Red Light Therapy for Skin: Benefits, Usage, and Results

If you're looking for a non-invasive and effective way to improve your skin texture, reduce inflammation, and increase collagen production, consider red light therapy. Red light and infrared LEDs stimulate cellular activity, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to your skin cells. In this article, we explore the benefits of red light therapy, its working mechanism, and provide guidance on using it for optimal results. Whether you prefer professional devices or at-home solutions, consistency and adherence to directions are key to achieving visible improvements.

The skin cross-section showing dermal penetration by different wavelengths of light. Source: Wikipedia.

Understanding Red Light Therapy and It's Skin Benefits

Red light therapy utilizes low-level red light LEDs (630-660 nm) to stimulate cellular activity. Some red light therapies incorporate infrared light (800-1000 nanometers), which penetrates deeper into the skin, making it effective for treating wounds and other conditions in the deeper skin layers (3).

By activating skin cells, red light therapy facilitates the delivery of essential nutrients and oxygen, promoting the production of new skin cells, thus enhancing skin texture, reducing inflammation, and increasing collagen production.

The Power of Consistency: Insights from a Controlled Study

An image showcases two women at the beginning (t0) and the end (t30) of the treatment period.

To maximize the effectiveness of red light therapy, consistency and adherence to usage instructions are crucial.

Let’s get nerdy to understand how the effects build up over time. A controlled study involving 136 participants showcased the cumulative effects of red light therapy over time. Participants were divided into groups, with 23 serving as the control group without any treatment, while 123 received twice-weekly treatments with light ranging from 611-850 nm. After 30 sessions (equivalent to 15 weeks), significant improvements in skin complexion, skin feeling, and increased collagen density were observed through scientific measurements. Through fancy science measurements, they found significant “improved skin complexion and skin feeling” and increased collagen density (5).

I cite this study to explain while red light therapy is simple, you must be consistent. The magic of red light will not immediately solve major problems overnight. However, after your first treatment, you can immediately notice a reduction in redness or inflammation, serving as a visual reminder to stay consistent and have faith in the light.

Also, more research needs to be completely understand the best use cases for this treatment. Meaning researchers should “continue to explore the use of LEDs to treat skin conditions” to ensure that their findings are reliable and generalizable (1).

Using Red Light Therapy for Skin: Professional and At-Home Devices

Professional red light therapy devices are more powerful are more effective for treating severe acne, reducing inflammation, and promoting wound healing. At-home devices, though less potent, can effectively address conditions such as acne, fine lines and wrinkles, and work to maintain professional results.

The key to achieving optimal results with either type of device is to use it consistently and as directed. It’s also important to note that red light therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and results may vary depending on the individual. Some people may see significant improvements in their skin or pain levels with just a few treatments, while others may require more sessions or a longer duration of treatment to see results.

TL/DR:

• Red light therapy utilizes low-level red light LEDs to stimulate cellular activity in the body, providing a range of benefits, such as reducing inflammation and improving skin texture.

• Infrared light, with a longer wavelength than red light, can penetrate deeper into the skin, making it effective for treating conditions that affect deeper skin layers.

• Red light therapy encourages skin cells to become active, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to the skin and promoting the production of new skin cells. This leads to improved skin texture, reduced inflammation, and increased collagen production.

• To achieve optimal results with red light therapy, it is crucial to use it consistently and follow the recommended directions.

• Professional red light therapy devices offer greater power and a wider range of wavelengths and settings, making them more effective for specific conditions.

• At-home devices can still be effective with regular use, although they may have fewer settings and capabilities compared to professional devices.

Sources:

1. Jagdeo J, Austin E, Mamalis A, Wong C, Ho D, Siegel DM. Light-emitting diodes in dermatology: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Lasers Surg Med. 2018 Jan 22;50(6):613–28. doi: 10.1002/lsm.22791. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 29356026; PMCID: PMC6099480.

2. Red Light Therapy and Green Tea: Debunked?. https://skinsciencebymira.com/2021/01/30/the-truth-behind-red-light-therapy-and-green-tea/. demystifying skincare with science. April 15, 2023. January 30, 2021.

3. Red Light Therapy: Benefits, Side Effects & Uses. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22114-red-light-therapy#:~:text=Red%20light%20therapy%20is%20thought,growth%20and%20enhancing%20skin%20rejuvenation. Cleveland Clinic. April 15, 2023.

4. Ruscio, Michael. What’s True and What’s Hype? Red Light Therapy Pros and Cons. https://drruscio.com/red-light-therapy-pros-and-cons/. Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC. April 15, 2023. November 25, 2022.

5. Wunsch A, Matuschka K. A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase. Photomed Laser Surg. 2014 Feb;32(2):93-100. doi: 10.1089/pho.2013.3616. Epub 2013 Nov 28. PMID: 24286286; PMCID: PMC3926176