Healthy Inspiration

Red light therapy—also known as red LED light therapy, low-level light therapy (LLLT), photobiomodulation, and cold laser therapy—involves exposing bodily tissues to red and near-infrared light between the wavelengths of 660 nm and 890 nm with either low-level lasers or red LED lights. The light from these devices is used to treat a variety of conditions, from wrinkles to scarring to pesky wounds that won't heal. Some red light therapy units are small and handheld while others can be positioned above your face (like a dentist's lamp), and others look more like tanning beds.

"Near-infrared levels are best for wound healing and increased immune function," explains Amy Myers, M.D., compared to middle-infrared levels which are good for increasing circulation and promoting muscle relaxation, and far-infrared levels for detoxing.

"I've been using red LED light therapy for years, and I love it," adds Susana Salazar, holistic esthetician at Studio Britta in New York City. "It activates collagen production and has many other skin benefits such as accelerating the healing process, helping with inflammation and facial redness, minimizing dark spots, and improving overall circulation."

These red and near-infrared wavelengths do not burn or damage the skin (unlike the dangerous UVA rays in tanning beds), but they're thought to be absorbed by skin up to 10 millimeters—a lot deeper than any serum or cream can penetrate.

Surprisingly, red light therapy can be traced back to NASA. In the 1990s, scientists developed technology featuring red LEDs to help promote growth and photosynthesis in plants during space shuttle missions. This, in turn, prompted research into whether red light therapy might have benefits for humans, particularly for astronauts, who experience problems such as poor wound healing due to weightlessness.

The mechanism by which red light therapy delivers its benefits is still poorly understood, which makes it a bit controversial, but it's thought to work by stimulating the mitochondria in our skin cells. Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells that turn food and oxygen into energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Stimulated mitochondria are thought to produce more ATP, and thus, help cells function, regenerate, and repair themselves more efficiently. Stem cells may also be activated by red light therapy, which promotes increased tissue repair and healing.