Most skincare trends boast beauty benefits, but not all can claim wellbeing wonder status. Red light therapy has grown in popularity in recent years due to its anti-ageing advantages, but with effects going further than skin deep, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn the true extent of its therapeutic potential.
What is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, is a non-invasive treatment that uses a spectrum of red light to penetrate the skin at varying depths, with wavelengths ranging from low-level red to deep near-infrared. When absorbed by cells, this light is converted to energy, kickstarting natural cellular activity and boosting collagen and elastin production.
While once reserved for professional use, red light therapy is now available at home, with devices in the form of blankets, masks, panels and helmets, designed to ensure optimal light coverage and results.
Health Benefits of Red Light Therapy
By supercharging cell function, red light therapy triggers the body’s natural healing and repair mechanisms while reducing inflammation. This offers a host of health benefits ranging from the more superficial effects of skin rejuvenation, to improved joint health and pain reduction, enhancing health from the inside out.
Red Light Therapy for the Face
When directed at the face, perhaps the most popular treatment area, red light therapy provides advanced anti-ageing, increasing collagen and elastin within the skin to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin texture and radiance while helping to fade scars and blemishes for a more even skin tone.
Devices such as the CurrentBody Skin LED LightTherapy Face Mask: Series 2 use a variety of wavelengths, from red (633nm) to plump and tighten, to deep near-infrared (1072nm), which reaches the deeper layers of skin to target more pronounced signs of ageing, including crepey skin and stubborn lines around the eyes and mouth.
Red Light Therapy for the Stomach
While some studies suggest red light therapy can assist weight loss by breaking down fat cells, by boosting collagen and elastin production in the skin, red light therapy can also help tighten the area for a smoother, firmer appearance.
Meanwhile, by encouraging circulation and reducing inflammation, red light therapy, specifically near-infrared and deep near-infrared wavelengths, has applications for abdominal health, helping to heal tissue and relieve pain. Even more impressive, some research suggests treatments may improve gut health, strengthening the microbiome by balancing bacteria, supporting digestion and overall wellbeing.
Using Red Light Therapy for Pain Relief
The treatment type is also used for its pain-relieving effects due to its ability to both support healing and reduce inflammation. Particularly effective when treating inflammatory pain, associated with joint injury and degeneration, known to encourage healthy circulation and the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the treatment area, red light therapy can also further aid tissue repair and recovery by treating the cause of the pain while soothing the symptoms.
Infrared sauna blankets, such as the CurrentBody Wellness Infrared Sauna Blanket are ideal for ensuring complete body coverage — the perfect addition to any post-workout recovery routine or well-being hack for anyone seeking the added benefits of relaxation and detoxification.
Red Light Therapy for Hair Loss
Often overlooked, scalp health is key for ensuring healthy hair growth. Red light therapy not only energises hair follicles but boosts circulation, ensuring the scalp receives the nutrients necessary to produce healthy hair growth. At-home wearable devices such as the CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Growth Helmet effectively restore hair density, for renewed hair confidence and clinically proven results.
Is Red Light Therapy Safe?
While not all types of light are good for us (think harmful UV rays), red light therapy is considered perfectly safe. As with any at-home device, it is important to follow the manufacturer's use guidelines and wear appropriate safety goggles if instructed, as these may be required depending on the intensity of light and design of the device used.
At Home Red Light Therapy Use
If you want to upgrade your self-care game, look no further than at-home red light devices. As with any treatment type, consistency is key. Both cost-effective and convenient, these often portable devices are on hand to ensure long-term results, whether from the comfort of your living room or on-the-go.
So, invest in a device and strap in for a beauty and health-boosting self-care session — you'll thank yourself later.
