Over the years, various healthcare trends have come and gone due to the advancing innovations and technologies. And one of the most popular trends is red light therapy (RLT), which may have advantages beyond just reducing acne and slowing the signs of aging.

Red light therapy is a treatment involving light-emitting diodes (LED) lights or lasers to expose a body part to red light. If you’re unfamiliar with what red light is all about, it’s the longest wavelength of visible light. The therapy is called photobiomodulation (PBM) or low-level light therapy (LLLT).

Although red light therapy is typically done in a doctor’s office, it’s becoming available in some medical spas and salons. You could also purchase portable red light therapy equipment.

However, if you intend to use an at-home device, it’s critical that you fully understand the fundamentals to ensure your safety and the best possible outcome. One of the considerations is eye protection, especially if you use the device for facial skin issues. Consider checking out this informative post on proper eye protection as a starting point.

How Does Red Light Therapy Work?

Essentially, red light therapy transmits low-intensity red light deep into the body’s cells to promote healing. Today, it may be beneficial for managing both medical and cosmetic conditions. Many people prefer the procedure because it’s relatively painless, non-invasive, and doesn’t involve heat.

When you look at how red light therapy works, you’ll notice that it primarily involves activating the mitochondria with low-energy red and near-infrared light waves. The mitochondria are crucial components of body cells that function as energy generators. The energy that the mitochondria generate is housed in the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule, which assists the body in storing and utilizing energy.

The mitochondria eventually decline and produce less ATP as a person ages, along with health conditions and lifestyle factors. Red light therapy has the potential to initiate a reaction that can reverse this deterioration.

Red light therapy works best because the red light’s wavelength can effectively penetrate bodily tissues. The therapy generally helps promote cellular regeneration, which may benefit overall health.

Ways Red Light Therapy Can Improve Your Health

Red light therapy can promote healing at a cellular level which is perhaps the reason it may help improve overall health in various aspects. Here are several ways red light therapy can be beneficial for your health.

1. Manage Various Skin Conditions

Red light therapy is a popular choice in managing various skin conditions, ideally improving overall skin appearance. As a person undergoes treatment, the blood flow can be increased while supplying oxygen and nutrients to the skin to promote healing and lessen inflammation. It also boosts collagen production to give the skin better elasticity and strength.

Red light therapy has been the preferred choice to combat the signs of aging, reverse sun damage and manage acne.

2. Promote Rapid Wound And Injury Healing

Getting a wound can happen when you least expect it in most cases. However, if a cut or surgical wound is healing slowly, you may benefit from red light therapy. Once you decide to undergo treatment, red light therapy may help hasten the healing process of wounds and injuries by boosting blood circulation, which allows a better flow of oxygen and nutrients to the site of the injury.

3. Reduce Pain And Inflammation

If you have pain-related or inflammatory conditions, red light therapy may also be able to help. Red light therapy penetrates the body to naturally lessen pain and inflammation in the skin, tissues, and muscles. As it promotes healing on a cellular level, it improves blood flow, reduces inflammatory markers in the body, and boosts antioxidant activity.

Studies show that red light therapy may improve chronic pain, especially in cases involving the back, joints, neck, and even injuries involving the tendons.

4. Counteract The Effects Of The Aging Process

Red light therapy is well-known for its anti-aging effects. As mentioned earlier, as a person ages, it results in the decline of various functions such as diminishing mitochondrial function and ATP production, eventually leading to cellular degeneration.

Red light therapy is crucial in boosting mitochondrial function and improving energy production. As a result, it may help slow the aging process and improve energy levels, vision, bone and muscle strength, cognitive function, skin appearance, and reduce pain and inflammation.

5. Boost Hair Growth

As part of the aging process, hair growth is also likely to be affected, and most end up with thinning hair. Although getting hair transplants or using promising hair growth products may seem appealing, you can also consider red light therapy as a safe and natural way to promote hair growth in both men and women.

Since the therapy works by boosting the circulation in the scalp while stimulating the hair follicles simultaneously, it can help boost a person’s confidence level, especially those with alopecia.

Wrapping It Up

Red light therapy has made great strides and has become a popular trend today due to its numerous health benefits. Depending on your health condition, red light therapy may be worth considering trying if you want a safe, non-invasive treatment that can help promote cellular regeneration.