If you’re looking to try an alternative treatment that’s been demonstrated to have powerfully beneficial effects on your skin and your body, we suggest giving red light therapy a go.
You may be anxious to try a new treatment rumoured to have anti-aging benefits and make you look younger. You may have heard that red light therapy reduces inflammation, helps with back pain, gets rid of stretch marks or remove wrinkles.
You may even be a little sceptical, thinking its risky, a hoax or it sounds a little too good to be true.
The truth is that, while it is yet to be studied to its full potential, it has been scientifically shown to present a number of amazing health benefits.
Below, we’ll outline what this treatment is and how it works. We’ll also look in detail as to what it can do for your body (including outlining its benefits) as well as clarify some of the risks you may have heard of the treatment.
What is red light therapy?
The benefits of red light therapy are multifaceted, and can include a reduction in your wrinkles and stretchmarks, muscle recovery, reliving pain and also assisting clear any acne.
The treatment is designed to help heal your skin, muscle tissue and other parts of your body by placing it near powerful lamps. At Cryospa Clinics, we use at 633nm infrared light to assist your skin.
Treatment sessions are not very long – only a few minutes at the very most. You would typically have a session every day for a period of weeks or months.
The treatment was interestingly explored by NASA as a way to rejuvenate the health of astronauts my reducing the loss of bone and muscle.
How does red light therapy work?
Red light therapy involves exposing your skin to coloured lamps, stimulating a powerful component of your cells known as the “mitochondria” to soak up the light and creates energy.
The result is your cells release nitric oxide and Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), an intriguing substance that rejuvenates the cells in your body.
One study found that the increased ATP is used by the cells to “trigger positive physiological responses from the body such as increased cell metabolism and development of muscle tissue and collagen, improvement of blood circulation, stimulation of tissue repair, wound healing and stimulation of the nervous and immune systems”.
It’s also been said to reduce oxidative stress (which refers to antioxidant imbalance in your body that can lead to cell and DNA damage).
Red light therapy only uses low levels of heat, so there’s very little risk of your skin being burnt. It is not like UVs or sunlight (which has a greater risk of causing you skin damage).
You can read more about other forms of heat-related therapy such as infrared sauna treatment right here (which also don’t need to get that hot).
What does red light therapy do for your body?
Red light therapy has been shown to unlock a number of benefits for your body. The treatment has shown for example, to have the effect of:
- Improving your skin’s tone and texture (such as reducing wrinkles and stretchmarks) by increasing collagen in your body – a study found that red light therapy may help to rejuvenate your skin by reducing your wrinkle severity, improving your facial texture and also enhance the production of fibroplast
- Cleaning up mild acne affecting your skin – a medical review found that red light therapy could be a promising alternative to treat acne vulgaris
- Achieving pain relief – ranging from back pain and osteoarthritis to meniscus tears and rheumatoid arthritis (in fact, red light therapy was approved for pain control by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002)
- Muscle repair – including when you use red light therapy before and after a workout (this study highlighted the therapy’s effect on muscle soreness and strength)
- Healing wounds on your body (for instance, a 2014 study which found that red light therapy helped enhance the repair and healing of body tissue, as well as having favourable impacts on acne, wrinkles and scars).
What are the risks of red light therapy?
Red light therapy is completely safe, and there are very little to no risks associated when undergoing the treatment.
Although, there is such thing as ‘too much of a good thing’ as you should always consult your doctor if you’re worried about such therapy could potentially affect your body.
Too much though, could potentially damage your skin. It will also do you no favours if the equipment you’re using is defective – you might get burnt or perhaps even nasty blisters could emerge on your skin.
But realistically, it is most likely to improve the health, texture and tone of your skin as there are no known harmful side effects.
While scientists haven’t confirmed the ideal dosage of light necessary for the best effect, it has demonstrated anti-aging effects that you could certainly take advantage of.
Looking for red light therapy in Sydney?
If you’re looking for red light therapy in Sydney, then look no further than Cryospa Clinics.
We’re an award-winning treatment provider based in Crows Nest, part of Sydney’s beautiful lower north shore, and are excited to show you some of the incredible benefits that red light therapy can provide.
Make your booking at Cryospa today or get in touch with us if you’ve got any questions about our treatments.
None of our treatments are aimed at curing disease, nor are they guaranteed to remove wrinkles from your skin. You should always consult your doctor to make sure it is the right treatment for you.
