Our Thoughts About Red Light Therapy
Okay, so let’s clear something up before we even get started: red light therapy is not just some red lightbulb you can buy at the store. What we're discussing today is about legit, clinically-backed, skin-improving red light therapy!
Red light therapy (RLT) has blown up lately, and for good reason. Here at SBA, we love using RLT to compliment our skincare routines and for the many benefits it can provide. When done correctly, it can help boost collagen production, reduce inflammation, speed up skin turn over, and help you achieve your best skin.
But unfortunately, where there are trending skincare tools, there will also be... knockoffs. And we've been seeing a LOT of them, so to help you not fall into any RLT traps, we're going to talk about how to choose the best RLT tool(s).
What is Red Light Therapy?:
In a nutshell, RLT is a treatment that uses specific wavelengths of red light to help your body heal, reduce inflammation, and improve skin health. It doesn't get hot like a heat lamp; rather it’s a gentle light that goes just deep enough into your skin to help your cells rejuvenate faster and work better.
Think of it as a boost of energy for your skin cells. When your cells absorb the specific red light, they make more adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Without getting too technical here, think of ATP as your body’s cellular energy. It’s basically what your cells use to get stuff done... whether that’s repairing skin, producing collagen, reducing inflammation, and/or growing new tissue.
So, when you use real red light therapy, the light helps your cells make more ATP. More ATP = more energy for your body to regenerate.
When I say red light therapy helps your skin "work better," it's because it literally gives your cells an additional boost of energy they need to do their job.
But remember, RLT it only works if the light is the RIGHT kind. It needs to be the correct wavelength and strength, otherwise, it’s just a red light and won't offer therapeutic benefits. Keep reading to learn what look for to make sure your RLT device is legit.
What Makes Red Light Therapy Legit:
Red light needs to fall into a specific wavelength range to actually work on a therapeutic level. What you need to look for is 630nm to 660nm for superficial skin treatments (wrinkles, scars, redness), and 810nm to 850nm for deeper healing (muscle repair, joint inflammation, etc.). These numbers MATTER! If you’re using a device that doesn’t even list its nanometers, that’s a big red flag and it's probably best to not invest in such device.
Light Power Per Area:
RLT is not just the color or the wavelength. For meaningful results, you also need enough irradiance (fancy word for light power per area). Look for devices that offer at least 100mW/cm² at the surface. Anything less than that is not going to be very therapeutic.
Avoiding Knock-Offs:
Some of the red light devices online are straight-up scams (not surprisingly). Especially "cheaper" ones from China that don't include any info on the strength/light/etc of their products that you can find on Temu or Amazon. They may have cute or professional packaging and flashy claims, but no clinical specs, no testing, and therefore no results. If it doesn't tell you the wavelength, irradiance, treatment time, or show any kind of safety certification (FDA, CE), skip it. Certifications like FDA or CE matter because they prove the red light device is tested for safety, and effectiveness and meets medical-grade standards.
It's important to know that a quality Red Light Therapy device is going to be an investment because they're not particularly cheap. But for a reason - the ones with the correct specs and certifications will actually work, and you'll get to enjoy the skin benefits of that device for a lifetime.
RLT & Your Skincare:
If you’re investing in red light therapy (and I mean a real RLT device, not $30 questionable light gun from Amazon), it’s smart to prep your skin the right way since many RLT devices sit on top of the skin. Clean skin, no makeup, no sunscreen, no nothing. Just clean, hydrated skin. I personally like to oil cleanse beforehand so my skin is nice and supple, but I wait to use any other skincare products until after my treatment. And if you’re using balm-based treatments or oils, you might want to apply them after your session unless you’ve confirmed they won't block the red light. Some ingredients can actually block or scatter light.
Bottom line? Real red light therapy is powerful, research-backed, and effective when done right.
So, before getting yours, make sure it's legit!
Have questions about it? The team and I are always happy to help you. Hit reply and let’s chat.
(Red) Light & Love,
Brier
Skin Balm Apothecary