Does red and near infrared light therapy reduce pain, improve skin or cognition, or have other benefits? Is it safe?

I have one of the original version Joov light panels. I've asked them multiple times if I need to wear any type of eye protection and they are emphatic that my version does not require any eye covering and they refer to research showing benefits from exposure to the different waves the panel emits. They do caution that their newer versions which as I understand are stronger do require the user to cover their eyes.

RLT has been a fantastic add to my daily routines. This is my N=1 experience, but I use it to reduce old sports injury/gym pain, improve blood flow, increase hair growth, and working indoors, negate some of the blue light toxicity from sitting under LEDs all day (sleep improves and more energy). I have tried multiple devices now. Spend the extra money and get a good light. Depending on your goals, it may make a difference.

I have read concerns about using red light therapy if one has or has had cancer, not just dermal, but cancer in general. I have no financial interest in any red light therapy, just interest in personal cosmetic use. Does anyone else have information or heard of this concern?

I have been using red light therapy on my lower back daily, mostly for morning pain, it takes the pain away and I am good to go!

Did some research and found significant TMJ relief with Tendlite. Massage did not alleviate pain.

I have had chronic back pain (scoliosis) all my life. In 2012, I had spinal fusion surgery (T-10 to S1). I’m still in horrible pain. I’m wondering what type of unit might give me some relief. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

My dermatologist recently told me that red light therapy on the face can reduce facial fat, resulting in more wrinkles and sagging. Is this true?

Please look at studies pertaining specifically to "red light therapy cap parkinson's". There is some report of promise. Red light therapy caps can be found online for between $150 and thousands of dollars. I have no financial interest.

In 2023, I purchased online a HandyCure handheld laser light therapy device for home use to treat spine, muscle and joint pain. The HandyCure is made by the European-based parent company of Multi-Radience who produces the PainAway - the same unit internally as the HandyCure, only rebranded for sale in the American market.

In the end, I paid a lot for a device that was useless after only 2 months as my body became sensitized to the treatments. Bottom line, considering the high cost of a quality handheld unit (think $1500 to $12,000), coupled w/longer treatment time due to lower power, plus reduced effectiveness over time, I can’t recommend handheld units for treating pain.

Are there any FDA APPROVED devices?

This is all I know and that is it has worked for me. I broke 3 ribs back on the 20th of September of 2022. I used my panel 2 times a day/1 session in the morning and 1 session at night. 3 weeks later I am getting my boat off the lake, I am packing for a move back to my home in Arizona and I got on a plane for a trip to Europe in which I hiked with my son and did not need pain medication. I believe without a shadow of a doubt that it was because of RLT.
This is my opinion

I'm definitely a huge fan of redlight / NIR therapy. I had some long term elbow and forearm neuropathy from an entrapment issue (RTS). No conventional therapy really worked. I had pretty much resigned myself to dealing with the pain, or undergoing surgery. Thankfully, before going under the knife, I read about redlight/NIR therapy. I got myself a wrap-style redlight/NIR device and began using it on my elbow and forearm daily. After a few months - neuropathy GONE. No surgery needed for the foreseeable future. I went into it skeptical, not expecting anything, well aware of potential for placebo effect. Besides, all the other treatments that I was "sure" would work, didn't net me any placebo effect in the slightest, and I genuinely thought they'd work because the doc said they should. Needless to say after all this, I bought a couple more redlight/NIR devices to keep on hand. It may just be anecdotal evidence, but I use my experience to recommend it to everyone.

Have you heard of Vielight Inc photobiomodulation devices for brain and systemic health. They say on their site their device is in current and completed studies for alzheimer's, traumatic brain injury, parkinson's disease among others as well as long covid.

Thank you for the timely and comprehensive additions to this article. I greatly appreciate your commitment to my fellow subscribers and their concerns/interests.

I've been successfully using redlight and NIR (ranges from 620 - 850) therapeutically for more than 20 years, starting with a NASA research lab device. Since the explosion (finally) of broader interest in the therapy, and more user friendly and affordable technology and devices, i continue to use the technology for a number of situations and conditions. My primary use is for inflammation reduction from arthritis, injury, wounds, for knees, other joints, back pain, stiff and painful neck, feet, and more. Newer devices seem to have broadened functionality, and I might be exploring redlight and NIR for collagen renewal/growth for knees, perhaps facial skin strengthening. However, I find the most consistent and necessary usage for me, especially as my joints age, is regular, as needed, inflammation reduction, muscle healing and relaxation, skin wound healing, general pain reduction. It works. I have and use devices from 4 different companies. I hope they become more widely affordable to help more people.... and more animals. I do not have any financial relationships with any companies in this field.

I've been using a red/near inferred light mask once or twice a week for 3 months, but see no difference in facial skin. It comes with dark, flexible, eye pieces that fit snugly around eye. I added black, plastic eye "goggles", but they hurt. Even with both I see a lot of light. I have deep set eyes, so the eye pieces sit deep in the eye sockets.

Is there any information about red light therapy for plantar fasciitis (in my case, three painful years, having done everything including shots, surgery and P.T.)?

Since I don't have time to sit in the sun, I am looking for the name of a brand of light that will help me create Vitamin D in the same way sunshine does.. I am unable to take a Vitamin D supplement for medical reasons.

I can only add anecdotes to this, but I have two. I became interested in red light therapy in the 670 wavelength range because one of my children has an extremely rare retinal disease, probably related to her autoimmune disease, that has created some small drusen-like deposits in her fovea, dead center. It's affected her ability to perceive straight lines, and sophisticated testing has showed significant deterioration of her cone cells (but not the rod cells). She's been using a red light device in the 670nm spectrum for 5 years, first a handheld device I had made, held at a distance giving her the appropriate intensity based on Dr. Graham Merry's and Dr. Janis Eells's early studies, and now a pair of red light glasses (670 nm that she used to use daily and now uses 3 times weekly (Dr. Merry's recommendation). We haven't had her cone cells tested in a couple of years, but her ability to perceive straight lines has not gotten worse (we can live with stable vision; we feared increased distortion of, or worse, loss of central vision), and her color contrast vision has remained good enough that she's able to paint animal portraits (she an art student and floral design intern who has her own side business painting portraits, and those portraits have such precise color and brushwork that peoples' jaws drop when they see her work). So I have to vouch for the red light glasses int he 670 nm wavelength - Dr. Merry has developed glasses now, but Laura has, until very recently, used the Eyepower Red ones. From a strictly functional perspective, it seems to have managed the effect of whatever retinal disease she has (the ultra-specialists we've seen have not been able to get a handle on it and are taking a watch-and-wait approach. Not good enough for this family of an artist and floral designer who depends on her vision to succeed in her chosen field).

Also - I use a mask similar to the Omnilux, and I can vouch for the improvement in my skin. I have enviable skin for a 65-year-old. It's mostly a lifetime of sunscreen, but still, the texture and evenness of color has improved since I've been using the mask (3x/week for 6 months). I am a silver-haired Medicare card holder, but people remark (unsolicited) on my pretty skin. I'll be buried with that mask! Note: I nave NO financial interest in any red light product.

I had “cold laser” therapy, which is the same thing in the article I think, at the PT. office and chiropractor’s office for bad lumbar spine and S I joint pain. It certainly helped with the pain and inflamation after about 12 treatments.

I don’t see any reports of the use of red light therapy for peripheral neuropathy. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had exoerience using red light for neuropathy (non diabetic) on painful feet. Which appliances, how long, what frequencies etc. Thanks!

I am a retired biophysical chemist and researcher. I’ve been following the extensive literature on photobiomodulation for over six years and am convinced that PBM is a useful therapy for many health conditions. Consequently, I have designed, built and tested systems for my personal use. I also own and have used several commercial devices and have tested them for their claimed output (irradiance and fluence). My personal experience echoes those made in the comments of others in this post. My wife and I use light therapy routinely for arthritic pain and pain in general. I have recommended use of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) helmet devices to family and friends with memory issues. I use one myself.

Bought omnilux red light for neck and chest. Used it consistently every day for 6 months. Did nothing. And it was close to $400.

I’ve been using a hand held Light Stim product almost daily for 2 months. I have definitely noticed a reduction in the appearance of fine lines especially on my throat and around my mouth. I’ve used it on the top of my hands and have also seen noticeable reduction in wrinkles.

I purchased a full body red & infrared light bed nine months ago and couldn’t be happier. Low back pain that I used to wake with every morning is completely gone but the biggest surprise is no new squamous cell skin cancers, not even a hint of one, which I have been afflicted with in increasing frequency for the last 20 years. I treat 15 (max on timer) daily when in town.
I have no financial interest in any devise..

I've been considering purchasing a Red Light unit, but I'm not sure where to start looking for a good one. There seem to be a lot of scams out there, with companies promising miraculous results. I'm interested in using it for inflammation, pain relief, and healing, especially since I’m getting a hip replacement soon.

Does anyone have a recommendation?

Me too! Red light photo modulation that is used by me so far, for about 6 months, has shown an significant improvement to my joints! Dosage=10 min/joint/day! (Lower back, left knee, wright elbow, upper neck.

I personally have various devices, and I bought books to figure this out a few years ago. The lower ends of the spectrum are superficial. For deeper penetration, the higher nanometers are useful e.g. 905, 940nm. Like others, I get orthopedic relief, but it could be a placebo effect. Now there are multiple devices for sale, but it's unclear what power etc. they produce. And they are unreasonably expensive.

I use both as well for musculoskeletal pain. 20 min back, 20 min front. Does work and provides relief.

I use the red light to heal bruises and scratches!

I’ve been using an inexpensive red/near infrared light belt for about 1-1/2 years. It has helped a lot for several chronic pain conditions that affect my cervical and lumbar spine. You do need to ascertain the time and frequency that works for you, and the treatment needs to be ongoing. One complication is that there reportedly is a phenomenon of biphasic response, wherein too much treatment may be as ineffective as too little treatment. So you need to begin slowly and not exceed the maximum treatment time recommended by the device manufacturers. There may be some longterm benefit, because in the beginning I needed daily treatments and now I can get the same benefits with treatment just 2 to 3 tines a week. Thanks to this light therapy, I’ve been able to get off daily Naproxen use, which severely damaged my stomach, and I have been able to avoid surgery.

I have heard a lot about red light therapy for the eyes. Have you come across any literature on that?

We invested in two medical-grade red light therapy devices that provide a combination of red and near-infrared light wavelengths. My wife and I have been using these devices for approximately four years. We've found them to be highly effective for skin health and pain relief. Our routine involves using the devices for 6 minutes on the front of our bodies and 6 minutes on the back. We are very satisfied with the results. The panels are mounted. Each panel measures 36" x 9" with 300 LEDs per panel.

I use one for my back, and it seems to help relieve the pain and stiffness. I can use it only 20 minutes a day, when necessary.

I have been using a red light therapy belt on my knees for osteo arthritis. It has helped my knees feel better and allowed me to ride my bike almost pain free.

Hi CL. Thank you for this review article. I'm using a handheld red light + NIR device sold by Novaa Labs (made in China) to try to provide pain relief and functional improvement in my dog, who has had chronic elbow pain and intermittent limping for over a year. Just got this, just started 5-minute sessions 2x daily, so no results to report at this time. They call it their "Extra Strength Healing Laser." And maybe someone else who reads this has information about this one. Thanks again!

Thanks for the review. I have personally used red therapies over the past 5 years and for my knees the device I purchased helps relieve pain and discomfort from inflammation but I only needed to use it once a day and 3 times a week for about a month to get full pain relief. I have also used it for facial treatments with a professional but I didn’t experience any long term benefits so I still have devices and for short term results the treatment works. I will admit these can be expensive so it’s important as a consumer to research and compare and understand what your expectations are. I always tell my medical team I’m using these devices, Thanks much for the article.

Something I have never seen discussed in connection with these devices: given that normal sunlight has a very large component of infrared light in all these wavelengths-more than these lights provide-why would using an expensive red light device be any different or better than simply going outside for a while? Same question for blue or green or any other color of light therapy. Sunlight has it all, at very high intensity….

Something important to note about photbiomodulation is that dose matters and many devices do not actually output either the advertised dosimetry or the advertised wavelengths accurately.

I have been using red light/near infrared pads on my lower back for relief of morning stiffness and pain for many years and have found it to be very effective. Friends and family who have used the lights for back pain have found relief too.

I purchased "Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro Masque LED Pour les Yeux". I have acquired bags under my eyes and this device purported to lessen them. I used it once and it was so much like a recent laser eye treatment from my eye doctor (that was so intense and uncomfortable) that I haven't done it again. I just looked at the instruction booklet and see that it's ?FDA cleared". I will pay attention to those FDA definitions in the future! I also used a red light device to enhance sleep but it didn't do anything to improve my sleep.

All I know is that I was having awful TMJ pain. I used my red light therapy device for 5 min, red and near infrared frequencies, and my pain was gone within 24 hours. Whenever it comes back, I use the device and the pain is relieved. However, it did not work on my knee pain.

I personally have been using a Red/NIR light panel from Red Therapy Co. for 5 years and have found it very beneficial for post workout recovery and overall skin health.

I cannot speak for the applications listed here but for vitiligo, I can say it has proven effective for my use case.

Thanks for your review. I briefly looked into these devices but didn’t get beyond the cumbersome nature of the treatments. And as you point out the controlled independent studies are not there.

I have used a red light device for years. If used at the first sign of a cold sore, the duration and severity of the outbreak is significantly curtailed.

I have found using a near infrared device effective for alleviating pain when recovering from foot surgery. Also I find using this device effective for alleviating pain in my arthritic feet.

I've been using red light therapy for about 7 years now and have found it very effective for all manner of stuff including arthritis, plantar fasciitis, and even recovery from hip implant surgery as to tendon, ligament and muscles that were impacted by it.

My Kala red light device certainly speeds recovery from minor muscle and skin injuries. It's well made but I find the instructions for changing the frequency of the light so complex that I only use the basic setting.

I am currently having red light therapy for lower back and hip pain and so far have had 30 sessions! I have 15 minutes anti-inflammatory level and then 10 minutes pain reduction level. Unfortunately, as soon as I walk out of the clinic the pain comes back. So I don't think it is working for me, but my therapist says for others he is treating there is great success.
I have no financial interest in any healthcare devices/medications.