22/03/2024
Red light therapy (RLT) is a type of phototherapy that may help:
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-treat skin issues, like stretch marks and wrinkles
-treat skin conditions, such as psoriasis, scars, and acne
-reduce inflammation or edema
-repair muscle tissues
-promote healthy aging
RLT is commonly referred to as photobiomodulation. It was accidentally discovered by Endre Mester in 1967 at the Semmelweis Medical University in Budapest, Hungary. He noticed that laser light helped promote hair growth and wound healing in rats.
Scientific literature suggests there are nearly 60 other names for RLT, such as:
-low level light therapy (LLLT)
-soft laser therapy
-cold laser therapy
-biostimulation
-photonic stimulation
-low power laser therapy (LPLT)
In the 1990s, light-emitting diode (LED) technology was used by scientists to help grow potatoes in space. The intense red LEDs helped promote photosynthesis. Supposedly, it also helped wounds on the scientistsā hands heal faster.
Red light was then studied for its potential medicinal application during space travel. Researchers hoped it would help treat the muscle atrophy, slow wound healing, and bone density issues caused by weightlessness in space.
Although RLT is gaining traction as a dermatological treatment for certain conditions, more clinical research is needed to fully support its claimed benefits.
RLT works by repetitively exposing your skin to low levels of red and near-infrared light for a certain period of time. At low wavelengths, red light doesnāt generate heat and penetrates the skin between 1 and 2 millimeters according to research.
This red light exposure may produce a positive biochemical effect in your cells that strengthens the mitochondria, which is where the cellās energy is created. RLT may do this by increasingTrusted Source the transportation of electrons, oxygen consumption, and your levels of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
By increasing the energy of the mitochondria, cells may function more efficiently, as well as rejuvenate and repair themselves.
LEDs are gaining popularity over lasers as the chosen RLT light source because theyāre nonablative and nonthermal. Plus, according to the 2013 research, they may help:
-increase blood flow
-reduce inflammation
-increase levels of collagen
-increase the production of fibroblast