Red light therapy has gained popularity over the past year. It has come a long way since it was first introduced. It is a type of laser treatment, which has been around for almost 60 years now. If you’ve never heard about red light therapy before, perhaps you’re familiar with the other terms for it:
- Low level laser therapy (LLLT)
- Photonic stimulation
- Light box therapy
- Biostimulation (BIOS)
Clinical studies have shown that this type of laser therapy does have healing abilities, mostly because it can positively affect the immune and endocrine systems. In fact, the FDA now approves LLLT for chronic joint pain treatment and in speeding up the healing process of certain wounds.
But what is red light therapy?
In this kind of therapy, red light wavelengths with low power are emitted to come in contact directly to the skin. There isn’t pain in the process because there’s no heat and red light can only penetrate up to 10 millimeters into the skin. Though not deep, the therapy has many positive effects on the body. As a matter of fact, it has shown potential in treating osteoarthritis, which is caused by old age along with the following:
- Pain caused by radiation, chemotherapy, and other cancer treatments
- Hair loss
- Incisions or wounds
- Acne
- Skin discoloration
- Wrinkles
- Neurological damage
- Chronic muscular pain
- Tissue damage (pulls, sprains, or tears)
There is no hard evidence yet as to whether or not red light therapy could work on the above-mentioned problems. But red light wavelengths have been proven to work on the following:
- Stimulating the synthesis of the DNA
- Increasing energy levels
- Activating our lymphatic system
- Increasing circulation of blood
- Forming small blood vessels or capillaries
- Improving collagen and fibroblast production
- Repairing soft connective tissue problems
- Decreasing inflammation
- Reducing the effects of oxidative stress
Some practitioners believe that red light therapy can also help in treating depression and fatigue. This is because of the effects of red light. Traditional Chinese treatments use red light to improve immunity, recovery and health – just like acupuncture’s effects. When it comes to helping treat depression, red light is known to naturally energize our minds and bodies. The color is even associated with boosted moods and may help increase positivity, passion, self-confidence, and many others.
Red light therapy is generally safe and may not have side effects, especially when implemented correctly. Make sure you talk to your dermatologist first before you try it. Results may vary from one patient to another, but red light, particularly LLLT has both emotional and mental benefits, along with the physical perks.