What Is Red Light Therapy?

What Is Red Light Therapy Used For?

Red Light Therapy is a treatment used to help muscle tissue, skin and various other body parts heal effectively. This therapy is performed by exposing an individual to a low level of red or near-infrared light. You will not be able to see the infrared light, but your body can feel it as heat. Red Light Therapy can also be referred to as Low-Level Laser Therapy, Photobiomodulation and Low-Power Laser Therapy.

The patient will start by having their skin exposed to a lamp or some other device featuring a red light. One part of your cells called mitochondria will soak up the light to create more energy. The mitochondria is often referred to as the “power generators” of the cells. Some medical experts believe Red Light Therapy helps cells repair themselves, while also improving overall health. This will stimulate skin and muscle tissue healing processes.

Red Light Therapy treatments use very low levels of heat. This will not burn nor hurt the skin. For those wondering, no, this is not the same type of lighting used in tanning booths. This therapy will not expose your skin to harmful UV rays. Red Light Therapy is primarily used to treat dental pain, dementia, tendinitis, wrinkles, hair loss and osteoarthritis.

What Can You Treat With Red Light Therapy?

Red Light Therapy treatments use very low levels of heat. This will not burn nor hurt the skin. For those wondering, no, this is not the same type of lighting used in tanning booths. This therapy will not expose your skin to harmful UV rays. Red Light Therapy is primarily used to treat dental pain, dementia, tendinitis, wrinkles, hair loss and osteoarthritis.

Red light therapy can be used to treat the following issues:

• Skin Care.
• Hair Loss.
• Muscle Healing.
• Anti-Aging Therapy.
• Arthritis.
• Joint Pain.
• Chronic Skin Disorders.

Red Light Therapy Pros

There are numerous benefits associated with RLT. Take a look at a few benefits below.

Improves Skin Condition

Many people have suffered from chronic skin conditions related to sun exposure. Red Light Therapy utilizes wavelengths of light to promote healthy cellular activity. Red light therapy can improve wound healing, acne, scars, sun-damaged skin, while reducing wrinkles, stretch marks and age spots.

Repairs Hair Loss

By increasing blood flow to the scalp, while also stimulating the metabolism of hair follicles, this therapy can certainly help with hair loss. A recent study in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy revealed that people who used RLT had improved hair density, overall.

Decreased Inflammation

Just like PEMF Therapy, this can be used to decrease inflammation. RLT effects on inflammation are both local, where practitioners apply light, and systemic, meaning tissues and organs.

RLT can help with chronic inflammatory issues, including:

• Obesity.
• Alzheimer’s disease.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Arthritis.
• Psoriasis.
• Tendinitis.
• And more!

Muscle Recovery

Mostly, individuals will undergo Red Light Therapy to decrease inflammation related to joint pain. As mentioned earlier, Red Light Therapy can stimulate the healing process. This is especially useful for today’s athletes. Let Red Light Therapy help your muscles recover as quickly as possible.

Better Sleep

One study showed people who undergo 30-minute treatments regularly see an overall improvement in sleep quality. Individuals struggling with weight loss often turn to this therapy.

Reduced Pain

RLT has been proven to be an effective treatment for pain. This therapy can effectively reduce pain in adults suffering from certain musculoskeletal disorders.

Enhanced Bone Recovery

Recent research indicates that RLT can help accelerate healing, especially for facial bone defects. RLT can also help reduce pain and inflammation during the process.

Weight Loss

Red Light has been proven to raise the resting metabolic rate, which results in more calories burned while resting. This therapy can be effective for stabilizing dying nerve cells, and one day potentially serving as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

How Often To Do Red Light Therapy

There are many factors that can help you figure out how often you should undergo red light therapy treatment. Factors will include the severity of the skin condition, sensitivity to light, age and overall health. Even though red light therapy is safe and rarely has any side effects, the professionals still recommend a slow introduction to the treatment at first.

For the first week of treatment, it is suggested to start with a 10-minute session every other day. You may feel a gentle warmth in your skin after these treatments. Especially sensitive patients may experience some temporary tightness or redness. If this happens, you should either decrease the therapy time or simply move further from the device. If there is no sensitive reaction whatsoever, it is safe to increase therapy time to 15-20 minutes.

Big changes in your skin likely won’t be noticed right away. This is because the healing is occurring at the cellular level. Cells require time to heal and regenerate, so noticeable improvement should be seen after 8-12 weeks of consistent treatment.

Is Red Light Therapy Safe?

According to WebMD, red light therapy is generally considered safe. Yet, there are no set rules on how much red light treatment is enough or too much. Too much therapy has the potential to damage skin tissue, while too little therapy may not yield the desired results.

How Much Does Red Light Therapy Cost?

In some cases, Red Light Therapy can be a long-term process, especially for individuals suffering from chronic back pain or skin conditions. Depending on where you go for the treatment, the average cost of a 10-to-15-minute session ranges between $25-$200. You may be able to undergo this treatment with a doctor, physical therapist, spa, dermatologist or aesthetician. Some sessions may come complete with complimentary facials or massages, according to PlatinumTherapy.

Red light laser treatments, meanwhile, can be much more expensive. Research by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed the average cost for ablative treatments was $2,509. The typical cost for non-ablative treatments was $1,445 in 2020.

According to Healthline, a Red Light Therapy session costs an average of $55, with prices ranging from $25-$85. Costs will fluctuate depending on location and provider.

Contact Jolt PEMF Lab in Scottsdale, AZ for more information on Red Light Therapy costs. 

Red Light Therapy Vs PEMF Therapy

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) is a type of therapy that nurtures cellular communication. This therapy will in turn enhance self-healing and overall wellness. Recently, PEMF has become increasingly popular for chronic and autoimmune disease states. Typically, patients that opt for PEMF therapy are ones that suffer from infectious disease, Lyme, autoimmune disease and other various injuries.

Cellular communication, which is crucial for the body’s adaptation/regulation processes, helps maintain overall health. This will also help dealing with diseases and cell deterioration. Every organ in the body has its own bio-electromagnetic field, and each cell in the body will communicate through electromagnetic signals or fields. This occurs at a rate of trillions of chemical reactions per second.

Whenever these communication exchanges are blocked or disrupted, cells, organs and tissues can be compromised. Unhealthy symptoms will then follow for any individual experiencing blocked or disrupted communication.