Pros and Cons of Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy has become the most popular procedure in recent times. If you are looking for a non-pharmaceutical treatment to cure a chronic condition, it is the procedure that you need to consider. The reason why it is widely used today is because it is completely safe and natural. Red light therapy offers a ton of benefits. This post takes a close look at the pros and cons of red light therapy to help you decide whether you should undergo the procedure or not.

Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy is a procedure that uses LED bulbs for delivering red wavelengths and near-infrared wavelengths of light. It is also known as low-level laser therapy. The red light penetrates deep into the skin and provides therapeutic benefits at the very cellular level. Our body benefits from light just like how plants benefit from it. By using red light therapy, more energy is produced in the cells just like photosynthesis in plants. Thus, it can help improve health and better manage chronic conditions. Cellular energy is created when red light enters through the skin. It provides the body with various benefits.

As red light enters the mitochondria which are the energy center of the cells, more adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is produced. It is the essential cellular energy source needed for proper functioning. When cells are energized, they tend to perform their functions a lot better. On the other hand, if the cells have low energy, they would be unable to restore their health.

Pros of Red Light Therapy

Studies show that there are numerous benefits of red light therapy. Hence, the procedure is gaining traction for alleviating symptoms caused by acute and chronic conditions. When it comes to its application, red light therapy can either be administered by a healthcare professional or you can buy an LED device from a brand like RedDot to treat yourself from the comfort of your home.

1. Treats Chronic Skin Conditions

One of the main pros of red light therapy is that it treats chronic skin conditions. There are many applications of red light in dermatology. Studies show that people who had experienced chronic skin conditions like sun exposure can benefit from the treatment. Phototherapy has been extensively studied by researchers to determine its effectiveness.

However, since UV light accelerates skin damage and causes skin cancer, red light therapy is the best option. It uses safer wavelengths of light which effectively penetrate into the skin and promote healthy cellular activity. It also helps form new capillaries which boost circulation and allow for better delivery of oxygen and nutrients. Besides, red light therapy activates the lymphatic system and boosts collagen production. Hence, it is able to treat the following chronic skin conditions.

• Skin Aging
• Rosacea
• Acne
• Eczema
• Psoriasis

2. Improved Bone Health

Another benefit of red light therapy is that it helps improve bone health. The treatment regulates bone growth. It is a valuable tool for preventing bone loss caused by osteoporosis and other bone diseases.

3. Hair Loss

Hair growth is stimulated by red light therapy. It increases blood flow to the scalp which stimulates the metabolism of hair follicles. This effectively activates hair production from its dormant state.

4. Wound Healing

Wound healing is stimulated by red light therapy. It effectively decreases inflammatory cells and allows for the normal latticework structure of the skin to be formed instead of the chaotic organization of tissue.

5. Muscle Recovery

In addition to the above, red light therapy can also be used for muscle recovery. Athletes commonly use red light to benefit from speedy muscle recovery. The procedure regenerates, heals, and stimulates connective tissue and damaged muscles. Thus, faster muscle recovery is evident as the ability to achieve peak performance is improved.

6. Treat Joint Pain

Joint paint can take a toll on your wellbeing. However, red light can be used for reducing the pain and increasing motion in the joints which might have been affected by arthritis. Red light offers anti-inflammatory properties which boost recovery from degenerative joint diseases, promote healing, and boost cellular energy.

7. Improved Sleep

Research shows that red light therapy can help improve the quality of sleep. People who receive about 30 minutes of red light treatment every day for 2 weeks benefited from better sleep. They experienced an increase in serum melatonin levels and endurance performance.

8. Boosts Weight Loss

Red light therapy can also help boost weight loss. If you are struggling to lose weight, you can give the treatment a try to get rid of cellulite and stubborn fat. Besides, exercise is not always enough for losing weight. There are some cases where excess weight is linked with a hormonal imbalance such as in the case of under-active thyroid or hypothyroidism. Through the balancing of thyroid function, the endocrine system regulates the hormonal activity.

Cons of Red Light Therapy

Although there are no serious side effects of red light therapy, it does come with a few cons as mentioned below.

• It does not cure any condition and needs to be used consistently for relief.
• Ongoing treatment is required and treatments must be continued indefinitely for maintaining the results.
• If you decide to undergo the treatment by visiting a dermatologist, the treatment can be rather expensive.
• It is not suitable for those who are very sensitive to light.
• The treatment needs to be used with caution as the procedure could cause burns.
• The long-term effects of red light therapy on the body remain unknown.
• There are no prescribed guidelines for managing specific conditions.

Conclusion

Once you have finished reading this post, you will know the pros and cons of red light therapy. Despite its cons, it is a very beneficial procedure as long as you use a device from a reputable brand like RedDot LED. If you carefully use phototherapy, you should be able to see positive results. Hence, it is definitely worth pursuing.