Reasons Why At-Home Red Light Therapy Devices Are Worth the Investment in 2024

Are you tired of dealing with stubborn acne, wrinkles, sagging skin, or chronic pain that won’t go away? Red light therapy’s effects include collagen and elastin production, inflammation reduction, and pain signal suppression. It allows you to replace wrinkles, sagging, and acne with healthy skin and change out pain for comfort.

Red light therapy is generally safe (it does not use UV light) and effective. However, light therapy treatment from spas and salons is not cheap. One option is to acquire an LED light therapy device to enjoy its benefits in the comfort of your home without constantly paying high fees. You can get an LED device to enjoy the anti-aging benefits and pain relief without depending on clinicians and salons.

To benefit from at-home red light therapy, you’ll need to know how to find the best device for your concerns. I’m happy to tell you that buying light therapy isn’t hard if you understand a few rules about wavelengths, power, and device types. 

Many red light therapy at-home devices are worth it, but not all. While the therapy is sound and worthwhile, many copycat manufacturers sell questionable products. Over 9,000 studies support red light therapy if you buy a proper device with proven specifications. This article will help you become a more informed consumer by showing you what to look for in an at-home red light therapy device.

In this guide, I will help you navigate buying red light therapy. You’ll learn about trusted vendors, the best device types for your concerns, and which wavelengths you should use.

At-Home Red Light Therapy: Everything You Need to Know

The Benefits of Red Light Therapy at Home

The benefits of light treatment at home include:

• Convenience
• Schedule flexibility
• Cost-effectiveness compared to professional treatments
• Opportunity for consistent, long-term use

One of the most significant advantages of having a red light device at home is its convenience and flexibility. With your device, you can perform treatments whenever it fits your schedule without booking appointments or traveling to a clinic. This means you can easily incorporate red light therapy into your daily routine, whether a quick session in the morning or a relaxing treatment before bed.

Home red light therapy is also much more cost-effective compared to professional treatments. While high-quality devices can be an initial investment, they are still more affordable than a series of in-office sessions. Over time, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars by opting for home treatments.

Consistency is key to seeing results from red light therapy. Your device allows you to maintain a regular treatment schedule, which is essential for improving skin health and pain management. With home red light therapy, you can enjoy the benefits of consistent, long-term use without the hassle of scheduling appointments or the added expense of ongoing professional treatments.

So, how does home red light therapy compare to professional treatments? While in-office sessions may use more powerful devices, home treatments can be as effective when used consistently and correctly. Many high-quality home devices offer wavelengths and power output comparable to those used in clinics. Plus, the ability to treat your skin or manage pain more frequently at home can help you achieve results faster than with less frequent professional treatments.

Using Red Light Therapy at Home for Wrinkles Sagging

How red light therapy helps with aging skin care:

• Red light therapy reduces lines and sagging
• It produces collagen to fill in wrinkles and elastin to tighten sagging skin
• Use red and infrared light for wrinkling and sagging skincare

Red light therapy is a painless, non-invasive way to combat the signs of aging, particularly wrinkles and sagging. The science behind this treatment lies in the ability of red and near-infrared light to penetrate the skin and stimulate elastin and collagen production. Elastin is the protein that gives the skin elasticity (its name is not a coincidence!). Collagen is a key protein that helps keep skin firm, plump, and youthful-looking. We lose the ability to produce as much collagen and elastin as we age. Red light therapy restores our levels to produce plump, fresh, and tightened skin.

Choosing a device that offers the optimal wavelengths of light for collagen and elastin stimulation is essential. Look for device wavelengths in the red 630-660 nm and near-infrared 810-850 nm ranges. These wavelengths have been shown to be most effective in promoting collagen and elastin synthesis.

You don’t need to use your device every day. Aim to use your at-home red light therapy device for wrinkles 3-5 times per week, with each session lasting around 10-20 minutes (consult your device’s specific directions for timing). For targeted treatments, hold the device close to the skin (as directed by the manufacturer) and focus on areas prone to wrinkles, such as the forehead, around the eyes, and nasolabial folds.

You can optionally combine red light therapy with serums containing retinol, vitamin C, or hyaluronic acid. These will help the skin hydrate and fight free radicals. However, you do not need to use other products, as red light therapy is powerful when used alone.

You should see results in a few days, with the best results appearing in 8-12 weeks. Maintain a consistent treatment schedule and stay out of the sun.

Treating Acne with an At-Home Red LED Device

How red light therapy helps with acne skin care:

• Red light therapy reduces all kinds of acne symptoms
• Use blue, red, and infrared light

Acne is a common skin concern that affects people of all ages, and it can be frustrating to find effective treatments. Red light therapy has emerged as a promising solution for managing pimple breakouts and reducing inflammation. Studies have shown that specific wavelengths of infrared, red, and blue light can target bacteria and calm irritation, leading to clearer, healthier-looking skin.

When using red light therapy to treat pimples at home, choosing a device that offers the right combination of wavelengths is crucial. Look for devices that feature infrared (810-850 nm), red (630-660 nm), and blue light (415-495 nm). While infrared and red light help reduce inflammation and promote skin healing, blue light is known for its antibacterial properties. It can help kill the P. acnes bacteria that contribute to breakouts.

Start with clean, dry skin to target acne with your at-home device. Hold the device close to the affected areas, as the manufacturer directs, and ensure that you use the appropriate skin type and sensitivity level settings.  Timing for most devices is 10 minutes, but your instructions might vary. Use the device 3-5 times weekly or as directed by the instructions.

You should see a reduction in redness after the first one or two sessions. Pimples, cysts, and other nasty bumps will start disappearing in 4-8 weeks. Maximum results occur in about 12 weeks.

You can use a gentle cleanser before using the light but do not use other acne treatments with red light therapy. Wait 30 minutes after your session to apply other serums such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or tea tree oil. These ingredients can help unclog pores, reduce inflammation, and prevent future breakouts. However, be cautious when combining multiple active ingredients, which may lead to irritation or dryness. 

Red Light Therapy at Home for Pain Relief

How red light therapy helps with pain:

• Red light therapy reduces pain signals and inflammation
• Use a device that sits directly on the skin
• Infrared is the most important pain-relief wavelength

In addition to its skincare benefits, red light therapy has shown promise as a natural, non-invasive method for managing chronic pain and inflammation. By penetrating deep into the skin and underlying tissues, red and near-infrared light can stimulate cellular energy production, increase blood flow, and reduce oxidative stress, all contributing to pain relief and tissue repair.

Look for devices that feature red light in the 630-660 nm range and near-infrared light around 810-850 nm, as these wavelengths have been shown to be most effective at reducing inflammation and promoting healing.

Position the device over the affected area to target chronic pain, ensuring the light is close enough to the skin for optimal penetration. Treatment is usually 20-30 minutes per session, once daily.

Depending on your condition and the device’s specifications, you can expect relief in one day, but it could take as long as three weeks. In my experience, a strong handheld light produces results fastest. Belts, wraps, and pads take a few more days to weeks.

How to Choose the Best At-Home Red Light Therapy Device

To choose the best device, match these parameters to your needs:

• Wavelength
• Power
• Size
• Device type
• Vendor reputation

With the growing popularity of at-home red light therapy, the market is flooded with various devices, making it challenging to know which one to choose. To help you make an informed decision, let’s explore the key features and factors to consider when selecting the best device for your needs.

Which Wavelengths?

Look for devices that offer red light (630-660 nm) and near-infrared light (810-850 nm) wavelengths, as these have been shown to be most effective for skin rejuvenation and relief from nerve, muscle, and inflammatory pain. Add blue light (415-495 nm) for acne.

How Much Power?

Rather than the device’s power (wattage), look at the recommended time per treatment. Many manufacturers are incorrectly reporting the power. Since weak devices require more time, and strong devices require less time, we can use time-per-treatment as a substitute for the often inaccurate power specifications. Devices with shorter treatment time instructions are likely more powerful. They’re also more convenient since you need less time to acquire a dose of light.

One of the biggest problems in the red light therapy business is the overstatement of device power. Manufacturers test their lamps using solar meters not calibrated for LED light. The devices overstate power by, on average, 100%. So, a light that outputs 50 milliwatts of power per squared cm will be advertised as outputting 100 milliwatts per sq. cm.

Other than getting a meter to measure your light, how do you solve this problem? The easiest way is to buy only from vendors you trust. Whether that is from experience or reviews, it’s a lot easier to rely on trust than buying $5k of spectrophotometers and power meters. Some vendors send their devices to third-party laboratories for measurement. Some have so many happy customers that we know they use good power specifications.

What Size?

Consider the size of the area you want to treat. A smaller, handheld device may suffice for targeted treatments, while larger areas may require a panel or full-body device.

Which Type?

You should choose handheld, panel, and mask devices to relieve wrinkles, acne, and pain.

• Handheld devices: These compact, portable devices are ideal for targeted treatments and spot-treating specific areas of concern, such as fine lines around the eyes or acne breakouts.
• Panel devices: Larger panel devices are designed to treat bigger areas, such as the face, neck, or chest. They offer more coverage and can be more efficient for full-face treatments.
• Mask devices: Red light therapy masks are designed to fit snugly over the face, providing targeted treatment for facial skin concerns. They are hands-free and convenient for those who want to multitask during treatment sessions.

The best device types for wrinkles and facial acne are:

1. face masks
2. panels
3. handhelds

The best device types for body acne are:

1. panels
2. handhelds

Lasers or LEDs: Which Do You Need?

NASA published a study in the year 2000 comparing lasers to LEDs for healing. They tested lights on the wounds of Navy SEALs. Red light therapy helped those wounds heal faster. LEDs worked equally as well as lasers.

It feels like lasers should be more effective, but they’re not! First, laser light bounces off the skin, but we want that light to absorb. LEDs have lower power, and their light is more likely to absorb into the skin than bounce off it.

This is good news for red light therapy buyers because LEDs are much cheaper than lasers. If your LED red light therapy device has the same wavelengths as those used in a study and delivers that light with enough energy, it should be as effective as a laser.

The body doesn’t know if the light energy comes from lasers, LEDs, or the stars. It just knows when it has photons to use for cellular energy. At-home devices tend to be less powerful than lasers, but you must know how this works. Red light therapy is the low-energy delivery of light for healing. It is not high-energy delivery but low-energy delivery. That makes LEDs perfect for the job.

Finally, you need to know about the power window. Your device needs to have enough energy, but not too much. This is why, for instance, you can’t use a Christmas light for therapy. It has too little energy. It’s also why you don’t want a full-power laser. It has too much energy.

How to Find the Right Vendor

In an ideal world, everyone would be accurate and honest in marketing. In this world, you’re safer with a reputation and a good spectrometer for measuring power and wavelengths. I evaluate red light therapy vendors based on customer reputation, the accuracy of their product descriptions, and store policies. I measure device wavelengths and power with my equipment and trust those making a solid product with a proper warranty.

Those sellers end up on my Preferred Vendors page, which I have made available for you to use.

Achieving the Best Results with Red Light Therapy at Home

To achieve the best results

• Use your light consistently
• Be patient
• Stay hydrated
• Avoid ultraviolet exposure

To maximize the benefits of red LED light, it’s essential to approach your treatments with the right mindset and habits. These tips and guidelines can optimize your results and allow you to enjoy healthier, more radiant skin.

Be Consistent and Patient

Consistency is the key to success when it comes to red light therapy. Commit to a regular treatment schedule, using your device as the manufacturer directs. Treatment sessions are usually 10 minutes, 3-5 times weekly for skin, and 20-30 minutes every day for pain care.

You should see wrinkle or acne reduction in 1-4 weeks, with the best results taking about 12 weeks. For pain relief, expect results within one or two sessions using a handheld and in 1-4 weeks using a wrap/belt/pad.

Staying Hydrated for Skin and Pain Relief

Stay hydrated to support your skin’s health and achieve faster pain reduction. Good hydration requires electrolytes in addition to water. Water flushes toxins, improving skin health and reducing inflammation.

Protect the Skin from Ultraviolet Light

While red light therapy can help improve skin health, it’s not a substitute for sun protection. Always apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen when exposing your skin to sunlight, even using red light therapy. This will help prevent sun damage and premature aging, allowing your skin to reap the full benefits of your treatments.

Conclusion

Embracing at-home red light therapy offers promising pain relief and skincare benefits. It is backed by scientific research. However, not all devices are made equally. Choose wisely, considering the power, wavelength, and device type to ensure effectiveness. While the technology presents a convenient and non-invasive treatment option, understanding its limitations and proper usage is key to achieving the best results. This guide is a foundational step towards making an informed decision about incorporating red light therapy into your wellness routine.