Full Body Red Light Therapy Has More Benefits Than You Realize

Red light therapy, an increasingly popular alternative medical treatment, is known for skin rejuvenation and treating specific conditions like acne and scars – but its applications and benefits extend far beyond this. 

From bone recovery to improving cognitive function, red light therapy (RLT) promises a wide range of health benefits. 

RLT works by shining light in the red wavelengths at skin cells. The red light interacts with small structures in the cells known as mitochondria, causing them to release molecules like nitric oxide and ATP, which have key health benefits, while reducing harmful molecules known as ‘free radicals.’ It also spurs the production of collagen which is important for skin health and used in the body’s connective tissues. 

One of the added benefits of RLT it is that is safe and does not have any reported side effects, unlike many other alternative medical treatments. As the Cleveland Clinic notes, it is “not toxic, not invasive and not as harsh as some topical skin treatments.” It also should not be confused with the ultraviolet light in tanning booths, which is known to be cancer-causing. 

While more research and clinical trials may be needed to confirm all of its benefits, the early evidence is pretty promising. 

Let’s take a close look at each of the benefits of RLT. 

1. Treatment for skin health and conditions

There are a wide range of skin conditions the therapy can treat including: wrinkles and other effects of aging on the skin, scars, sun damage, and stretch marks. RLT can also provide relief for specific skin conditions like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema.

2. Reversal of hair loss

RLT offers relief for those with alopecia, a form of hair loss characterized by missing patches of hair. (It’s the hair-loss condition that actress Jada Pinkett Smith has.) One study in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy showed that RLT had increased the density of hair in patients with alopecia. RLT achieves these effects by stimulating the growth of hair follicles, prolongs periods of hair growth, and triggers a return to hair growth, according to another study in the Annals of Dermatology. 

3. Faster healing of wounds

RLT can also speed up the healing of wounds. A paper published in Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia noted that wounds that take too long to heal can limit a person’s mobility and lead to a substantial loss of productivity, not to mention the emotional effects. That’s where RLT can come in. Laser treatment for wounds actually began in the 60s, but LED light therapy started more recently, in the 90s. In a survey of 68 studies, the paper found that both treatments accelerated the healing of wounds by reducing inflammation, increasing cells that help in the production of connective tissue known as fibroblasts, synthesis of collagen, and the formation of new blood vessels and tissues – all biological processes that are critical to the healing of a wound. 

4. Relief for pain

RLT also has the potential for health benefits beneath the surface of the skin. One is the reduction of pain. In particular, a study in the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine concluded that RLT is an effective treatment for pain for those with musculoskeletal disorders.

5. Healing bones

The health benefits of RLT extend all the way to the bones. Specifically, another study, in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, found that RLT contributes to the healing of bone defects in the face. RLT’s pain reduction and anti-inflammatory effects are added pluses. 

6. Inflammation reduction

A major benefit of RLT is inflammation reduction. When the red light reaches skin cells it triggers a series of biochemical processes that limit inflammation throughout the body, according to a paper in the journal AIMS Biophysics. For example, RLT reduces levels of a protein called cytokines which are important for the immune system but also cause inflammation. According to the study, RLT therapy can reduce inflammation in the brain, abdominal fat, wounds, lungs, spinal cord and has potential applications for “disorders of the joints, traumatic injuries, lung disorders, and in the brain.” Some of the potential diseases that could be treated include Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune thyroiditis, arthritis, and tendinitis – though more research on the potential benefits for each disease is needed. 

7. Increased exercise performance 

Several studies have shown that RLT has numerous benefits for exercise and physical performance. For example, a study in the journal Lasers in Medicine highlighted the therapy’s ability to enhance performance, reduce soreness, and limit muscle damage. Other studies have pointed to improvements in endurance and recovery times after high-intensity exercises. One group of researchers said that RLT shows such promise for athletes that its use should possibly be “permitted in athletic competition by international regulatory authorities.”

8. Antimicrobial Effects

RLT can fight infections during oral surgery. One study, in Cellular and Molecular Biology, found that it kills three types of bacteria, based on plaque samples. According to another study, in the International Journal of Clinical Oncology, three months of RLT eliminated the human papillomavirus from patients. 

9. Improved brain functioning

RLT has deeper benefits that go far beyond what meets the eye. In fact, some studies have shown that it can lead to improved cognitive functioning and health benefits for the brain. For example, one trial of 11 patients with dementia showed that RLT boosted cognitive functions like attention to detail and memory, according to a study in the Journal of Neurology and Neuroscience. Another study found that the therapy had a similar effect in patients with traumatic brain injuries. 

10. Treatment for oral mucositis 

RLT is also a treatment for one of the side effects of chemotherapy, oral mucositis, the inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the inside of the mouth. While the condition will eventually go away on its own, it is painful while it lasts – RLT can accelerate the healing process and provide faster relief. 

It’s hard to overstate the many health benefits of full-body red-light therapy. Nearly every part of the body – not just your skin – can stand to gain from this therapy, from your bones to your brain, from wound care to cognitive functioning. The treatment becomes all that more attractive an option given that it is a non-invasive procedure that is safe with no real side effects.