What is Red Light Therapy?
Red Light Therapy (RLT) is an advanced treatment that exposes you to red or near-infrared wavelengths in order to help skin, muscle and other tissues heal on a cellular level. Similar to infrared treatments, RLT uses the visible red light spectrum which penetrates deeper than blue or ultraviolet light. It has been used to support healing in many ways including rejuvenating skin appearance, reducing inflammation, alleviation of pain, improving mood and more.
Red Light Therapy is a newer form of treatment that was first recognized by NASA researchers in the 1990s. While initial discoveries were related to its effect on speeding up the healing of wounds, many new benefits have since emerged. The red or near-infrared wavelengths are what make this treatment so effective for repairing damage done by free radicals in the body.
How does it work?
Red Light Therapy uses red LEDs to produce low-level energy that penetrates beneath the skin, where it is absorbed by mitochondria within our cells. Mitochondria are the tiny cellular organs that float freely inside most cells, and they play an essential role in creating energy for each cell. Researchers have found red light helps stimulate them so their action can be increased - which then leads to more efficient production of energy through the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP), while also decreasing inflammation throughout your body. Red Light Therapy is like a support for the power generators of our cells.
Benefits of Red Light Therapy
Red Light Therapy increases the level of cellular energy within our bodies. WIth more availability of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in our cells, we can expect to see a variety of benefits from RLT, including the growth and repair of tissues needed for injury recovery and reduced inflammation and pain. Here are a few more benefits of RLT.
Stimulates Collagen Production. Collagen is the main component responsible for your skin’s elasticity and durability. It can also help you grow hair! Red light therapy stimulates collagen production. Collagen is also quite abundant in your joints and mainly responsible for your joints gliding smoothly together. Increased collagen levels could promote joint health, make them more resistant to wear, and prevent further joint damage from occurring when someone has arthritis or other conditions causing chronic pain.
Increased Circulation. By increasing circulation, wounds are able to speed up the healing process. The more blood that reaches a wound increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients to help it heal faster than average. Increased circulation not only plays a role in healing major injuries, but can help to heal and improve smaller skin blemishes as well. And circulation can help to reduce pain levels and may play a role in the pain relief that people experience with red light therapy as well.
Decrease Inflammation. Inflammation is a key player in pain and discomfort, and also impacts healing. Red Light Therapy helps to heal wounds by decreasing inflammation. By lessening a chronic state of irritation, wound-healing processes are improved. And Red Light Therapy is associated with a decreased rate of joint or muscle related pains. By decreasing the amount of fluid build up in inflamed cells, nerves are no longer overstimulated and will stop sending an increased amount of pain signals.
And there’s even more benefits of Red Light Therapy, including:
Improves skin tone
Supports immune function
Stimulates cellular repair
Accelerates soft tissue healing
Increases athletic performance
Reduces anxiety
Improves mood
Alleviates pain and stiffness
Diminishes the appearance of wrinkles
Promotes hair growth
Improved sleep
We are surrounded by blue light everywhere. Too much artificial blue light can not only cause digital eye strain and headaches during the day but also make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Poor sleep can impact your whole day, from diet, mood, work quality and even long term health risks. We can't escape blue light, but we can do the work to combat the negative effects it has on the body.
Red Light Therapy has been shown to increase melatonin, the ‘sleep hormone’, and aid with sleep disruption. A fascinating study was actually performed on a top basket player where it showed that with red light therapy, her serum melatonin increased by an incredible 75%!
Is Red Light Therapy right for me?
Red Light Therapy is a safe and effective alternative to traditional treatments that rely on controlled micro-damage for rejuvenation. The treatment does not require any chemicals, needles or incisions making it an excellent non-invasive option.
Red Light Therapy at Epic Med Spa
Red light therapy treatments at Epic Med Spa use an LED device to deliver beneficial wavelengths deep beneath the skin’s surface. Clients are able to relax during their appointment as low level energy emitted travels directly through the epidermis without any pain or discomfort, and will begin producing positive effects that benefit cellular function.
Are There Any Risks or Side Effects?
Red light therapy is a safe, therapeutic and effective treatment option. It does not break or harm the skin to penetrate it, nor does red light therapy create enough heat to cause burns or other injuries. Unlike harmful UV rays from the sun, the red and infrared wavelengths do not increase the risk of sunburns or skin cancers. Prolonged or extended exposure may be harmful to the eyes, but protective eyewear is used during treatment sessions to minimize this risk. There are other contraindications including fever, infection, certain medications, eye diseases, pregnancy, cancers, and thyroid issues that we will discuss with you before your treatment to ensure that RLT is right for you.
Can Red Light Therapy Be Combined With Other Treatments?
Red light therapy is an effective treatment when performed on its own, but it can also be combined with other treatments for holistic results. Rejuvenation therapies like microneedling often combine with RLT as a common practice in skincare today because they help deliver greater therapeutic impacts when used together. Our experts will recommend the right course or combinations depending upon what you need.
Series and Packages at Epic Med Spa
FULL BODY | 15-25 min session
1 month series:
1x week $100
2x week $150
3x week $200
4x week $250
Save 10% when you buy 3 months package
Add on to any body treatment (massage, acupuncture, emsculpt neo, bliss, legacy, Emsella far infrared sauna) for $15
FACE ONLY | 10-15 min session
1 month series:
1x week $75
2x week $100
3x week $125
4x week $150
Save 10% when you buy 3 months package
Add on to any face or scalp treatment (hydrafacial, prp/micro needling, viva, venus legacy) for $10 (can NOT be performed the same day as a micro laser peel or chemical peel)