February 10, 2022

What Conditions Can Red Light Therapy Help With?

As you can tell this is a very interesting topic for us. Based on our extensive research of red light therapy, we know that skin conditions are positively impacted by RLT (red light therapy). However, many people with other illnesses are curious if RLT is right for them. Due to its non-invasiveness and inclusive nature, red light therapy stands as an attractive alternative to traditional medicine. In this article, we will discuss some of the other conditions and illnesses that red light therapy can help you overcome.

Red Light Therapy is being investigated as an alternative treatment for:

To curb uncomfortable side effects from chemotherapy drugs, including oral mucositis.
To reduce any pain and inflammation derived from ankle tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and osteoarthritis of the knee.
To eliminate the breakout of cold sores from the herpes simplex virus. What other medical conditions can red light therapy assist with?

Reduced inflammation

Inflammation is a natural process that helps your body fight off infections. However, chronic inflammation can cause the following illnesses:

Diabetes
Heart disease
Cancer
Depression
Bowel diseases

When scientists study RLT used on animals, reduced inflammation was one of the first observable benefits. Further research revealed that RLT was helping to reduce the abundance of inflammation-causing molecules known as pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Learn more in detail about Red Light Therapy

Reduced pain from arthritis

RLT can assist with a few specific types of arthritis-related pain. Those types are:

Osteoarthritis: this degenerative disease impacts most people around the fingers, knees, and hips.

Rheumatoid arthritis: this nasty autoimmune condition causes inflamed joints and painful movements.

A study performed in 1992 discovered that individuals that received RLT reported more than a 50% reduction in pain levels. Most recently, in 2013, the same study was replicated on mice instead of humans. Again, researchers observed a reduction of inflammation around knee joints and enhanced mobility within the observed mice.

Promote wound healing

Adults with illnesses that leave them with open wounds have taken an interest in RLT as an alternative treatment. Research on animals has shown that RLT can speed up the healing process of cutaneous wounds. Here's how:

Reduction in inflammatory cells
Increased fibroblasts (connective tissue cells that produce collagen and fibers)
Collagen synthesis
Angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) and tissue formation

Decreased signs of aging

Did you know that your skin is mostly made up of collagen.?

This protein prevents your skin from dropping down and keeps it looking youthful. Your body naturally produces collagen, however sun exposure, smoking, pollution exposure, and aging decrease the amount of collagen in your skin.

During a study in 2014, researchers uncovered that full-body exposure to red light throughout 30, twice-a-week sessions led to visible signs of improvement and higher collagen density in participants.

What other information about red light therapy should I know?

You'll find across the internet that RLT is being touted as a cure-all for many conditions. However, some illnesses have no scientific evidence that suggests red light therapy can play a positive role in recovery. In the interest of being 100% transparent with our readers, here are some illnesses where the scientific evidence on the efficacy of Red Light Therapy has not been proven.

Weight loss
Cancer
Cellulite removal
Mental health concerns like depression and Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Will I achieve my desired results?

The truth is that red light therapy is not a one size fits all solution for everyone. Your individual physiological composition is completely different from the next person. Therefore results can vary. Remember to keep in mind that only certain wavelengths are effective when undergoing red light therapy.

The wavelengths being touted as most effective are in between 660nm to 850nm. This is important to remember when looking at which red light therapy device you would like to invest in. Keep in mind that the red light therapy device in your doctor's office or your local clinic may be dramatically different from the one you are thinking about purchasing.

If the device you're looking at only can emit a 200 nm wavelength of red light, It won't penetrate your skin as deeply as the 850 infrared devices in the doctor's office. Achieving the desired results starts with purchasing a red light therapy device capable of emitting red light at specific wavelengths strong enough to penetrate a minimum of 5 inches beneath the skin.

Is red light therapy right for my skin condition?

Depending on the severity of your skin condition, you will want to consult with your doctor to come up with a diagnosis or treatment plan suited for you. However, red light therapy has proven itself as an effective treatment with regard to certain skin conditions. Generally speaking, it's always a good idea to consult with your doctor or medical professional before undergoing any treatment. Especially if you're already taking certain medications.

Will red light therapy interact with my medication?

While red light therapy does not interact with most medications, it can elicit a response from certain photosensitive sensitive chemicals. For example, cancer researchers have designed cancer drugs that can be activated when exposed to both natural and artificial red light. So always consult with your doctor if you are currently taking medicine or medication that you know to be photodynamic.

Results Vary From Patient To Patient

Just because someone else experienced dramatic results from RLT, doesn't mean you will as well. We already discussed the fact that everyone has a unique physiological build. Therefore some will respond faster to RLT than others. Always remember to ensure you are purchasing a device that can emit red light and infrared light up to 850nm or higher.