Numerous trials and studies have demonstrated red light therapy to be a simple and effective means of healing, relaxing, and recovering from injury. It's no surprise, then, that red light therapy is a staple in sports medicine. What many people don't know, however, is how many dermatologists and aestheticians use red light therapy on their clients. This is the result of research that has shown red light therapy and its neighbor on the electromagnetic spectrum, near infrared light, offer potential red light therapy for skin benefits. These include improvement in wrinkles, scar tissue, acne, and other conditions through photobiomodulation.

What this post will cover:

• What is red light therapy and how does it work?
• What are the health benefits of red light therapy?
• How does infrared light therapy help skin?
• Where to get red light therapy treatments

What is Red Light Therapy and How Does it Work?

Red light therapy is a non-invasive therapeutic treatment that uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to affect the body through photobiomodulation. These wavelengths of infrared light are delivered through specially-designed infrared light bulbs, LED panels, red light therapy lamps, or high-powered lasers. The simple, painless procedure provides a host of positive benefits both to the outside and inside of the body.

The mechanism of action for red light therapy involves the natural way bioreactive light interacts with our bodies on a cellular level through photobiomodulation. There are several types of bioreactive light, each with different effects. Studies have shown red LED light therapy, in particular, to deliver health benefits because of its unique effects on cellular metabolism.

If you want to learn more about bioreactive light and the science behind red light therapy, check out our post about the ways infrared light therapy works on the body, including information about infrared saunas.

The Many Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Is red light therapy safe and effective? Many studies concluded "yes" to both. Red light therapy was quickly recognized for its potential, and thus has been tested for treating a number of injuries, sources of discomfort, and skin problems. The benefits that were discovered include:

Enhanced Cellular Metabolism

Red light therapy has been shown to create systemic boosts in cellular function that can promote healing, combat pain, and contribute to full-body wellness. The primary mechanism behind this photobiomodulation is a noted increase in ATP energy production, a key part of cellular function.

Reduced Inflammation

Infrared light therapy improves circulation and cellular function in targeted areas, helping to fight chronic and acute inflammation. Red light therapy can be applied in the same situations where heat from an infrared heat lamp or hot water bottle would be used, such as recovery from a sprain.

Pain Management

Red light therapy has been reported to help many users deal with chronic pain. This is believed to be the result of its mechanism for reducing inflammation, which makes red light therapy a popular treatment for arthritis and other joint pain.

Skin Care and Rejuvenation

Last in the list, but most important for this article, is red light therapy's ability to aid in skin care. Red light and near infrared light are naturally occurring wavelengths that we have evolved to absorb from sunlight. Supplemental exposure to red light and near infrared light has been shown to help with healing, maintaining, and beautifying skin, especially among those who spend a lot of time indoors and could benefit from red light therapy for skin benefits.

Red Light Therapy for Skin Care and Beautification

Skin care experts have certainly taken notice of the numerous red light therapy for skin benefits. Many leading practitioners have experienced the benefits of LED red light therapy themselves and now incorporate it as part of their skincare recommendations.

Red light therapy has deep roots in science. It was previously tested and used by NASA to promote faster wound healing through its cellular mechanisms and photobiomodulation. Red light wound therapy can not only speed healing, but also has been shown to reduce scar tissue. This is because red light therapy stimulates the production of collagen. Because collagen is responsible for red light for skin firming and elasticity, exposure to red light therapy has become popular with those interested in anti-aging.

The benefits are more than – pardon the pun—skin deep. Red light therapy can help support overall skin health. The skin is a massive conglomeration of billions of individual cells and red light therapy helps the mitochondria in those skin cells produce more energy (ATP), stimulating the synthesis of pro-collagen and collagen, as well as basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF). Because red and near infrared light therapy also increase circulation, the skin is able to mend and maintain itself more efficiently, possibly leading to healthier, more glowing skin that looks and feels its best.

Red light therapy devices, including red light lamps and infrared therapy lamps, have also been used to treat specific skin disorders. A few of the most common applications include:

Dry Skin and Psoriasis

It is believed that, when red light from a red light therapy lamp penetrates the affected skin, it energizes the skin cells and increases blood flow to the surface. This means more nutrients are delivered to that area and more toxins and dead cells flushed away. These effects have been shown to improve hydration of skin in the treatment area through photobiomodulation.

Rosacea

Red light therapy is used by some as a non-invasive, drug-free means of treating rosacea. As with overall skin tone and texture, the improvements in blood flow resulting from red light and near infrared light allow more oxygen to reach areas that need repair, while the bioreactive qualities of red light therapy stimulate ATP production.

Because red light can penetrate the skin, it is used by some to help heal rosacea-related acne and reduce surface inflammation.

Red Light Therapy Acne Treatment at Home

For those seeking red light therapy acne treatment at home, LED red light therapy devices offer a convenient solution. The anti-inflammatory properties of red light therapy can help reduce the appearance of acne breakouts and support skin healing. Home-use red light lamps and LED red light therapy devices make it possible to maintain consistent treatment routines for acne management.

Scars and Stretch Marks

Collagen depletes as we age, lowering skin elasticity resulting in loose, saggy skin. Stretch marks tend to arise either from rapid weight loss or in the natural course of aging. Because red light therapy can help stimulate collagen production through photobiomodulation, it may help prevent further development of stretch marks. It has been shown to also help lighten skin and diminish the appearance of scars, especially when used during a wound's healing process with a red light therapy lamp.

Sun Damage

Some light, in particular, ultraviolet light, can be very damaging to the skin. Conversely, red light therapy can actually help repair damage. (Near infrared light bulbs and red light lamps should not emit ultraviolet light. This can be verified by asking the manufacturer for the bulb's wavelength output.) The red light wavelength enhances cellular activity through photobiomodulation, which is thought to help reverse sun damage and lighten age spots.

LED Red Light Therapy for Wrinkles

Because of loss of collagen and the associated changes to the skin's elasticity, wrinkles often appear as we age. LED red light therapy for wrinkles helps boost collagen and fibroblasts production, which can help minimize and counteract wrinkles. For this reason, spas often use red light therapy lamps on forehead wrinkles, laugh lines, marionette lines, and other areas of the skin that show signs of aging.

Where to Get Red Light/NIR Therapy

In the past, red light therapy for skin benefits were only available in high-end salons and dermatologist offices. Now, however, near infrared light bulbs and red light lamps suitable for home use are available from a variety of manufacturers, at costs similar to the price of a single spa visit.

Those looking to explore the benefits of red light and near infrared light at home can purchase incandescent infrared light bulbs, LED devices, red light therapy lamps, and infrared therapy lamps from various manufacturers. Some people also incorporate infrared heat lamps or even infrared saunas into their wellness routines for broader health benefits beyond skincare.

For those interested in comprehensive infrared light therapy, read more about building an infrared sauna at home, which can provide both red light therapy for skin benefits and full-body infrared light therapy.

Is Red Light Therapy Safe?

In more than 50 years of research into the use of red light therapy and photobiomodulation, there were no reported risks or contraindication to its use.

Prior to using any red light therapy lamp, infrared light bulb, or infrared therapy lamp on your body, you should consult with a medical professional. They can discuss your goals for use of the product, verify that it is safe for you, and offer specific recommendations for distance from the bulb, duration per session, frequency of use, etc.

Medical professionals who have specific expertise in the use of red light therapy and infrared light therapy will often indicate a specialization in photobiomodulation and/or integrative medicine.

For your own safety, always wear eye protection, such as infrared light filtering eyewear and avoid looking directly into red light lamps or infrared light bulbs when they are lit. Despite having a red color designed to dampen some of the visible light, the incandescent infrared light bulbs get quite bright, which can cause discomfort. 

Additionally, the incandescent infrared heat lamps can get quite hot, so you should never leave them unattended while in use and keep them at least 12 inches from your body and any surface that could ignite or be damaged by heat.

TheraBulb Red Light and Infrared Bulbs

TheraBulb red light lamps and infrared light bulbs are designed to bring you salon-quality infrared and red light at an affordable price. Our current product lineup includes infrared light bulbs of varying intensities and technologies, all designed to provide maximum red light and near infrared light output. Our bulbs are RoHS certified free of hazardous substances, undergo a 17-point in factory quality inspection, and are tested in an independent ISO-certified laboratory to verify red and near infrared output, measure intensity, and quantify wavelength distribution.