heat promotes the rebuilding of injured tissue by positively affecting the fibroblasts (connective tissue cells necessary for repair), increasing the growth of cells, and DNA and protein synthesis necessary during tissue repair and regeneration. This increased circulation, along with increased blood flow and oxygenation, can also provide relief for those experiencing chronic pain and other conditions.
Residing right next to near-infrared on the spectrum. Many red-light therapy systems use small amounts of infrared along with red LED lights, and as we’ve uncovered, infrared penetrates deeply while red light works on the surface of the skin. While penetrating the surface, this light energy works on rejuvenating facial skin, smoothing skin tone, building collagen, reducing wrinkles, and repairing sun damage. Experts say it can also assist in activating the lymphatic system, decreasing inflammation, fading scars, and stretch marks, and it may also assist with hair growth or loss prevention. How do you ask? Red light has been known to stimulate cellular processes in the skin and positively affect them by regenerating fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and skin tissue.
Red Light Therapy is viral for stimulating collagen production as the nanometers needed for collagen production are in the 700nm range. Because of its ability to assist with collagen production, those with arthritis may greatly benefit. Red light facials or body treatments are offered in salons, spas, and wellness centers to beautify the skin, relieve pain, increase immunity and stimulate feelings of positivity.
As you’ve noticed, there are similarities between infrared and red light. They are both natural, drug and chemical-free, non-invasive, effortless, safe, and users have reported no adverse short or long-term side effects. Actually, users report amazing effects! While both therapies are beneficial, the type you should choose depends on the outcome you desire. If you want to treat skin conditions on the surface, a red light session may be effective, but if the skin condition is high toxicity in the body, an infrared session may be required for toxin removal. An infrared session is a more holistic solution to wellness because it can provide skin rejuvenating benefits (like red light). Still, it can also help you burn calories, release toxins, ease pain, and put you in a state of utter relaxation.
