Red Light Therapy: What does is actually do?
Red light therapy seems to be everywhere at the moment.
You’ll see it in skincare clinics, gyms, recovery studios and increasingly in physiotherapy and wellness settings. And while I’m always slightly sceptical of the latest “miracle” treatment, red light therapy is one of those things that actually has some interesting science behind it.
So, what is it?
First, a little bit of science…
Red and near-infrared light are particular wavelengths of light that can interact with cells in our body.
One of the theories behind photobiomodulation (the slightly more scientific name for red light therapy) is that these wavelengths interact with components of our mitochondria (the structures inside cells responsible for producing energy).
In very simple terms, you can think of mitochondria as the little power stations of your cells.
The light doesn't magically “charge” your cells like a battery, but it may influence mitochondrial function and cellular signalling, which can support processes involved in tissue repair, inflammation and recovery.
And what happens next depends partly on where you put the light.
Red light for your skin
This is probably where most people have come across red light therapy.
Red light in the region of around 630–660nm is absorbed relatively close to the surface of the skin, while near-infrared light, commonly around 810–850nm, can penetrate further into the tissues.
There is evidence from controlled studies that regular red and near-infrared light treatments can produce modest improvements in things such as:
Skin firmness
Fine lines and wrinkles
Collagen density
Overall skin quality
But…. and this is an important but… regularity matters.
This isn't a treatment where you have one session and suddenly look five years younger the next morning!
The research generally involves repeated treatments over several weeks. Like many things in skincare, consistency is much more important than doing a lot once and then forgetting about it.
And that is why I see red light therapy as a complement to our other skin treatments rather than a replacement for them.
Treatments such as microneedling, polynucleotides and Profhilo work in different ways and provide different benefits. Red light can sit alongside these treatments as another way of supporting the skin's cellular environment.
Think of it as helping to keep the machinery working, rather than supplying all the raw materials itself.
What about muscles and recovery?
This is the other area I find particularly interesting.
The same basic cellular mechanisms are relevant to muscle tissue, which is why photobiomodulation has attracted so much interest in sports and exercise recovery.
Research suggests that red and near-infrared light may help with exercise-induced muscle soreness and recovery, particularly when used around exercise.
Interestingly, timing may matter.
There is some evidence that using photobiomodulation before exercise may be particularly useful for reducing subsequent muscle soreness and some markers of muscle damage.
The evidence for using it after exercise isn't quite as consistent, so I'm not going to tell you it's a magic post-workout recovery button!
But that's actually one of the things I like about it. We're not trying to sell it as a miracle cure.
It's a relatively simple treatment that may provide an additional nudge towards better recovery.
So, is red light therapy worth doing?
I think it's one of those treatments where expectations are important.
If someone tells you red light therapy will transform your skin overnight, cure inflammation, melt fat and make you run a marathon tomorrow, I'd be reaching for my sceptical hat!
The evidence is promising but not miraculous, and results depend on things like wavelength, dose, treatment distance, frequency and the condition being treated.
But unlike many of the wellness trends that come and go, there is a plausible biological mechanism behind photobiomodulation and a growing body of research supporting specific uses.
And importantly, it's a very easy treatment to add to something you're already doing.
We're introducing Red Light Therapy at the clinic as an add-on treatment option around physio, sports massage, exercise recovery and skin treatments.
A few minutes of light, no needles, no downtime before or after your physio/massage (or after your skin treatment), and nothing you need to do afterwards.
Sometimes the most useful treatments aren't the complicated ones; they're the ones that can quietly become part of your routine.
Red light therapy isn't magic. But there is definitely more to it than just sitting under a red lamp.
