For many years, red light therapy treatments have only been available at dermatologists or medical day spas. Today though, portable red light devices are making this wellness practice more readily available and accessible, and also something you can do from the comfort of your own home! But what is red light therapy exactly? And what are the benefits of this increasingly popular wellness trend? Show
For starters, red light therapy is an easy, painless, and non-invasive way to treat common aches and pain conditions (athletes love it). It’s also a therapy often touted by beauty experts to smooth skin. Red light therapy devices use low-level wavelengths of “red” light to treat skin conditions, including acne, but they can also be used to heal wounds, aid in muscle recovery, boost mental health, and help you sleep better. The red lights in these at-home devices generally operate on wavelengths between 620 and 750 nanometers (nm). Compared with blue light, like that emitted from phones and tablets, red light has a lower frequency and carries less energy. When used regularly (generally for 10 to 20 minutes a day), red light can stimulate cells in a way that allows them to rejuvenate, repair the damage, and function more efficiently as a whole, making red light effective at repairing tissues in the skin and other parts of the body. Ready to try it out? Us too! These red light therapy devices now come as small handheld devices (or as larger appliances, if you prefer) that you can use at home daily. Many of the brands also offer eye goggles that can protect your eyes and vision too—just make sure to read the safety and instruction manuals for any device you buy! 1. JoovvBest For | Full body, pain relief, sleep optimization, and skin Red light therapy devices by Joovv come on stands and mounts and require you to simply sit or stand in front of them while their therapeutic lights wash gently over your body. Treatment sessions are incredibly easy and convenient and last only 10 minutes per treatment area. If you’re not sure which device could benefit you the most, Joovv provides a useful quiz for you to choose the right size and setup. These red-light therapy devices can improve blood flow, enhance your sleep, reduce pain and inflammation, and boost your skin health. Shop JooVv2. SolaWaveBest For | Smoothing facial skin, reducing scarring, dark spots, and circles SolaWave offers a variety of award-winning red light and blue light therapy devices. Its top product is the Advanced Skincare Wand with Red Light Therapy. When used for as little as five minutes a day, three times a week, it can reduce puffiness on your face, soften skin, and reduce any dark spots or scarring. The wand even comes with a charging cable, meaning you can take it with you anywhere, including when you travel! A great addition to your natural skincare routine. Shop SolaWave3. Hooga HealthBest For | Muscle recovery Hooga Health's affordable red light devices allow you to control the dosage of light emitted so you can treat certain areas more effectively. Most of its products come with hanging kits so they can be installed nearly anywhere in your home. We especially love the 7 Color LED Mask and the LED Hat—the mask offers seven color modes for those who want healthy, glowing skin, and the hat is a baseball-style cap that can promote hair regrowth (postpartum anyone?). All devices by Hooga Health offer overall body wellness benefits, including stronger immunity, better joint health, and enhanced fertility, among many more. Shop Hooga Health4. Ember WellnessBest For | Mental health The Rejuvenating Light Therapy Mask by Ember Wellness is our favorite red light device for boosting our mood and reducing symptoms of seasonal affective dysmorphic disorder—SADD—a type of depression that some suffer typically during winter, or at times when there are limited periods of sunlight. This mask is made from soft, flexible silicon that wraps comfortably around all face shapes. It has three different settings: Skin Rejuvenation, Acne Control, and Mood Boost. Each treatment session lasts for 10 minutes and can leave you with smooth, healthy, and nourished skin (as well as, well, a mood boost!). Shop Ember Wellness5. Mito Red LightBest For | Nerve and joint pain, healing wounds Mito Red Light offers three product lines of red-light therapy devices: Mito Red Original, MitoMOD Series, and MitoPRO Series. It prides itself on delivering whole-body therapy, and on products that provide higher irradiance than other red-light competitors in terms of more watts per dollar spent. Our pick is the MitoPRO series because the products come with additional red and near-infrared light wavelengths to heal wounds, promote muscle recovery, and reduce nerve and joint pain. With a trial period and 3rd-party testing, it’s an investment in our health we can get behind. Shop Mito Red Light6. LightStimBest For | Full body, face, acne, and pain conditions Red light therapy devices by LightStim can reduce pain from joint conditions like arthritis. We love the LightStim for Pain, which works to increase blood circulation and reduce pain in the body. Best of all, LightStim's red light therapy devices are FDA-cleared, manufactured in the U.S., and proven to deliver satisfying results. Shop LightStim7. Dr. Dennis GrossBest For | Clearing acne We believe that everyone has beautiful skin and that markings and lines are entirely normal. But we also know that some people would prefer to clear up their acne, either because it’s painful or because it helps them to feel more confident. If that’s you, the DRx SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro by Dr. Dennis Gross is a red-light therapy mask that can help acne. It features 100 LED red lights and 62 LED blue lights that work together to increase collagen production, improve skin density, and clear up skin. Treatment sessions with this mask last only three minutes, after which the device shuts off automatically. Pair alongside your favorite nourishing moisturizer or face mask! Shop Dr. Dennis GrossRELATED READINGThe Good Trade Beauty Where Luxury Skincare Meets Clean Ingredients—A Beautycounter Review Beauty Beauty Self 99 Inexpensive Self-Care Ideas For Your New Year Self Self Beauty 15 Natural Skincare Products From Top Organic Brands Beauty Beauty Self The 9 Best Menstrual Cups & Reusable Discs—Period. Self Self Featured image by Joovv The Good Trade editors endorse products we genuinely love. If you end up making a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. Learn more here. How long to use red light therapy for pain?You may need a treatment each week for about a month. Then you might need maintenance treatments every month or every few months. Some at-home devices may also require a substantial time commitment. You might need to use your device twice a day for 30 to 60 minutes for four to five weeks.
How often can you use red light therapy for pain?A 15-minute red light therapy session twice a day can help alleviate joint pain and arthritis. Depending on the level of your pain, you may continue with twice daily sessions to treat severe chronic pain or undergo shorter, less frequent sessions for minor pain.
Does red light help arthritis pain?Osteoarthritis. One study found red and infrared light therapy cut osteoarthritis-related pain by more than 50%.
Does red light therapy bring down inflammation?Natural light therapy & inflammation treatment: Red light therapy alleviates chronic inflammation by increasing blood flow to the damaged tissues, and it's been found in numerous clinical trials to increase the body's antioxidant defenses.
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