If your social media feed is full of glowing red face masks and crimson saunas, you’re not alone. Lately, it seems like everyone is obsessed with red light therapy and hailing it for its various health benefits — from improving acne and wrinkles to stimulating hair growth and optimizing muscle recovery.
On TikTok, you’ll find countless videos of influencers and celebrities touting trendy red light LED devices. Actor Lily Reinhart recently posted a video of herself using red light therapy for her alopecia.
As with many wellness trends, you may be wondering if red light therapy actually works or it’s all hype. Does exposing the skin to red light actually help treat skin conditions, hair loss or improve exercise? Are red light spas and trendy gadgets worth it?
We spoke to experts about the science behind red light therapy, the potential uses and benefits, and risks to consider before trying it out.
What does red light therapy actually do?
Red light therapy exposes the skin to low levels of red or near-infrared light energy, Dr. Mary Stevenson, a dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon at NYU Langone Health, tells TODAY.com.
Generally, red light therapy uses wavelengths of visible red light between about 630 to 700 nanometers, which penetrate the skin where cells can absorb it, says Stevenson. “Many systems also include a small amount of infrared light — which is not visible on the spectrum of light — and penetrates the skin more deeply,” says Stevenson. Near-infrared light has wavelengths from 700 nm to 1,000 nm.
The technology, which was legitimized through NASA experiments in the 1980s, and light sources used, have evolved over time. Today red light therapy typically uses LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and lasers to treat various medical conditions.
LED light therapy is often used for skin concerns or rejuvenation, and low-level laser therapy is used for pain relief and other musculoskeletal conditions, Dr. Dominic King, a sports medicine physician at the…
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