Spotlight on Red Light Therapy
- DRBrooksRN
- Oct 13
- 7 min read
Introduction
In 1903, a Danish physician won the Nobel Prize for discovering that red light therapy helped improve wound healing. Within the past 30 years, Red Light Therapy , or Photobiomodulation, has been studied and implemented by the military to help to treat pain, inflammation, and minor injuries. Red Light Therapy is growing in popularity among wellness enthusiasts and athletes. I wanted to dedicate this blog to bring you the science behind this trend, explore the benefits, share some testimonials, and to announce to you our latest offer.
The Science Behind Red Light Therapy
To start with the science, we need to understand that we measure red light, or irradiance (light intensity), in nanometers. Some may refer to it as thousandths of a watt, but if you come in and take a tour of the studio you will hear me describe the intensity of our medical-grade red light as being in nanometers, which is a very small fraction of measurement. One nanometer is a billionth of a meter.
Let's look at some facts about light.
Light is energy that travels in waves.
Different colors will correspond to different wavelengths and frequencies.
Infrared light is invisible to the naked eye.
400-700 nanometers (nm) is visible light to the naked eye
750-1300 nm - Near infrared wavelengths
1300 - 3000 nm - Mid infrared wavelengths (known as the "go-to" in regards to significance for treatment)
3000 - 1,000,000 nm - Far Infrared wavelengths
Red light therapy or RLT, does not use the UV light such as cancer-causing sun light or tanning booth beds, and even the Cleveland Clinic deems it relatively safe with no associated side-effects.
RLT exposes your skin to low level and near-infrared light. The biochemical reaction in your cells helps strengthen your mitochondria which is the powerhouse of the cell. This is believed to be caused as the red light helps increase the rate of electron transportation, increasing oxygen consumption, and resulting in increased levels of ATP (the energy for cells). With this increase in energy, cells are able to function more efficiently, renewing and repairing themselves.
Unlike Red Light lasers, RLT light sources do not harm the outer layer of the skin, nor do they burn or produce any heat.
The Benefits : What's in it for You?
Enhanced Recovery of Muscle and Tissue:
Increases fibroblasts which are the building blocks for collagen and connective tissue
Increases blood flow and circulation to the tissue helping with muscle spasm and stiffness
One study concluded that when professional volleyball players received RLT 40-60 minutes prior to their match, they had observed a statistically significant decrease in muscle damage.
Increases nitric acid production
Studies have shown improvements in cartilage and blood vessel recovery
Genetics
RLT can influence the expression (turning them off or on) of genes related to inflammation, cell production (key in muscle growth), and tissue healing.
Reduced Inflammation:
Reduces inflammation in cells
Reduces edema
Defends against oxidative stress
Improved Performance:
Increased mitochondrial metabolism and synthesis of ATP (in layman's terms, it causes the powerhouses of our cells to make more energy)
Increase in energy levels, increasing the excitability in our muscle fibers which increases the amount of force our muscles can produce in a contraction, meaning that the more force our muscle can produce, the more work it does (or weight it can move)
One study found that this occurs at the highest state within 3-6 hours after a red light therapy session, meaning some use it prior to an event
A second study of individuals carrying a load up a ladder found that the muscle performance was increased by 300-600% by waiting 3-6 hours after using RLT. This was the 2nd study to corroborate the 3-6 hour time period after therapy.
Pain Relief:
Cleared by the FDA to temporarily treat pain in military patients
Skin Health:
Associated skin firmness (stimulating collagen production) and significant increase in elasticity, decreased pore size, decreased sagging
Improved wound healing
Improving stretch marks
Reducing fine lines, age spots, and wrinkles
Associated with improving rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis
Improving hair growth
Improving acne
Testimonials and Case Studies from Initial Red Light Users
Athlete Profiles:
LeBron James uses RLT to speed up muscle recovery, decrease inflammation, and improve his overall sleep quality.
Detroit Tigers Matt Boyd uses RLT in the morning and at night to reset his circadian rhythm. He also likes the way it increases his ATP production and speeds up his recovery process.
Cycling track sprint gold medalist, Canadian Kelsey Mitchell, uses RLT to help recover faster specifically after intense sprinting workouts allowing her to push all the harder the next day.
Enhance your mitochondria with Red Light
Personal Testimonials:
“I started to notice improvements and decided to put more of a focus on recovery”
“...it's recovering for me, that was a win”.
“I can do three, four sessions a day and stay healthy without focusing on extra recovery measures. If this is going to speed that process up, then I'm all for it”.
“I've used it on my elbows, my shoulders, my knees, and it's sped up the recovery process. So if you're looking for faster recovery, then you might as well try it!”
“The first week I didn't feel that much of a difference. After two weeks, however, I started feeling a huge difference. It's insane how such simple things can help so much that you forget about your pain” (This cross fit athlete was using Red Light for 30 minutes a day for ACL pain and swelling.)
“The difference was huge. I could bend down in a squat without thinking about it, and anyone who's had swelling in their knees understands how big that is…” (Crossfit Athlete)
Personally, I was so excited writing this blog this past week that I was busting at the seams when I was at an event yesterday, doing compression or athletes, and sharing about how I personally tried the RLT this past week in that 3-6 hour window before doing an interval run on the trails. As I headed out to the trails, I found my legs did not feel the usual fatigue that comes near the end of each interval. My legs felt fairly strong, something I was not familiar with as an athlete that has struggled with muscle loss and chronic pain and fatigue. It made such a noticeable difference, that I will be adding it to my training to use prior to interval training and races. I am excited to see where it takes my training with a 40 mile race in 2 weeks. I look forward to sharing next month on the difference it has made for me.
Our RLT Special Bundle Offers
5 PACK $99
Visit our Red Light Room 5 times, for $99. Package good for 6 months.
10 PACK $175
Visit our Red Light Room 10 times, for $175. Package good for 6 months. Take advantage of this for your fall and winter races and events for enhancing muscle performance and recovery.
BUNDLE A HALOTHERAPY AND RED LIGHT SESSION FOR $35
You read about all the fabulous benefits of Halo Salt Therapy last week in the blog, why not schedule both visits for a 50 minute total visit and experience the benefits of Red Light as well.
BUNDLE A RED LIGHT AND INFRARED SAUNA SESSION FOR $45
Schedule your 30 minute infrared sauna visit and add a Red Light visit for half off.
Conclusion
As I worked on this newsletter this week, I was blown away by what athletes are saying about Red Light Therapy. I was amazed by the actual research that has been done and I wanted to bring some of it to light and I hope you are excited as I am about getting these benefits. I also found that the Joules produced by our Clearlight Red Light Core Towers fall within the range of Joules measured in many of the Red Light devices in the research. Whether you are young and recover easily and just want to enhance your energy production and recovery, or you are beginning to feel some aches and pains and experiencing some obstacles that maybe Red Light can help with, I hope we see you soon for your self care.
What exciting things did our clients say last week?
"That was awesome", as quoted by one new contrast therapy guest... "I'll be back".
One event participant yesterday rode over 50 miles and used our compression, he still had some significant cramping, he had taken good nutrition, hydration, and electrolytes, so we offered him to come and sit in the sauna for a while. He sat in the sauna and said he felt a lot better and would definitely be back..
What will you be saying next week?
This past weekend:
We provided compression and supported the riders for the Gears and Beers Ride here in Summerfield. As a former hospice nurse, this supports a special calling. Hospice cares for the patient, the family, friends, and sometimes, even the pets. They bring support during one of the most difficult times in life.
If you would like to donate to the cause, I am including a link below.
We were also able to provide a gift certificate to the Northern Elementary Raffle. We look forward to spoiling the winner soon!
Kudo's to the social media followers who took us up on the EARLY booking code this Sunday and booked out their week visits at a great discount!
NEXT WEEK...
We will be focusing on the infrared sauna. I will be answering the famous question I get so often, "What is infrared?" and "Is it the same thing as the steam sauna?" We will also announce a great offer next week for infrared sauna lovers and those who are curious, so stay tuned!
Current Hours:
Schedule your visits anytime Monday through Friday 6 am through 9 pm, Saturday 11am - 4 pm
We welcome walk-ins by availability Monday through Friday 9 am through 4 pm.
HSA/FSA
We are approved through our payment processor to accept HSA and FSA funds, though you should check with your benefit provider prior to use to avoid any issues on the back end.
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