What should I look for when buying a red light?

Red light therapy has been extensively studied for its promising results for wound healing, hair growth, hormone balance, sun damage, pain, and inflammation, to name a few. These potential benefits have allowed red light therapy at home to get traction in a market saturated with supplements, herbal extracts and tinctures, and alternative fitness equipment.

To get the most out of trying red light therapy at home, the right type of red light therapy device is necessary. What are the factors you need to consider when choosing a red light therapy at home? Let’s have a look.

1.   Irradiance

Irradiance is the amount of energy a specific part of your body receives over a set period while using the device. Think of it as the rate of energy delivered. This is perhaps the most defining factor to consider when considering red light therapy at home since higher irradiance can result in better results for less time.

The most used format to measure irradiance is mW/cm2 or milliwatts per square centimetre, e.g. 80 mW/cm2. However, just stating the irradiance measurement means nothing if the distance is not provided. Some red light therapy devices have a high mW/cm2 reading on the surface of the device, and not on the object exposed to it.

2.   Frequency

The range of frequency used in typical red light therapy devices is from 633 nm (a deep red, penetrates the skin and acts on mitochondria) to 850 nm (near-infrared, penetrates deeper into tissue). This range is standard in many red light therapy devices because most of the benefits surrounding red light therapy at home revolve around it.

Generally speaking, red light wavelengths penetrate the skin and promote collagen production as well as wound healing. Near-infrared light, on the other hand, can go deeper, which enables it to target deeper wounds, joint, or muscle pain.

Do note that while lower frequencies, such as with blue wavelengths, provide a more superficial penetration, it doesn’t mean they don’t work or have no therapeutic potential. These lower frequencies can also be used to treat skin issues such as acne and oil regulation.

3.   Treatment coverage area

Will the treatment be for the face or for the whole body? While many would go for smaller devices to treat wrinkles and stretch marks, others may opt for bigger if they want to maximise the use of red light therapy at home on muscle recovery, hair loss, hormone balance, and even joint pain.

If the budget allows, it’s always a better idea to buy a red light therapy device with the maximum coverage as larger devices emit more light energy and better performance than smaller units. Larger devices also allow users to get direct access to a full-body red light therapy at home at a moment’s notice.

That isn’t to say smaller devices are poor investments. Some red light therapy devices are portable and let users take the device with them at work, at a friend or relative’s house, or abroad.

4.   Quality of the product

Quality is not something to overlook when it comes to tools, supplements, and devices designed for the human body.

As such, the rise of trying red light therapy at home made the market vulnerable to products that were produced for the sole purpose of cashing in on the trend. To prevent buying a fake or unsafe red light therapy device, always be on the lookout for standards or certificates that attest to the device’s authenticity and safety.

Standards to look out for include those relating to the safety of the parts used and those that refer to light calibration.

5.   Customer feedback

Last but not least, customer satisfaction and testimonials can offer a small window into how the red light therapy device in question works in real life. Some customers leave details when it comes to results, ease of use, actual light intensity, and whether the device is prone to damage or if it requires some investment in maintenance.

Customers will also let you know if the company offers customer-friendly returns and replacement procedures.

Here at The Aesthetic Bureau, all of the medical IPL and LED therapy devices we manufacture are included in the ARTG (Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration).

Our Xen LED is the only medical aesthetic system in Australia that utilises the latest style of LED technology to pack a much higher density of LEDs on our units than our competitors. While other systems on the market today pack only 1,800 LEDs maximum, the Xen LED packs 10,500 LEDs on ONE head. This gives it the ability to deliver the most optimised and high intensity treatments with 3 clinically proven wavelengths.

The Pearl Xen is our smaller and more portable system that similarly contains a higher number of LED’s than our competitors. While it is powerful for an LED face mask, its use is limited to the face.

To gain the full health benefits of photobiomodulation (PBMT), a whole body LED system such as the Total Xen is optimal. Whole body photobiomodulation therapy has been extensively studied in over 5,000 labotatory studies and more than 500 published double blind, randomly controlled studies.

Experts agree that PBMT is useful for a wide range of benefits, including:

• Improved fat metabolism
• Skin rejuvenation

To learn even more about the research and scientific evidence behind photobiomodulation, head on over to our new Xen website:

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• Avci P, Gupta A, Sadasivam M, et al. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2013;32(1):41–52.