IT’S touted as an anti-ageing skin saviour, a muscle recovery aid and even a tool to help stimulate hair growth.
But is red light therapy really all it's cracked up to be?
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The technology has well and truly taken the wellness scene by storm.
One in five adults now uses it, with usage soaring to 46 per cent among under-35s, according to research by BON CHARGE.
On TikTok, there are more than 70,000 posts with the hashtag #redlighttherapy, and there’s been a 5,000 per cent surge for searches for the benefits in the last 12 months.
Some of showbiz’s biggest names are even fans, including Kourtney Kardashian, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston.
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Plus athletes like Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo also use it.
They look great, but is it down to red light therapy? Maybe.
Dr Zainab Laftah, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, tells Sun Health: “Some clinical studies suggest it may help reduce redness, wrinkles and improve skin texture but results can vary significantly between individuals and more rigorous research is needed to fully validate its effectiveness.”
Red light therapy is mostly available at specialist clinics and in some high street chains.
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The Tanning Shop, for example, offers sessions from just £18 when you book a course.
But lately, it has become more available to the masses via masks and handheld devices you can use at home.
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Although these might be cheaper and more convenient, Dr Laftah says: “Red light therapy treatments are most safely administered at dermatology-led clinics where trained healthcare professionals can assess the skin and customise treatment settings.
“It's not advisable to have red light treatments outside of medical settings.”
But what do other experts think? And is your at-home device going to give you the same effects as a clinic treatment?
We set out to find out.
WHAT IS RED LIGHT THERAPY?
Red light therapy, sometimes known as low-level light therapy (LLLT), is a form of phototherapy that takes advantage of a phenomenon known as photobiomodulation (PBM).
Dr Jonathan Kentley, an NHS dermatologist at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and an ambassador for Melanoma Research Alliance, says: “LED therapy emits light in the visible (usually red) or near infrared range at a low energy.
“The light is absorbed by the cells in your skin and it activates pathways which lead to increased energy production and metabolism.
“This has been shown to lead to the production of new collagen and elastin and reduce inflammation in the skin.”
“Infrared light is invisible to the naked eye and penetrates deeper into the skin,” Dr Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics, adds.
“This is due to the fact it has a longer wavelength.
“With a shorter wavelength, red light penetrates the skin less.
“The two can be combined for better results in terms of reducing the signs of ageing.”
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THE ALLEGED BENEFITS
Most people turn to red light therapy for the supposed skin benefits.
Red light can help to stimulate skin cells and in turn, boost collagen - a protein that provides structure to your skin, bones, muscles, and other tissue, Dr Perry says.
“When skin is exposed to red light therapy in the form of a laser, part of our cells called mitochondria, also known as the ‘power generators’ of the cell, is said to soak it up and therefore make more energy,” he adds.
Clinical treatment with a relatively high energy level of red or infrared light using light-emitting diode (LED) devices was shown to help rejuvenate the skin in a 2019 study.
The same research found that even lower levels of red light had positive effects on sun-damaged skin.
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Aesthetics expert Dr Ian Strawford - who works for an LED phototherapy company, Dermalux - says that it can also be hugely beneficial in treating other conditions like psoriasis, acne and rosacea.
And it could also help with physical health conditions, according to Adam Hewitt, personal trainer and clinical exercise physiologist at The Body Lab.
“Phototherapy essentially uses light to improve health or treat medical conditions,” he says.
“By exposing the body to a low wavelength of red light, red light therapy stimulates increased energy production in the cells, which can lead to various health benefits.”
It’s also promoted as a treatment for: wound healing, stretch marks, fine lines, age spots, skin texture, eczema, scars, and hair growth.
Emily West, Aesthetic Nurse & CQC Lead at Creo Clinic, says: "I’ve personally foundredlighttherapy helpful for inflammation and recovery, and research supports its role in reducing oxidative stress and improving circulation.
"It won’t replace skincare or medical treatments, but it’s one of the few therapies that genuinely feel as good as they are for you.
"They are great for both for skin and overall well-being. Although it’s not a miracle fix, it is still a clinically backed, non-invasive way to support skin health. "Studies show benefits for acne, scarring, and wound healing."
But the evidence is mixed, and more research is needed to study the long-term effects.
Dr Kentley says: "There seems to be an effect on reducing levels of acne, improving visible signs of ageing, wound healing and even encouraging hair regrowth, but many of the studies have been conducted in a lab or on very small numbers of patients."
IS AT-HOME RED LIGHT THERAPY A SCAM?
A professional red light treatment is one thing, but what about at-home treatments such as masks?
You can buy some online for upwards of £400, but there are several on offer in places like Boots and Amazon for as little as £40.
While tempting, especially when they claim to blast acne and eradicate wrinkles, you’ll never be able to purchase the same wavelength that an in-house clinic is able to offer, meaning results can be very limited, Dr Perry says
“An clinic tanning bed typically emits wavelengths up to 700nanometres (nm) compared to a red light mask which emits around 630 to 660nm,” he adds.
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“If you do buy an at-home red light device, then the rule of thumb is that you should be aiming for 630 to 680nm red light, 415nm blue light, and 830nm near-infrared light.”
Dr Strawford adds: “If the output or pulse isn't enough, the wave of light doesn't hit the skin at the right angle.
“This could lead to light bouncing off the skin instead of penetrating it.
“There is a lot of importance in the right technology to deliver this light, as not all systems are the same.”
But Dr Kentley claims the exact energy levels required for benefits is not actually clear.
The dermatologist says: “It has been very different in different studies that have been conducted.
“Devices can vary significantly, and the amount of energy delivered to the skin can also vary depending on how far away from the body the LEDs are positioned.”
I tried red light therapy and this is what happened...
Writer Lucy Gornall gave red light therapy masks a try…
The jury still seems to be out on red light therapy.
I don’t really have the time to go and sit in a salon or splurge on in-clinic treatments, so I gave the Omnilux Contour Face (£348) a go.
It fits snugly on my face and straps at the back with velcro.
It’s soft, portable and easy to charge, and I can just about do other things while wearing it.
The mask has two wavelengths of light - red 633nm and near-infrared 83 nm - so it’s within Dr Perry’s recommendations.
For two months, I did the recommended three to five, 10-minute treatments per week (short ‘n’ sweet, because who has hours to kill?) and I do think I may have noticed a difference.
I don’t think anyone else will have noticed, but my eyes seem to be a little smoother and the red marks on my cheeks from old spots have faded a little - but just a little.
It’s certainly comfortable though and the fact it’s just 10 minutes, and I can do it at home, is great.
I look forward to seeing what other changes I notice in the coming months.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?
Red light therapy is generally deemed safe for most people.
But even though energy is low, Dr Kentley says: “There is a risk of overheating the skin and burning, which can lead to pigmentation especially in those with richly pigmented skin.
“There have also been concerns about potential eye damage from some products.”
It blows my mind that tanning beds are still legal and running in the UK given that they are proven to cause cancer
Dr Jonathan KentleyDermatologist
Therefore eye protection should be worn during treatments.
Dr Kentley adds: “If the light is delivered at too high an energy, it has been shown to have the opposite effect by reducing the activity of cells in the skin.”
This means it may not work very well.
Anyone who has light sensitive medical conditions, or those on prescription medications that may cause photosensitivity, should avoid it, Dr Strawford says.
“It can cause mild skin irritation, such as redness or itching at the treatment site, but this is typically temporary and manageable,” Adam adds.
WHAT ABOUT TANNING SHOPS?
You might have seen your local sunbed shop offering red light therapy, with their beds now lit up red.
Dr Kentley says: “LED or red light therapy works in a totally different way to tanning beds.
“Almost all clinical studies have looked at LED light on the face rather than the whole body so the benefits from using red light ‘beds’ are unclear at the moment.”
What is clear, however, is that tanning beds are a risk for skin cancer.
Dr Kentley says: “Every single time you use a tanning bed, your melanoma risk increases by 1.8 per cent - and indoor tanning is reported to be responsible for over 10,000 cases of melanoma every year worldwide.
“That is why countries such as Australia and Brazil have already banned them.
“Over my 12 years as a doctor, so many of the hospitals I have worked at seem to have a tanning shop next door, and it blows my mind that these are still legal and running in the UK given that they are proven to cause cancer and are classified as class I carcinogenic by the World Health Organization (that’s the same as smoking and asbestos).”
Agreeing, aesthetic nurse Emily says: "Redlighttherapy is not linked to skin cancer the way traditional tanning beds are.
"UV tanning beds pose a cancer risk because they emit ultraviolet radiation, which damages the DNA in skin cells, increasing the likelihood of mutations that can lead to skin cancer over time.
"Redlighttherapy beds, which typically use LED bulbs, do not emit UV radiation and therefore do not carry the same carcinogenic risks. This makes them a significantly safer option for the skin."
Tanning beds also lead to premature ageing of the skin - wrinkles, sagging, etc. - but red light therapy claims to do the opposite.
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Red light therapy “is mainly thought to be safe, as the energy levels delivered are very low,” Dr Kentley adds.
“The frequency of treatments has been very different in different studies, but to get any benefit from LED treatment they need to be used for around 10 to 15 minutes, a couple of times a week for several weeks, which may be quite a commitment if having to travel to a tanning shop (and why many people use an at home device for convenience)."
