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Search within the page There are many questions and answers, so do you want to know quickly whether what you are looking for is listed?
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- What frequencies / wavelengths of LEDs does a NorahLux lamp use?
- What is Cytochrome C Oxidase and what does red light therapy have to do with it?
- What about using red light therapy with animals or plants?
- How is Red Light Therapy different from the light from the sun or incandescent light bulbs?
- Why can't I just use a halogen or incandescent bulb as my red light therapy bulb?
- Do I need another NorahLux if I have a full spectrum infrared sauna?
- How long does a Red Light Therapy session last?
- How long should I use the red light therapy to see the benefits?
- Is red light light therapy safe?
- What distance should I keep from my red light bulb?
- Do I need to wear eye protection when using red light therapy devices?
- What wavelengths of light should I use?
- What you should pay attention to when buying a light therapy lamp with red light
- How can I measure the effectiveness of a red light therapy lamp?
- Is there a difference between red light devices that flicker or pulse and those that don't?
- Can I use a red light therapy lamp more than once a day?
- When I use my Red Light Therapy lamp, everything appears green and blue. Why is this?
- My local salon/gym/health center has red light therapy, is this a good device?
- Can I use red light therapy to help my skin?
- Can you tell me how to use light therapy to boost testosterone?
- Can you tell me how to use red light therapy to help with oral health?
- What is so special about red light therapy LEDs?
- What is the difference between these red light devices and grow lights used by gardeners?
- What is the difference between Red Light Therapy, Photobiomodulation, LLLT and Light Therapy?
- What is the difference between red light and shortwave infrared light
- What is the difference between red light and sunlight? Will I not get the benefits of red light therapy from being in the sun?
- What is the difference between illuminance and power density? And can a lux meter be used to measure power density?
- What is Polychromatic Light Therapy?
- Does light therapy through clothing work?
- Can you tell me how to use red light to aid wound healing after surgery?
- Will red light therapy affect my sleep?
- Are there any side effects of using red light therapy devices?
What frequencies / wavelengths of LEDs does a NorahLux lamp use?
All Norahlux lamps have a combination of 660nm and 850nm LEDs, exactly divided in half. This means 50% 660nm LEDs and 50% 850nm LEDs.
Only the safest, most proven wavelengths deliver optimal health benefits. Natural light is a broad spectrum that includes many wavelengths and colors. Leading photobiomodulation researchers have found in numerous peer reviewed studies that a narrow band of red and shortwave infrared light is the clinical sweet spot for health. The best light therapy devices use these proven wavelengths: red and infrared light in a range between 600 and 900 nanometers.
What is Cytochrome C Oxidase and what does red light therapy have to do with it?
Cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), is better described in the term electron transport chain complex 4. For every detail that is known about this, it is best to search here. Youtube offers some graphical representations in this that make it a bit more tangible. During the fourth stage of cellular respiration (oxidative phosphorylation), specific wavelengths of red and shortwave infrared light break the bond between nitric oxide and CCO. This allows oxygen to bind to NADH, restoring the normal pathway for hydrogen ions to create the electrochemical potential that produces ATP (cellular energy). A simple way to think of this process is that photons essentially charge your cellular batteries.
Activating cytochrome c oxidase is critical when it comes to photobiomodulation. With this in mind, let's look at the graph below, which shows the activation of CCO at different wavelengths. As you can see, there are specific absorption peaks in the 600 nm and 800 nm ranges. For example, wavelengths in the 700-730 nm range have very little biological impact due to their inability to efficiently activate CCO.
What about using red light therapy with animals or plants?
Red Light Therapy has been (and continues to be) successfully used to help animals heal. Red light (therapy) is also often used to help plants grow.
How is Red Light Therapy different from the light from the sun or incandescent light bulbs?
Research has shown that light in the red and shortwave infrared (near-red) spectrum has many benefits for the body. This light usually ranges in frequency from 620 nanometers (nm), to about 1000nm. These specific wavelengths penetrate deep into the body tissues and are also very well absorbed by the body. This 600-1000 nm range of light forms a very small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum as seen below:
in fact, it includes only a small amount of the visible light spectrum that we see with our naked eye plus a small portion that is invisible.
Light sources such as the sun and regular incandescent light bulbs emit light in all spectra of visible light - hence the name 'full spectrum light' and this is also why a Red Light Therapy device such as a NorahLux will emit a red glow, while the sun will emit a white - will give yellow glow. 660 nanometers are deep red and 850 nanometers are invisible.
Note - so it should be noted that shortwave infrared light around 800-1000nm is not actually visible to the naked eye, but is part of the 'range' of red light therapy due to its health benefits.
Why can't I just use a halogen lamp or incandescent lamp as an infrared lamp?
Traditional incandescent light bulbs, such as incandescent or halogen bulbs, emit red light, but they also produce large amounts of heat with a broad wavelength band and are less effective for very specific therapeutic effects than their LED counterparts. These lamps also get very hot, which has the disadvantage that you cannot stay in or near them for long.
Know that not only the light color (wavelength) is important, but also the amount of that light (power density) and the duration in which you can be in it.
Do I need another NorahLux if I have a full spectrum infrared sauna?
This is a question that has been asked a lot. Before we answer, let us say this - we sell special devices for the red light treatment AND (at SuperSauna) special full spectrum saunas. They both have their main purpose. So yes, if you are looking for the benefits of 850nm shortwave infrared light, it is recommended to purchase a red light lamp that emits this light more effectively, even if you have a full-spectrum sauna. Light therapy is therefore a different therapy than sauna (HSP) therapy, but they can complement each other well.
How long does a Red Light Therapy session last?
The new short answer based on experience is:
In most cases, a session has the best results between 10 and 15 minutes at a distance of 10 to 15 centimeters from the lamp. For people who want to start slowly or know that they are light sensitive, a 5-minute session can be sufficient. With the Lumnia - Optimus600 and Prime models where the LEDs are slightly different in the device, a distance of 15 to 30 cm may be maintained.
Calculate sessions on irradiance values (irradiance intensity)
You can find all kinds of formulas from red light therapy "specialists" based on outdated misconceptions. It is a difficult technical story which I will fully elaborate in a special article, but in short: Red light therapy or biophotomodulation has been carried out with Laser in many more studies. Due to the properties of laser and because they have been used for so long, there are special meters "a gold standard" that can indicate exactly how much energy has been used. So calculations are included here. With the invention of LED light therapy, meters have been used that do not indicate the correct values. The problem is that this is still the case after several years. Laser and LED differ in a way that meters cannot clearly measure what an exact value is. Yet many brands and companies, including specialists, have started using these "incorrect" values to create protocols. Since most of the studies have been done with a different kind of light and since the studies with LED do not correctly specify how much energy has been used, all these protocols are based on a misconception. Unfortunately, that also means that numbers from brands are also based on misconceptions and there is also a competition to see who dares to give the highest numbers!
The conclusion: We work with our years of experience and no longer discuss a scientific misconception.
How long should I use red light therapy to see the benefits?
Like many things related to health - the answer is 'it depends'. It depends on the device used, how long and how often your sessions are, your health problems etc etc. I know of family members and clients who have noticed less pain and inflammation after 1 session when using red light therapy. I personally took a longer time for the benefits to be felt. And I also know that red light devices speed up wound healing and help me recover from workouts, and this happens after only a handful of sessions.
Meanwhile, something like hair regrowth with RLT seems to take much longer - months, maybe even years of regular use before you see the benefits. As mentioned, it depends on many variables. The biggest variable is 'what do you mean by benefits'.
Of course, the result also depends on the device used. Lasers as used in clinical applications often give faster results, but due to the size, this result only applies to a relatively small surface of / on the body. The downsides of these methods are therefore a small result surface and an additional risk of side effects. An LED light device such as a NorahLux has no known side effects and achieving results is therefore much safer than with lasers.
The size of the device that you have purchased partly determines the result. For example, if it concerns your energy level, the rule applies that the larger the lamp, the faster you will achieve results. If you mainly improve collagen in the face or other certain surfaces of your body, a smaller lamp is sufficient.
Is red light therapy safe?
Red Light Therapy does not use drugs or surgery to improve your health. It uses simple light - light that is also found naturally in the sun. Red light devices concentrate a certain wavelength of this natural light and create a higher level of 'natural light' than what we would be exposed to in the sun, for example. To the best of scientific knowledge, there are no immediate dangers to red light therapy if done using a quality device. With 4 years of experience, we have not seen any harmful effects. Science and practice therefore indicate that LED light therapy with our frequencies is safe.
What distance should I keep from my red light bulb?
See my answer to the previous question - How long does a Red Light Therapy session last? - for more on this. But in a nutshell, 10 to 15 inches is ideal for a 10 to 15 minute session. With more distance, a longer session is also necessary for optimal results. See the video below for more explanation.
Do I have to wear eye protection glasses?
This question has been asked a lot and a lot of research has gone into finding answers. After speaking to many experts on Red Light Therapy, the usual answer is
'no, you do not need to wear eye protection when using red light therapy.
In fact, there are many studies showing that RLT is in fact beneficial for eye health - especially red light around the 670nm wavelength. And I couldn't find any studies showing that the red light therapy harmed the eye. So, according to the most respected experts, the answer is:
"No, it's probably good for your eyes. Light therapy can help with cataracts. Infrared LEDs can protect your retinal photoreceptors from damage."
For people with eye problems or people who want to heal eyes I have written a protocol that can be found in this link.
While needless to point out, I know that some users prefer protective glasses when using their device with red light.
There is a very complete analysis of light and eye health at heelspurs.com. They have the same stance as the comments above - that red light (600-700nm) is safe for eye health. But concern is infrared light - this can overheat the eye. As an example, it is given that someone who works for years in a furnace is more likely to develop cataracts.
The article also mentions a few other points:
- Blue light is 1000x more dangerous to the eye.
- RLT can help with eye injuries
In my opinion, a comparison of therapeutically dosed near-infrared light with the problem bakers have with an oven is unjustified. Think about how hot ovens get and how hot the air is when the doors open that bakers work in these every night and there are variables like working at night under blue light. (white light is technically often referred to as blue light)
What wavelengths of light should I use?
It depends. It depends on what result you want. There is a plethora of published papers showing the effectiveness of certain red light wavelengths in helping the body. More and more other wavelengths are added to devices to have a "unique selling point" without specifically achieving more results. For example, 630nm light penetrates less deeply than 660nm, giving the property that this is very good for the skin. actually it is only good for the skin (since it does not get any deeper). Yet so far in the scientific studies it seems that in the red spectrum the function is largely the same throughout the red spectrum but that the infrared penetrates deeper than the red, just as the red penetrates deeper than orange (630nm).
In the comprehensive meta-anaylsis on light therapy titled “The Nuts and Bolts of Low-Level Laser (Light) Therapy,” the researchers stated:
"The wavelengths of light (light therapy) used fall into an "optical window" at red and NIR wavelengths (600-1070 nm). Effective tissue penetration is maximized in this range because the major tissue chromophores (hemoglobin and melanin) have high absorption bands at wavelengths shorter than 600 nm."
Wavelengths in the 600-700 nm range are used to treat superficial tissue, and longer wavelengths in the 780-950 nm range, which penetrate further, are used to treat deeper tissues. Wavelengths in the range of 700-770 nm have been found to have limited biochemical activity and are therefore not used.
What is the difference between 660nm and 850nm?
In simple terms, the 660nm light is absorbed faster by the skin, useful for those who want to reduce wrinkles, boost collagen and reduce scars and stretch marks.
The 850 nm light goes deeper into the body and helps with inflammation and joint pain and recovery of muscles and organs and health.
What to look for when buying a red light therapy device
When it comes to buying a red light therapy device you are in luck as there are many companies that have devices on the market but the downside is that it can be difficult to know which device is best for you.
There are a few things you should pay attention to when buying a Red Light Therapy device. Knowing what to look for can help you avoid unwanted products that do more damage than desired, and enable you to find the best bulb for your purpose at the best price.
We should inculcate this answer by saying this - the right device for one person may not be the best device for another. It really depends on your purpose - what you want from the device, and also mainly your budget.
The two most important things to look out for when buying a Red Light lamp are:
- Wavelength
- Power density / irradiation intensity
Why are these matters critical? What do they mean? And what is a good or a bad price?
Wavelength
Light consists of different lengths of waves - blue light has a wavelength of about 450-500nm. Red light is about 600-700nm. Invisible infrared light has lengths above 900 nm.
When purchasing a red light therapy lamp, it is important to know that you are getting the correct wavelength. Not all red lights are created equal.
For example, some wavelengths of red light are better than others. And some wavelengths are better at treating certain conditions than others.
What is a good general wavelength?
If you don't want to spend hours researching on pubmed, I would suggest going for a mid 600nm (630-670nm) wavelength and a mid 800 (830-850nm) short wave infrared wavelength.
If you find a panel that emits this light (or both lights as the NorahLux lamps do) then you have a winner.
What if the manufacturer doesn't list the wavelength?
Do not buy it. You just don't know what you are buying.
Unless you buy it and get your hands on a spectrometer (used to measure the wavelength) and test the output yourself? Then if it sends out wrong wavelengths, or not the wavelength you hoped for, just return it. Otherwise you take a chance, you don't really know what you are buying.
Please note that shipping costs abroad are often very expensive and you will not receive a refund of the import duties that you have already paid on an imported lamp. Also, some foreign companies do not do returns at all.
Power density / irradiation intensity
The second thing to know when looking for red light therapy devices is the power density or irradiance intensity. This is a value measured in milliwatts per square centimeter (or mW/cm2), which is simply the light intensity over an area. It shows how many photons pass through an area.
Why is it so important?
If you ignore the power density and just look at the wavelength, you could end up with a low power red light that has no healing effect on the body.
Even if the light is the exact wavelength you're looking for, if the power density is low, it won't help you achieve your goals.
This is why a red LED Christmas light is not effective as a light source for light therapy. It gives red light, but the power density is so low that it will have no effect on the body.
Having enough power density makes the difference between an exposure of 10 minutes or an exposure of 1 hour, or the difference between a result and no result!
What is a good wattage value?
Again, it depends. What are your goals, how many LEDs are there, what is your budget. In general, the higher the power density / irradiance intensity, the better the lamp (and the less time you need to reap the benefits).
A few things to note:
Power Consumption vs. Irradiation Intensity
The power consumption of the unit is different from the irradiation intensity. Power consumption is simply the amount of electricity required to power the device. It is the force that goes from the wall to the device before it is converted to red light.
Just because an RLT device has a high wattage does not mean that all this electricity is converted into beneficial red light. This is why high heat output from red light panels means a lot of power is wasted.
Power density at a distance
Also, the power density decreases as you move away from the light source. Make sure you know the necessary values at the distance you will have for the device. For example, some manufacturers will list a power density / irradiance intensity that seems good, but they don't specify what distance this figure corresponds to.
If you look at the chart below, let RedLightMan.com see the decrease in power density with distance from the light source:
you will see the 200mW/cm2 figure when you are up against the lamp, but only a 20mW/cm2 figure at 40cm away. Most people will not press their bodies against the lamp when using it which is also unnecessary and causes just a little more emf reception.
In reality, you will be about 5-10 cm away from the light panel when using it. For the example above, this means that the actual power density will be about 100-120 mW/cm2. Not the full 200 mW/cm2.
Another example is RedTherapy.co. In the image below you can see how their RedRush 360 panel puts out 105mW/cm2 at 6 inches, but at 36 inches the power is below 15mW/cm2.
On the plus side, due to the angle of incidence emitted by the light, the coverage area is much larger.
Be wary of this when looking for red light devices. If the energy density number listed does not indicate the distance at which it was measured, assume it is at the light source. Standing next to the light source can be unhealthy if nnEMF levels or heat output are high.
Respectable manufacturers will list not only the power density figures, but also the measured distance.
What if the manufacturer does not disclose the power density number?
Don't buy it until you have these numbers. I recommend emailing them and asking what their power density / irradiance values are for the device and ask them at what distance these values were measured. If they don't reveal it then you may be wondering.... Any manufacturer who believes in their product and understands red light therapy knows that power density is an important factor in making and using red light devices.
If they don't share this data, you should assume they don't want you to know the actual output, and so you'd probably be wasting your time and money with the device. While that doesn't mean the device won't be effective, it's just that you don't know exactly what you're working with and if you want to calculate the dosing time, that's not possible.
How can I measure the effectiveness of a red light treatment device?
Use a radiation meter to measure the light intensity, and the wavelengths with a spectrometer.
You can also use a solar power meter to measure watts per cm2. But beware: these are only suitable if you are measuring light with a single wavelength. Lamps with a range of wavelengths, such as standard incandescent lamps, cannot be tested with a solar energy meter because too many irrelevant wavelengths are measured.
Although, if you are very serious and want a very accurate wavelength measurement, you can look for a dedicated infrared light meter to measure light above 750nm, as most spectrometers are designed to measure visible light. Most suppliers assume the values supplied by the manufacturers, of course this usually results in fair results, but measured with a meter which gives high results. As indicated earlier, there is as yet no standard with which to measure.
Starting from your own senses is already a reasonable indication. Do the red LEDs look red or very orange? (Orange has its own positive effects on the body, so this does not have to be wrong) and the infrared LEDs should have a red glow in the core in the dark, but be very weak and invisible in other (brighter) light and to give off a light pleasant warmth.
Is there a difference between red light devices that flicker or pulse and those that don't?
There are some studies with pulsed light that show benefits, but there are also several studies that suggest that pulsed treatments are no more effective than the sum of the "on" time. That is why we try to give our LEDs as much “on” time as possible with efficient power consumption. There are hundreds of studies proving that this is effective.
There are three ways that pulsing can help:
- Vigorous pulses will reach deeper tissue. By submerging CCO absorption sites in shallower tissue with short strong pulses, more of the remaining light energy will be available to deeper tissue. Not pulsing at an equally strong intensity will be better as it will take much less treatment time, but the device may get too hot.
- If there is a "luminosity threshold effect" in cells, strong pulses may be better. By this I mean there could be something in tissue that requires a certain amount of "activation energy" to cause a reaction rather than the individual photon theorem.
- If there is something of interest in the tissue that responds to certain types of pulses as described above. It would take an enormous amount of smart research to determine what kind of pulsing is best (duration, waveform and/or pauses).
Can I use a red light therapy lamp more than once a day?
Certainly. Please note that for optimal results there is an upper limit to the dose of your red light therapy. After that, you may see declining returns.
More is not always better. That said, the risks associated with overdosing on red light therapy are much lower than overdosing on UV light.
Using too much red light usually means that the effects of the red light therapy are greatly diminished. Diminished effects mean you just won't get any benefit from the session - UV light on the contrary can actually damage you if you apply too much of it.
This optimal dose means that the red light therapy follows an inverted U-curve, where either too little or too much red light therapy provides no benefit and only optimal dosing provides the most benefits.
As you can see in the picture above, it is still important to dial in the right dose to get the most benefits from the red light therapy.
The dose of red light exposure varies between your target, the distance to the device, the device itself etc. and of course the time you spend using the device. There's no reason why you can't use your RLT more than once a day. The question is rather, do I need to use the lamp several times a day?
When I use my Red Light Therapy device, everything appears green and blue. Why is this?
The eye becomes saturated in red light when exposed to red light devices, in turn increasing the eye's sensitivity to other colors such as blue and green.
When you move away from the source of red light, vision takes a while to normalize, making your surroundings appear much more blue while the red tones are reduced.
It only takes a few seconds to adjust back to normal conditions.
RedLightMan.com said the following:
"Your eyes will adjust to the bright red light after a few sessions and it will even be beneficial to them, improve general vision and prevent AMD/cataracts/etc. If you are very sensitive, you should put short wave infrared light on the using face instead of red (since shortwave infrared is invisible and doesn't overstimulate the eyes)."
My local salon / gym / health center has a red light, is this a good device?
It depends on the device they are using. Is it a NorahLux? Other: NO! :D
Now seriously:
If it's a NovoThor or MitoGen red light bed, yes, these are high quality devices! Probably the best on the market (these devices can cost over 100,000 euros!)
Otherwise, you may have to do some digging around the quality of the device. Use the knowledge from our articles or from the articles by Joovv or RedLightMan or by experts such as Jack Kruse or Dave Asprey.
Can I use red light to help my skin?
Red light therapy has been proven to improve the appearance of the skin without any known side effects. Red light therapy increases blood flow to the skin, increasing skin regeneration.
In addition, red light activates stem cells around the skin, which then help them multiply into new skin cells. In turn, it improves many skin processes, such as reducing acne, inhibiting scar tissue in the skin, reducing sunburn, inhibiting stretch marks and even helping to heal burns.
Red light therapy can also improve skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. The skin will become tighter and smoother, wrinkles will become smaller and smaller and the collagen density of the skin will improve. The feel of the skin and skin color are also improved.
How do you reap these amazing benefits?
Make sure your red light bulb emits a visible red light (range 600-700 nm). And aim to use the device for 5-10 minutes a day (although the duration and distance from the light source will depend on the power output of the light).
Studies have shown that when using a red light therapy lamp for skin benefits, you don't need as high a dosage requirement as you do for deeper tissue benefits.
Can you tell me how to use red light to boost testosterone?
Optimal hormone functioning already starts in the brain. Different brain regions, such as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, are involved in that process. However, until recently, it was not known that thyroid function also affects the production of steroid hormones. Thus, improving thyroid function also improves the production of steroid hormones, such as testosterone. To achieve this effect, you must specifically use the red light therapy lamp on your thyroid gland.
In addition to enhancing steroid action through thyroid hormones, red light therapy can also increase steroid hormones such as testosterone by directly stimulating energy production in associated organs. An example is testosterone production in the testicles.
Remember that red light can penetrate deep into the body, increasing energy production in specific organs. When the right dose of red light therapy is applied to the testicles, testosterone levels can actually increase up to threefold.
A few important points are:
- In most cases, a red light treatment directly on the testicles for short regular periods should increase testosterone levels over time.
- Stick to LED light therapy for maximum safety and benefits. Visible red (600-700nm) LEDs are optimal. Session time of 2-20 minutes depending on light intensity / heat.
- Red or infrared light from an LED source (600-950nm) can be safely applied to the testes with no risk of side effects or damage, while delivering all the benefits; improved fertility, improved testosterone production, etc.
- Sunlight can also be used on the testes, but only for short periods and it is not without risks.
- Avoid exposure to blue/UV light.
- Avoid any kind of heat lamp/bulb.
Can you tell me how to use red light therapy to help with oral health?
Much research has been done on the treatment of red light and its benefits for oral and dental health. Red light therapy applied to the teeth reduces tooth hypersensitivity, reduces harmful bacteria in the mouth, heals wounds and canker sores in the mouth, and increases bone remodeling after tooth damage. This means that red light therapy can help a good dental practice, and works as a holistic method to improve all-round dental care.
To use red light therapy for oral care, the light must not only penetrate the cheeks, but the light must also reach the teeth. You can just use red light therapy for a few minutes every day after brushing your teeth.
It is important to use a strong red light panel to ensure you get enough light penetration through the cheek.
The main requirement for oral light therapy is the ability of the light to penetrate the cheek tissue, and then also to penetrate the gums, enamel and bones. Skin and surface tissue blocks 90-95% of incoming light. Stronger light sources are therefore necessary with regard to LEDs. Weaker light devices would only have an effect on surface issues; unable to eliminate deeper infections, treat gums, bones and reach more difficult molars.
If the light can penetrate the palm of your hand to some extent, it will be suitable for penetrating your cheeks. Infrared light penetrates to a slightly greater depth than red light, although the power of the light is always the most important factor in penetration.
We recommend red/infrared LED light from a concentrated source (50 - 200mW/cm² or more power density). Lower power devices can be used, but the effective application time would be exponentially higher.
Red and infrared LEDs are both effective for oral light therapy. Session time of 2-10 minutes, depending on light intensity / heat. Stronger light is required for cheek/gum penetration. Alternatively, you can also invest in a smaller portable unit to help with oral health.
What is so special about LEDs for red light therapy?
Simple - it's an energy-efficient way to emit a very special wavelength of light. Other lamps, such as incandescent or halogen lamps, emit a range of light, including red, green, yellow, blue, and possibly invisible light such as UV or infrared. This means that you have to expend a lot of energy to receive only part of the therapeutic red light.
LEDs or Light Emitting Diodes - on the other hand can be manufactured to give a precise wavelength of light - say 660nm - without emitting any other light.
This means the LEDs convert more power into the useful light that users of red light therapies seek. In addition, there is less heat from LEDs - because heat can negatively affect the body or some of the benefits that red light has on the body (for example, red light on testicles has been shown to improve testosterone levels, but heating testicles can reduce testosterone levels.
What is the difference between these red light devices and grow lights used by gardeners?
Power density / irradiation intensity. That's the main difference. The power density of most grow lights is very poor. Usually less than 10 mW/cm2 at a few centimeters from the light. Much lower than the 100-200mW/cm2 ranges emitted by red light therapy devices.
Here's a comment RedLightMan made about grow lights:
The wide positioning of the LEDs, the wide beam angle and so on that you generally find in these types of 'grow light' devices make them unsuitable for light therapy.
Like so many things in life, you get what you pay for. A $30 red LED light on Amazon doesn't have the same features as a $1000 specially designed red light device. Grow lights are designed to grow plants. Red Light Therapy devices are designed for red light therapy.
Apart from that, grow lights for plants have a wider spectrum as plants need the blue (UV) light for photosynthesis, this is not what you are looking for in red light therapy.
What is the difference between Red Light Therapy, Photobiomodulation, LLLT and Light Therapy?
LLLT stands for 'Low Level Laser Therapy' - where lasers are used to beam a certain wavelength of light onto the body for its healing and therapeutic benefits.
Red Light Therapy involves the use of red and shortwave infrared light for its healing and therapeutic benefits. This light can come from LEDs, lasers, incandescent bulbs, or even the sun.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) is another name for using low power lasers or LED lights that emit a specific wavelength to help the body. In essence, photobiomodulation is the same as low-grade laser therapy. And Red Light Therapy falls under these terms because it only looks at the red and infrared wavelengths of light.
Other names for PBM and LLLT may include low-power laser therapy (LPLT), low-intensity laser therapy, cold laser therapy, low-energy laser therapy, bio-stim laser therapy, photo-biotherapy, monochromatic infrared light energy (MIRE) therapy, and therapeutic laser .
Light therapy -- also known as phototherapy or heliotherapy -- looks at light (of different colors from different sources) to help with medical conditions, sleep disorders, jet lag, seasonal affective disorder, and vitamin D deficiencies.
What is the difference between red light and shortwave infrared light?
Shortwave infrared light (NIR) is invisible to the naked eye and has a wavelength of ~700nm to ~1400nm.
Red light is visible to the naked eye and has a wavelength of ~600nm to 700nm.
Both types of light have been shown to be beneficial for healing and well-being. With NIR light less than 950nm with the deepest skin penetration (2 to 3mm versus the 1 to 2mm with red light and higher wavelength NIR light).
The main difference between these two wavelengths is their ability to penetrate skin tissue. Red light waves at 660nm are absorbed more quickly by the outer layers of your skin, causing them to produce collagen, resulting in numerous benefits such as wrinkle reduction, improved skin tone and the fading of scars and stretch marks. 850nm shortwave infrared light generates almost the same cellular response as 660nm red light, but a greater percentage of shortwave photons can penetrate deeper into your body. This equates to benefits such as reduced joint pain and inflammation, improved muscle recovery and nerve regeneration. These benefits of shortwave infrared light at 850 nm are supported by a large number of studies that we have covered in multiple articles.
An additional difference is that 850 nm LEDs produce a 30% higher radiation intensity with the same wattage. The combination of these factors leads to some impressive results!
What is the difference between red light and sunlight? Will I not get the benefits of red light therapy from being in the sun?
There are two issues with using the sun as a red light source for RLT, they are:
- Getting the right wavelength of light at the right intensity, and
- The other wavelengths of light you are exposed to at the same time (this can affect the effect of red light on your body. For example, red light can help with collagen production and wrinkles, but UV light can damage collagen and lead to wrinkles).
What is the difference between illuminance and power density? And can a lux meter be used to measure power density?
A lux meter measures illuminance, the light intensity of light visible to the human eye. The light is measured in lux or lumen per square meter. Green and yellow are some of the brightest colors in the visible light spectrum.
Wikipedia says this:
"The lux is one lumen per square meter (lm/m2), and the corresponding radiometric unit, which measures the irradiance, is the watts per square meter (W/m2). There is no conversion factor of any kind between lx and W/m2; there is a different conversion factor for each wavelength and it is not possible to make a conversion unless one knows the spectral composition of the light."
Therefore, a lux meter is not a reliable tool to measure wavelength specific power density.
You may also have heard of a PAR meter - this is used by plant growers and it measures the light used by plants in photosynthesis. Therefore, a Lux meter and a PAR meter will give different results from the same light source.
What is Polychromatic Light Therapy?
Polychromatic light therapy means that multiple wavelengths of light are used at the same time. All our lamps contain both 660nm and 850nm light.
What are the pros and cons of this?
Benefits - exposure to multiple wavelengths (and the unique benefits that come with each wave).
Disadvantages - less exposure to a certain wavelength.
Does Red Light work through clothing?
If the material blocks light, it will affect the effectiveness of the red light device. See-through clothing or material will also allow some light to pass through, but thick clothing or black-colored clothing will block the light.
For best results use lightly on bare skin.
Can you tell me how to use red light to aid wound healing after surgery?
The team of RedLightMan.com had this to say about wound healing:
"Certainly, almost all of them are suitable for such an operation. Red lights will be better for more superficial skin damage from surgery. Shortwave infrared is better for substantially deeper tissue damage from surgery. In your case, a combo light may be most ideal Using the light at about 50-100 mW/cm2 is probably ideal for fairly deeper surgical damage. 5-10 minutes is fine from about 10-20 cm away."
Will the red light device affect my sleep?
It is well known that blue light suppresses melatonin, increases cortisol and disrupts sleep. A quality red light device should not emit blue light. But there is some evidence that red light can have a small impact on sleep if the light intensity is strong enough. I personally do have a lighter sleep when using red light late at night. But I do have friends and clients who have noticed that their sleep remains just as deep when using red light right before bed.
For this reason, we recommend that you do your red light session in the morning or during the day. Failing that, try keeping your red light session as far away from your bedtime as possible, or experiment to see if the light affects your sleep or not. Perhaps even more important, given that the healthiest people need an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per day, see if the difference is less sleep and just as much energy.
But all this is irrelevant if you don't block blue light in the evening, we now also sell special glasses for this!
Are there any side effects of using red light therapy devices?
The worst side effects of red light therapy are headaches and exhaustion, as the body needs a lot of energy for the healing and mitochondria-building processes that the red light treatment results in. Fortunately, red light therapy can never result in sunburn because no device emits UV radiation.
Also consider asking the company how high the emitted non-native electromagnetic frequencies of the device are. Some users have reported that their LED red light therapy devices emit large amounts of foreign electromagnetic frequencies.
Finally, it is recommended to avoid red light therapy after sunset. On the one hand, red light therapy will never suppress melatonin levels like blue or green light. But on the other hand, red light can suppress melatonin levels when the light intensity is strong enough. Of course you don't want your melatonin levels to be suppressed, because optimal melatonin levels are necessary for deep sleep. Therefore, always test the influence of red light on your sleep if you use it after sunset before you make a fixed pattern of it.