Red Light Therapy: A Science-Backed Healer for Your Mind and Body

Proper skincare can make or break the way we age. Things like spending lots of time in the sun, smoking, and not drinking enough water can have a big impact on how we look as we get older. Health and beauty are a multi-billion-dollar industry. Women, in particular, will spend a significant amount of money if they believe in a product or service. Of course, the industry is also flooded with fads, so it can be hard to decide what’s real and what might not actually work.

Red light therapy has been gaining popularity recently, and some people swear by the treatment. Whether it’s an at-home mask or a full-on spa treatment, consistent photobiomodulation, the fancy name for red light therapy, is here to stay.

By Wix

According to UCLA Health, several FDA-approved red light therapy devices effectively treat aging skin. It can potentially help treat dark spots and discoloration, as well as fine lines, wrinkles, and loose skin. Red light therapy has also been used successfully in acne treatment and to promote hair growth.

Zakia Rahman, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Harvard, shared her thoughts on red light therapy and its increased popularity.

"In 2015, the National Library of Medicine made photobiomodulation a Medical Subject Heading term," Rahman explained. "Since then, we've seen a major increase of published studies validating the science of photobiomodulation."

You Need to Keep Up With Red Light Therapy to Maintain Results

Beyond skin care, Dr. Rahman has seen positive results from red light therapy for hair growth.

“The dilation of blood vessels enables more blood and nutrients to reach the hair follicles. Used over multiple months consistently, red light has been shown to regrow thinning hair,” she said. “But it should also be noted, when the person stops applying red light, the effects stop."

Roman Denisenko

Universal Neurological Care has also found red light therapy to be a beneficial treatment for peripheral neuropathy, reducing inflammation after brain injuries, and improving memory, focus, and overall brain performance.

“By directing the red light at specific areas of the body, your practitioner can target precise treatment areas,” Universal Neurological Care explains. “This makes it an extremely versatile treatment that can be adjusted based on your health condition and the area of injury or pain.”

Per UCLA Health, “No research has suggested that red light can cause cancer, unlike ultraviolet (UV) light. Devices labeled ‘FDA cleared’ pose a low risk to the public. But more research is needed to understand the long-term effects of photobiomodulation.”

The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends talking to a doctor before starting any at-home red light therapy.