Red Light Therapy

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Red light therapy is a treatment that may help skin, muscle tissue, and other parts of your body heal. It uses low levels of red light to target your skin and cells. It is thought to work by increasing the production of mitochondria, your cells' energy sources. This may improve cell function and repair.

Red light therapy is also sometimes called low-level laser therapy, low-power laser therapy, low-power laser, or photobiomodulation.

In red light therapy, you expose your skin to a lamp, device, or laser with a red light. It uses an LED (light-emitting diode) that emits the correct spectrum of light. Red LED light travels deeper into the skin than blue LED light, which is sometimes used to treat skin surface conditions such as acne. When the light enters your skin, your mitochondria soak it up and make more energy, which helps cells repair themselves.

Red light therapy uses very low levels of heat and doesn’t hurt or burn the skin. Unlike the light used in tanning booths, it doesn’t expose your skin to damaging UV rays.

Red light therapy for dementia

A 2021 research review found that in all 10 studies included in the review, red light therapy had benefits for people with dementia. In one of the studies, five people with dementia who had regular light therapy on their heads and through their noses for 12 weeks had better memories, slept better, and were angry less often.

The review noted that many of these studies were small and lacked controls and that larger trials need to be done before any benefits can be confirmed.

Red light therapy for pain

Research shows that red light therapy may be useful for relieving some types of pain, particularly pain due to inflammation (irritation and swelling of body tissues). A review of 11 studies looking at the effect of red light therapy on pain found mostly positive results, though the authors said that more studies are needed. In another small study, people with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) had less pain, clicking, and jaw tenderness after red light therapy.

Red light therapy for arthritis 

A review of studies found that red light therapy may be a helpful short-term treatment for pain and morning stiffness for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, it doesn’t seem to be very helpful for other forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis.

Red light therapy for tendinopathy

Tendinopathy is a condition that causes pain and loss of function in your tendons. A review of 17 clinical trials studying the impact of red light on treating tendinopathy found low-to-moderate quality evidence indicating that red light can help relieve pain or improve function.

Red light therapy for hair loss 

A review of multiple studies found that red light therapy can be an effective treatment for androgenic alopecia, a genetic disorder that causes hair loss. Another review of 11 studies found similar promising results. In some studies, hair thickness improved as well as hair growth.

Red light therapy for skin

Research shows red light therapy may smooth your skin and help with wrinkles. Researchers think it does this by stimulating collagen production, which helps improve skin elasticity. Research shows it also helps improve signs of sun damage.

Red light therapy for acne

Research has found that red light therapy can be effective for acne treatment. This may have to do with its ability to help reduce inflammation. In addition to helping with active acne lesions, red light lasers may also help treat old acne scars.

Red light therapy for weight loss

Some providers use red light therapy as a weight loss treatment. This is often called body contouring, or body sculpting. Red light therapy may help reduce the circumference of your body in the area that was treated, but the effect will likely be temporary and not due to any real weight loss.

Red light therapy is thought to work by acting on the “power plant” in your body’s cells called mitochondria. With more energy, other cells can do their work more efficiently, such as repairing skin, boosting new cell growth and enhancing skin rejuvenation. More specifically, certain cells absorb light wavelengths and are stimulated to work.

Red light therapy may work in skin health to:

• Stimulate collagen production, which gives skin its structure, strength and elasticity.
• Increase fibroblast production, which makes collagen. Collagen is a component of connective tissue that builds skin.
• Increase blood circulation to the tissue.
• Reduce inflammation in cells.

Red light therapy is promoted as a treatment for some common skin conditions, including to:

• Improve wound healing.
• Reduce stretch marks
• Reduce wrinkles, fine lines and age spots.
• Improve facial texture.
• Improve psoriasis, rosacea and eczema.
• Improve scars.
• Improve sun-damaged skin.
• Improve hair growth in people with androgenic alopecia.
• Improve acne.

Red light therapy appears to be safe and is not associated with any side effects, at least if used short-term and as directed. This therapy is not toxic, not invasive and not as harsh as some topical skin treatments. Unlike the ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning booths, RLT doesn’t use this type of light.

However, if products are misused — perhaps used too often or not according to directions — there’s a chance your skin or eyes (if not protected) could be damaged. The long-term safety of devices that use red light therapy is not yet known.

Your safest option is to see a dermatologist or qualified, trained, cosmetic therapist. A dermatologist can make sure your skin condition is what you think it is and can discuss the merits of red light therapy and other treatment options.

Other potential medical uses being investigated include:

• To reduce cancer chemotherapy side effects, including oral mucositis.
• To relieve pain and inflammation associated with ankle tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and osteoarthritis of the knee.
• To prevent cold sores from herpes simplex virus from recurring.