Skin care, skin regeneration, muscle repair, combating seasonal depression: we are hearing more and more about red light therapy and its possible beneficial effects.
But what is it really? What are the real effects of red light therapy? How does it work? Let's take stock!
Red light, near infrared light, infrared: what’s the difference?
A quick reminder about natural light and the different colors that make it up: each color corresponds to a wavelength in the visible and non-visible spectrum.
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👾 Ultraviolet: between 100 and 380 nanometers, they are part of the non-visible spectrum
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🔵 Blue: between 380 and 500 nm. This is the famous blue light which is actually composed of several shades, more or less harmful.
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🟢 Green: between 510 and 560 nm
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🟡 Yellow: between 560 and 610 nm
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🟠 Orange: between 610 and 660 nm
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🔴 Red: between 660 and 780 nm
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🚨 Infrared: between 800 and 1200 nm. We are at the end of the spectrum, where the light becomes invisible again.
Thus, each type of light is linked to a very specific intensity: the shorter rays are more "charged" with energy while the longer ones are less. Red or blue light can have totally different effects on our organism .
Red Light Therapy: How Does It Work?
First of all, let's clarify something: red light therapy, the kind that's making noise on the networks and that can be done at home, is different from some light therapies (based on UV or red light, but in a very different context!) used medically.
Difference between red light therapy, photodynamic therapy, and UV therapy
Light therapy, photodynamic therapy: advanced medical treatments
The use of light in medicine is not a new idea, and a number of cutting-edge treatments will use UV, blue light or red light.
Photodynamic therapy combines a specific light (often blue or red) with a photosensitizing agent to destroy so-called pathological cells. It is often used to treat acne or in the context of precancerous lesions, under medical supervision, of course.
UV light therapies mainly use short wavelengths of UV : UVB (280-320 nm) and UVA (320-400 nm), depending on the desired effect. They are mainly used for skin conditions such as psoriasis, vitiligo and eczema for example . To be done under the supervision of a dermatologist, of course!
Red light therapy: a simple and less controlled process
The therapy we are interested in in this article is more homemade . You can also find a whole bunch of lamps for red light therapy on the internet!
It uses red and near-infrared wavelengths (600-1000 nm) . To be able to use this famous red and near-infrared light, professionals use a process called photobiomodulation. This is low-intensity LED or laser therapy (also called NIR for Near Infra Red ) which uses low-intensity wavelengths (red and near-infrared light).
Depending on the desired effects, a specific portion of light wavelengths will be applied to the area to be treated. Red light penetrates the epidermis and stimulates mitochondria , essential cellular components for providing energy. This energy will be used in particular for cell regeneration and repair.
How does a session take place?
Concretely, there are two ways to perform red light therapy: in an office, at a professional's, or at home.
- 🩺 In the office : devices such as near-infrared LED panels or lasers are used to target specific areas (body or face), with adapted durations and intensities. A session lasts 10 to 30 minutes, because the devices are more powerful than those you can use at home.
- 🎭 At home : you may have seen it on the networks, red light masks are increasingly used for skin care. Strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions and do not hesitate to ask a health professional for advice before using them.
You can imagine that we tend to lean towards the first option for safety reasons. Finally, know that to be effective, the sessions must be regular: several times a week, regardless of the method chosen.
In short, talk to your doctor about it!
The benefits of red light therapy: promising but uncertain
We warn you, throughout this part, we will use the conditional. Indeed, even if it has been demonstrated that red light would have (you see, it's starting) many benefits, some are still at the study stage.
Science is a process that takes time, and one encouraging study must be followed by many others to become established fact.
Cellular regeneration, skin health
The main use of red light led light therapy is skin care. This is also the area where science has revealed the most proven positive results, through studies on the subject. Indeed, light therapy with red light can help the skin to regenerate more easily and improve its texture.
Red LED light therapy would allow:
- Increase collagen production: By penetrating deep into the skin, red light stimulates the production of collagen , the protein responsible for skin elasticity. Using red light could therefore reduce scars and stretch marks, improve skin cell regeneration, tighten pores, to give the skin a smoother appearance.
- Fight inflammation: Red light is also known for its anti-inflammatory action. It is said to be useful in reducing pain and inflammation.
Regarding LED masks or LED lamps to be used at home, we recommend that you seek advice from a specialist before any use.
Indeed, there are contraindications for red light therapy : it is not recommended in cases of blood clotting problems, chemo or radiotherapy, or atopic skin with conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Similarly, there is not yet enough hindsight on this technology to practice it during pregnancy.
Effects on sleep and mood
While the beneficial effects of red LEDs on the skin have been the subject of numerous studies, their benefits on sleep and morale are still at the conjecture stage.
In reality, it is mainly the absence of blue and violet light in red light that does not interfere with sleep .
This is why we recommend using rather warm lighting in the evening before going to sleep: to best respect your circadian rhythm with subdued orange-red lights. We also talked about it in our article on the best color of light to fall asleep !
Finally, don't panic: you can reduce the effects of blue light on your sleep without opting for crimson lighting that would make Dracula envious: wearing anti-blue light glasses that will filter out the waves that are problematic for sleep is effective.
Benefits on muscle regeneration
Another effect that has been highlighted is muscle recovery. While several scientists have looked into the subject, what we know so far is that there seems to be a link, but the effects are not significant enough to clearly demonstrate it.
The final word: does red light therapy really work?
Red light therapy is therefore a simple and light treatment, which can even be done at home (even if a medical check-up is always recommended), and which offers a lot of promise, particularly for various skin problems.
It could also promote muscle recovery, and may even have an effect on sleep.
But there is no real scientific consensus : some studies are promising, but it will take time for our friends in white coats to confirm or deny these results. Science takes time, but that is also why it is reliable.
So the question of whether red light therapy really works is maybe yes, maybe no .
Our advice would therefore be, before grabbing your tickets to buy a lamp at home, to talk to your doctor, who will be able to tell you whether or not the treatment can be useful to you, and how to follow it.