Red Light Therapy: Snake Oil or Panacea?

[Simon Suraci]

Anyone here have experience with red light therapy? With a wellness professional, or maybe with a provider?

I know some providers incorporating red light into their therapeutic m4m bodywork services and their clients are benefiting. I bought a red light therapy wand for myself and I found it helps with muscle soreness and inflammation. The rest of the claims I have not had experience with yet to see if they are true.

Some providers swear by it. I liken the sentiment to Gus from My Big Fat Greek Wedding saying “Put some windex on it”.

Among the many alleged benefits:

Pain Relief

- Eases chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia 

- Reduces muscle soreness and inflammation 

Hair Growth

- Promotes hair growth 

- Treats hair loss conditions

Wound Healing

- Enhances tissue regeneration and accelerates wound closure 

- Reduces scarring and hyperpigmentation 

Skin Health

- Improves skin tone and texture 

- Treats acne and rosacea 

- Accelerates wound healing 

- Reduces wrinkles and fine lines 

Also, *may*:

- Improve mood and reduce anxiety 

- Enhance athletic performance 

- Promote bone growth and healing 

 

[taecfan]

I'd say neither. There's a lot of research into this and I managed to find one paper by searching Google scholar real quick. But while it does help speed things along, it's not a miracle cure. So it doesnt hurt to include it, but don't expect immediate results.