Red light therapy is a form of photo biomodulation that uses low-level red and/or near-infrared light to stimulate cellular processes and thereby increase cellular energy production. The light is delivered by devices such as LED panels, lamps, or handheld probes that emit wavelengths ranging from 600 to 1200 nanometers. 

The light penetrates the skin and reaches the mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles of the cells. There, it activates a protein called cytochrome c oxidase, which increases the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule that fuels cellular activities. Red light therapy also modulates the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell signaling. By increasing ATP and reducing ROS, red light therapy can improve various aspects of health and wellness, such as wound healing, skin rejuvenation, pain relief, muscle recovery, cognitive function and more.

All electric devices have some degree of electromagnetic field, due to the nature of their power source. The EMF output of our devices comes in at 0.0 µT at 6" (which is our recommended treatment distance). This means that at 6" and beyond, you are receiving zero EMF exposure when doing a red-light therapy treatment with our device.

The reason you only can see half of the LEDs illuminated is because the near infrared LEDs are outside of the visible spectrum of light for the human eye. So, you won't really be able to see the NIR lights when they're turned on. Our RVL series of panels feature red and near infrared LEDs in a 1:1 ratio, meaning half of the LEDs are red and half are near infrared. You will not be able to see the near infrared, but rest assured they are on and working.

No, you should not operate your red-light therapy device in a sauna. It is too hot for the components of the panel. We recommend either going in the sauna first, and then doing your red-light therapy treatment or vice a versa.

Yes, you can. It won't hurt, however, red and near infrared light therapy works best on clean, bare skin.

This is just your eyes adjusting. You'll notice that when you first turn the lights on, they appear very bright red, but as you do your treatment, your eyes adjust, and the light will not appear quite as red. Do not worry. The LEDs are only capable of emitting red at 660 nanometers and near infrared at 850 nanometers.  

You can also test this by turning on your device in a dark room and looking at what color you see shining onto the walls.  It should appear red.

Some research shows that you can benefit from pulsed light because it gives your cells tiny breaks from the continuous stream of light that helps to prevent them from getting too hot. However, the early research done on this was using lasers and not LEDs.  LEDs don't heat your cells nearly as much as lasers.  More research is needed on this though.  

The majority of our customers do not used pulsed light devices and still get tremendous results.

Red light therapy has been studied extensively and is proven to be effective by thousands of peer-reviewed medical studies and clinical trials. The studies have shown extremely positive results, and an almost total lack of side effects or health risks associated with it. We encourage our customers to do a search on PubMed for peer-reviewed medical studies and clinical trials regarding red and near infrared light therapy.

It is not necessary to wear eye protection as there are many studies that show red light therapy can be very beneficial to the eyes.  However, if your eyes are the least bit uncomfortable, then please use the included goggles. As your eyes continue to adjust to doing red light therapy you may find that you no longer need to wear them. Just go by what your body is telling you.

No, there is no UVA or UVB light (the light that can burn your skin) emitted from our devices. You will NOT get a tan.

Red light and near-infrared light both offer various benefits to the body, but they differ in their penetration depths and the specific effects they have on the body's cells and tissues.

Red light, with a wavelength range of approximately 620-740 nanometers (nm), is readily absorbed by the skin and is effective for treating skin conditions and superficial tissue. Some of the benefits of red-light therapy include:

1. Skin rejuvenation: Red light can stimulate collagen production, reduce wrinkles, and improve skin elasticity, resulting in a more youthful appearance.
2. Wound healing: Red light can accelerate the healing of wounds, burns, and scars by promoting tissue regeneration and reducing inflammation.
3. Pain relief: Red light has been shown to have an analgesic effect, making it useful for managing pain caused by conditions such as arthritis, muscle strain, and nerve damage.
4. Hair growth: Red light therapy can stimulate hair growth in people with androgenetic alopecia (male- and female-pattern hair loss) by increasing blood flow to the scalp and promoting the growth of hair follicles.

Near-infrared light, on the other hand, has a wavelength range of about 700-1400 nm and can penetrate deeper into the body. This makes it more effective for treating deeper tissues, such as muscles, bones, and joints. Some of the benefits of near-infrared light therapy include:

1. Pain relief: Like red light, near-infrared light can help reduce pain and inflammation, making it useful for managing conditions such as arthritis, tendonitis, and muscle pain.
2. Improved circulation: Near-infrared light can increase blood flow and oxygenation to the treated area, which can help speed up the healing process and improve overall tissue health.
3. Muscle recovery: Near-infrared light therapy can help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time after intense exercise or physical activity.
4. Bone and joint health: Near-infrared light can promote bone growth and improve joint health, making it useful for conditions such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

In summary, both red light and near-infrared light offer numerous benefits to the body, but they differ in their penetration depths and the specific effects they have on the body's cells and tissues. Red light is more effective for skin-related issues and superficial tissue problems, while near-infrared light is better suited for deeper tissues and internal organs.

We recommend doing at least 3-5 treatments per week. You can treat daily, but no more than 2x/day (spaced out to morning and evening).  In this case we would treat in the morning and evening.

Red light therapy follows what is known as a biphasic dose response.  This refers to the phenomenon where the biological response to red light therapy changes depending on the intensity and duration of the treatment. In other words, there is an optimal range of light intensity and duration that can produce the desired therapeutic effects, while both too little and too much can result in reduced effectiveness.  Nothing bad will happen, however you may leave some benefits on the table by over or under treating.

The biphasic dose response is based on the concept of hormesis, where a low dose of a stressor (in this case, red light) can trigger beneficial adaptive responses, while a high dose can have the opposite effect. In RLT, the biphasic dose response is influenced by factors such as the wavelength of the light, the energy density, and the treatment duration.

To optimize the therapeutic effects of RLT, it is essential to understand the biphasic dose response and to tailor the treatment parameters to the specific needs of the individual and the condition being treated. This may involve adjusting the intensity and duration of the treatment to find the optimal balance between effectiveness and safety.

For skin health, current research recommends a dose between 3-10J/cm2.  For internal treatments (muscles, organs, joints, etc.) current research recommends a dose between 10-50J/cm2.  Please see our other articles on how to calculate dose.

We apologize for the trouble and that the manual isn't clearer! It's a little tricky.

As soon as it powers on and you see the "10" then you should press and hold the power button for 2 seconds and then start hitting the button rapidly as it counts up to 30 and then starts over at 1.  Stop at the desired time and wait until it stops flashing.  At that point pressing the button once will move to the next setting.  You will go through all the other settings in this way until you have them all set.

It's recommended that you use red light therapy on clean, bare skin for optimal effectiveness. Prior to treatment, make sure to remove any lotions, creams, or oils from the area you intend to treat. This allows for the red light to penetrate the skin without any barriers that could potentially reduce its efficacy.

No, the EMF output from red light therapy devices is non-existent at a distance of 6 inches or more. All electronic devices emit some EMF due to the nature of their power source, but the levels rapidly decrease with distance and are not a concern for these types of therapies.