Red Light Therapy

Red LED Light Therapy (RLT) is the application of particular wavelengths of red and infrared light to bring about a desired healing response. RLT is also labelled “cold laser”, “low level laser” LLLT or photobiomodulation.

There are over 4000 published medical studies detailing the effect of light therapy on a multitude of conditions – ranging from osteoarthritis, inflammation, tendon lesions, nerve regeneration, peripheral neuropathy, bacterial infections, non-healing wounds, anxiety, insomnia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, sports performance and exercise recovery. More recently research has seen the positive influence light therapy has on the gut microbiome.

Red/Infrared Light may aid in the management of:

Arthritis/Joint inflammation
Chronic Muscular pain including Back /Neck /Shoulder /Knee /Elbow
Tendonitis
Lymphatic drainage/Oedema
Peripheral circulation
Non-healing ulcers/Bruising
Wound management
Skin aging and scarring
Bronchial congestion
Flu and virus recovery
Headaches/Migraine
Concussion
Insomnia
Brain fog
Gut microbiome
Pre exercise stimulation
Post exercise recovery

History of technology: The healing power of light has been around since ancient times. A Nobel Prize was awarded to Niels Ryberg Finsen over 100 years ago for his advancements in the use of red light therapy in treating smallpox and lupus outbreaks in the late 1890’s.

In October 1995, sources of red light—part of the visible spectrum of light—made their space shuttle flight debut on the second U.S. Microgravity Laboratory Spacelab mission (STS-73, Columbia) as part of experiments in plant growth.

“It was here that astronauts tending the plant growth chambers noticed little scratches on their hands began to heal,” says red light therapy researcher Janis T. Eells, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “Nothing heals in space, so NASA funded many years of research with these lights for human trials.”

These studies led to the discovery that red light therapy could be used deliberately as a type of photomedicine, which is the application of light for health and healing purposes. Visible light penetrates biological tissues, such as cells, muscle tissues and nerve tissues—with red and near-infrared (NIR) light going deeper than green, blue or violet light.

“With red light therapy, you expose an area of your body to a specific wavelength of red light emitted by a device that can range in size from handheld to whole-body,” says Casey Kelley, M.D., founder and medical director of Case Integrative Health. “Essentially, the red light stimulates your cells to work at a higher level.”

Red light therapy works by activating your mitochondria, or the powerhouse of the cell, explains Dr. Kelley. With this boost to the energy center of the cell, the cells can do their jobs—such as healing and growth—more efficiently. “Think of it as your morning coffee—red light therapy helps your cells wake up and get the job done!” says Dr. Kelley.

Potential Benefits of Red Light Therapy

There are many potential uses and benefits of red light therapy.

However, according to Elaine F. Kung, M.D., founder of Future Bright Dermatology in New York and assistant clinical professor at Weill-Cornell Medical College, it’s important to keep in mind that many of the published studies using red light as therapy are often small (less than 30 people), animal or lab studies. As a result, most medical professionals agree that more quality research with more human participants is needed.

Preliminary scientific results look very promising, though. Here are some of the conditions that are showing potential for treatment with red light therapy.

Improvement for Skin and Hair Conditions

Using light to affect positive skin changes is not a new concept. In fact, dermatologists have employed various light wavelengths in treatments for over 50 years, explains Dr. Kung.

With this in mind, one of the most commonly cited benefits of red light therapy is improvements to the skin. “It has been used to address signs of aging and skin damage, such as fine lines, wrinkles and age spots by stimulating collagen production,” says Dr. Kelley.

Perhaps the most notable benefit of red light therapy is the improved quality and texture of the skin, according to Dr. Ilyas.

Here are some specifics supporting these potential applications of red light.

Fine lines and wrinkles. A 2020 study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found that light emitting diode (LED) phototherapy may be effective when it comes to treating aging skin, with red light therapy showing promise for positive skin rejuvenation effects by boosting fibroblasts—which make collagen and, in turn, gives skin its structure, strength and elasticity.
. Light therapy has been used to treat acne for years, especially in conjunction with medications and therapies meant to enhance the light absorption, explains Dr IIyas. Accordingly, red light therapy is being explored as an acne treatment. One recent, small study showed that treating acne with red light therapy reduced mild and moderate breakouts by 36%.
Scarring. Skin fibrosis (i.e. scarring) annually affects more than 100 million people worldwide. Though more clinical trials are needed, there is a growing body of evidence that red light therapy may help modulate key cell characteristics that contribute to scarring. In this case, red light therapy is used to reduce collagen production in scar tissue, improving or preventing thickening scars, according to Dr. Ilyas.
Wound healing. Difficult-to-heal wounds like diabetic ulcers present a major skin treatment issue. However, Red light therapy is showing promise when used for the acceleration of healing. Researchers posit that it is once again likely the increase in cell mitochondria activity, fibroblast proliferation,and collagen production that may contribute to this potentially positive red light therapy effect.
Hair growth. Red light therapy has been shown to reduce the effects of androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of hair loss caused by a genetic predisposition to an excessive reaction to androgens like testosterone anytime after puberty, explains Dr. Kelley. By decreasing inflammation and increasing blood flow and circulation to the scalp, it has the potential to bring more cell activity (and nutrients) to that area. Recent studies indicate that using red light therapy may promote increased hair thickness and density, but more research is needed.

Relief from Chronic Disease Symptoms/Reduction of Pain

One potential application of red light therapy is to treat chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia. Recently, the FDA approved FibroLux, the first and only therapeutic laser to treat fibromyalgia pain. “When red light therapy was administered via FibroLux laser by a health care professional three times a week for a three-week period, patients experienced a marked reduction in fibromyalgia pain,” says Dr. Eells.

Red light therapy may also reduce neuropathy pain, according to recent research.

Additionally, it may mitigate the painful side effects of some cancer treatments. “For example, a phase-three clinical trial showed the benefit of red light in reducing oral mucositis [tissue swelling and irritation in the mouth] in bone marrow transplant patients through an extraoral (outside of the mouth) application of only a couple minutes,” says Dr. Eells.

Enhancement of Fat Loss

Though red light therapy is being advertised for fat and weight loss, the jury is still out on this one. However, there are a few studies showing that the application of red light may affect adipocytes (the cells that store fat).

One older study published in the journal Obesity Surgery in 2011 found that when 40 adults with excess weight were regularly exposed to red light therapy, their adipocyte cells released triglycerides, resulting in fat loss. Participants in this study lost approximately 2.1 centimeters of girth over a four-week period.

Another 2015 study of 64 women living with obesity published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine found that red light therapy could increase fat loss when coupled with exercise. In the study, two groups worked out for 20 minutes three times per week and then received red light therapy or a placebo light therapy. Those who worked out and then had red light therapy exhibited a greater reduction in fat mass, indicating that red light therapy may improve metabolic inflexibility.

Acceleration of Sports Recovery, and Injury Prevention

“Light can speed up the respiration process in cells and increase ATP and other mechanistic factors,” says Dr. Eells. “You stimulate cellular energy, and you stimulate the body’s ability to repair.”

Because of this, red light therapy may be promising when it comes to the treatment and prevention of a range of musculoskeletal conditions, including tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Promotion of Brain Health

Research is increasingly demonstrating the benefits of using red light therapy for dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and other brain conditions, explains Dr. Kelley. Continued studies indicate that brain photobiomodulation therapy may enhance the metabolic capacity of neurons and stimulate anti-inflammatory and antioxidant responses, as well as neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons). This may be particularly helpful for individuals dealing with memory or mood conditions.

Red light therapy may also help patients with Parkinson’s disease manage their symptoms and sleep/wake cycles. Thanks to the minimal risk, many researchers believe that red light therapy for brain disorders will become one of the most important medical applications in the coming years and decades.

Further reference research for Red Light Therapy

NST