By Niamh Ordner, The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS — Red light therapy has become an increasingly popular treatment in skincare and chronic pain management, and can have a broad range of applications in cancer treatments, wound healing and anti-aging treatments, to name a few.
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Here’s how red light therapy works and the different conditions it can be used to treat.
What is red light therapy?
As the name suggests, red light therapy involves applying low levels of red light to parts of the body. Red light, which has a longer wavelength and lower amount of energy than natural daylight, can travel deep into the skin and stimulate mitochondria, the notorious “powerhouses of the cell.”
Research studies suggest red light is absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase, a protein inside the mitochondria, which then goes on to stimulate cellular energy production.
Enhanced energy production can improve cell function, and in turn promote healing and blood circulation. Red light can also be used to treat inflammation, as it reduces inflammatory cytokines, or small proteins that promote inflammation, said Dr. Amol Patwardhan, the medical director of the multidisciplinary pain clinic at UT Southwestern.
What can it be used to treat?
Red light therapy’s myriad benefits mean it has a broad range of applications in the wellness and healthcare industries.
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Studies dating back to the 1960s have shown that red light therapy can boost hair growth by stimulating hair follicles and bringing more nutrients and oxygen to the scalp through increased blood flow. A 2013 study from Lasers in Surgery and Medicine showed a 35% increase in hair growth among male patients using a red light therapy helmet every other day for 16 weeks.
The treatment is also popular among skin care aficionados. According to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the treatment can increase the production of collagen, a protein that gives skin its plumpness and elasticity. Red light therapy can also be used to help heal wounds and reduce redness and inflammation caused by conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis.
Red light therapy is also a low-cost and accessible treatment option for chronic pain management. Its anti-inflammatory effects, coupled with increased energy production and blood flow, can make red light therapy an effective treatment for neck and back pain, Patwardhan said, as well as conditions like arthritis.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, many at-home red light therapy treatments have been cleared by the FDA as safe to use. LED options are considered safer, however, Patwardhan said, as they can reduce the risk of side effects like burns.
Niamh Ordner is a science reporting fellow at The Dallas Morning News. Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. The News makes all editorial decisions.
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