Red Light Therapy (RLT): What is it? What are the benefits? Is it safe?
What is Red Light Therapy (RLT)?
RLT uses low wavelength red light that targets the body on a cellular level. It does this by energizing the mitochondria, the power house of the cell, which in turn increases the energy output. This allows for cells to multiply at much higher rates. This wavelength is used as LED's which do not give off any heat, and is non-cancerous making it perfectly safe to use.
What are the benefits?
There are multiple benefits to using Red Light Therapy including:
"Reduced Inflammation: in joints, muscles, and skin
Improve wound healing
Reduce stretch marks
Improve, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, scars, and sun-damaged skin
Improve acne
Improve hair growth in those with androgenic alopecia" (Red light therapy: Benefits, Side Effects & Uses)
Is it safe?
There are no known side effects to using RLT. It's non-invasive, not toxic, and no harsh topical skin treatments are necessary. This wavelength does not use cancer causing (UV) light such as from the tanning beds, and the sun. In short, as long as RLT is used as directed, then it is a safe option.
References
Pagán, C. N. (n.d.). Red light therapy: Effectiveness, treatment, and risks. WebMD. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/red-light-therapy
Red light therapy: Benefits, Side Effects & Uses. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22114-red-light-therapy
Smiley, J. (n.d.). What is red light therapy? Verywell Health. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/red-light-therapy-5217767
Wunsch, A., & Matuschka, K. (2014, February). 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. Photomedicine and laser surgery. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3926176/