Red light therapy uses visible red and near-infrared light (660–850 nm) artificial sources to prevent and treat diseases and promote body recovery. For decades, red light therapy has been popular in clinical practice. Even though there are so many medical phototherapy devices and technologies available, red light therapy is unanimously regarded as an advanced and potent side-effect-free therapy. From mental health to post-surgical care, red light therapy has different benefits and physical responses. In clinical settings, red light therapy has the following applications for patients:
Surgical Wound Healing
The main principle of red light is to irradiate 600 – 700nm red light waves through special filters, which can easily penetrate the human body and directly reach the germs. In the field of surgery, the main role of red light bathing is to reduce inflammation and promote wound healing.
Red light bathing reduces inflammation and promotes wound healing. Wound healing is a complex process, and red light therapy has the following properties:
- It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects on boils, carbuncles, herpes zoster, mastitis, soft tissue loss, etc. It promotes wound healing for bedsores, ulcers, and wounds caused by surgical treatment.
- It is effective for some acute, subacute, and chronic inflammations because it can increase the phagocytosis of white blood cells and boost the body's immune function and defense capabilities.
- During the early and middle stages of inflammation, the serotonin content in local tissues increases. This serotonin can cause pain in the body. Red light irradiation can reduce the serotonin content, thus acting as an analgesic and promoting wound healing.
- It can strengthen cell regeneration and promote the growth of granulation tissue. Red light can increase the number of fibroblasts and collagen formation. At the same time, it can also activate the regeneration of damaged nerve fibers, which helps to restore limb function.
Anti-Stress Red Light Therapy for Medical Professionals
Red light bathing is not only highly recommended by doctors but is also used by healthcare workers to counter stress and fatigue. Hospital staff mostly suffer from muscle soreness, fatigue, and stress due to longer duty hours. Not only does red light improve physical performance, but it also prevents fatigue and relieves stress. Phototherapy appears to enhance the effects of antidepressants, and even a 1-week dose of phototherapy at the start of drug therapy can accelerate response and shorten the time it takes for medication to relieve depression. According to a study, a 30-minute red light bath is equivalent to a strenuous exercise, affecting stress release. In addition, when the body sweats a lot to eliminate subcutaneous organs, it can improve the permeability of epidermal cells and activate cells, so it also has the effects of beauty, skincare, and anti-aging.
Red Light therapy can effectively improve mood and cognitive function, which may be related to the brain's activity, functional connectivity, and plasticity. Phototherapy uses the retina to convert light signals into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the central nervous system. In the retinal nervous system, rods and cones are mainly involved in the visual imaging system as photoreceptors, and intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells (ipRGCs), as the third type of photoreceptors, play an important role in the optical non-imaging system. The visual non-imaging system refers to the projection of light signals to high-level brain regions through ipRGC to regulate circadian rhythm, mood, cognition, and other functions. Incorporating red light therapy into hospitals could promote more effective and compassionate patient outcomes and a healthier workplace culture.
Advantages of Red Light Therapy:
- High light efficiency, narrow spectrum, good monochromaticity, and high utilization rate.
- Small in size and light in weight, so it can be directly injected into the human body.
- High brightness, low heat, cold light source, no burns.
- Long life and can be used for 6–8 years.
- Low power consumption, economical, practical, and suitable for home use.
- External irradiation does not enter the blood or pass through the gastrointestinal tract. It is safe and has no side effects.
- Reduces patient recovery times and healthcare costs.
Red Light Therapy Safety
The red light therapy device is a class II medical device useful for patients and medical workers. You can use it confidently if you follow your doctor's instructions. However, there are some special groups of people who are not suitable for the use of the device, such as pregnant women's abdomen, pacemaker patients, newborns, patients with a history of photosensitivity, and patients who doctors consider to be unsuitable for irradiation.
Bottom Line
Nowadays, the major provincial and municipal tertiary hospitals have large-scale red light equipment, which is charged according to the duration and number of irradiations. Red light therapy devices aim to improve patient's quality of life. In-house, personal use of red light therapy devices also offers promising benefits, and you are expected to get a healthier body after using them.
References and Citations
[1] Glass GFE. Photobiomodulation (PBM): The Clinical Applications of Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT). Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2021 May 18;41(6):723-7308. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjab025. Erratum int J. 2022 Apr 12;42(5):566. PMID: 33471046.
[2] Zhu Q, Cao X, Zhang Y, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Zhang X, Zhu Y, Xue L. Repeated Low-Level Red-Light Therapy for Controlling Onset and Progression of Myopia-a Review. Int J Med Sci. 2023 Sep 4;20(10):1363-1376. doi: 10.7150/ijms.85746. PMID: 37786442; PMCID: PMC10542022.
[3] Lieberrt A, Kiaat H. The history of light therapy hospital physiotherapy and medicine with emphasis on Aus: Evolution into novel areas of practice. Physiother Theory Practical. 2021 Mar;37(3):389-400. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2021.1887060. Epub 2021 Mar 7. PMID: 33678141.
[4] Lu W, Lu K, Penng Y, Chen P, Bian W, Yu W. The efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for the healing of second-degree burn wounds on lower limbs of glucocorticoid-dependent patients. Lasers Med Sci. 2023 Aug 15;38(1):186. doi: 10.1007/s10103-023-03838-7. PMID: 37582898.
[5] Chavess ME, Araújo AR, Piancasteli AC, Pinotii Mi. Effects of low-power red light therapy on wound healing: LASER x LED. An Bras Dermatol. 2014 Jul-Aug;89(4):616-23. doi: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20142519. PMID: 25054749; PMCID: PMC4148276.
[6] Walski T, Dąbrowska K, Drohomirecka A, Jędruchniewicz N, Trochanowska-Pauk N, Witkiewicz W, Komorowska M. The effect of red-to-near-infrared (R/NIR) irradiation on inflammatory processes. Int J Radiat Biol. 2019 Sep;95(9):1326-1336. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2019.1625464. Epub 2019 Aug 7. PMID: 31170016.
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