Red light therapy has become a popular at-home treatment that promises measurable results without side effects.
In the following sections, we explore the most common mistakes users make during red light therapy treatment.
Check out the BIOMAX Series red light therapy panels for more information.
Mistake #1: Being Too Close Or Too Far Away During Treatment
One common mistake is being too close or too far away from a red light therapy panel.
Getting too close to a device will prevent the wavelengths from mixing as they come into contact with the skin. This essentially cancels out the benefits of stimulating the mitochondria with multiple wavelengths simultaneously.
It’s also for this reason that devices like red light therapy masks are less optimal for treatment than red light therapy panels. Close contact essentially blocks the projection of the light diodes.
The heat experienced when being too close to a red light therapy panel may also not be ideal.
Being too far away can also reduce the intensity of the treatment.
We recommend being 6-12 inches from red light therapy panels during treatment.
Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Red Light Therapy Device
Full body panels offer the best treatment in every scenario, because they treat the mitochondria throughout the entire body, which results in healing for all parts of the body that might otherwise be specifically targeted.
While it may be counterintuitive, this explains why devices that target specific areas are actually not more effective at healing them, the potential only exception to this being blue light exposure, which destroys bacteria on the surface of the skin.
Smaller panels are less effective than large once, and devices other than panels are seldom worthwhile while often not even being less expensive.
Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Red Light Therapy Wavelengths
Red light therapy panels look similar from the outside, but the wavelengths they emit can differ significantly, and the wavelengths themselves are a big part of what causes mitochondrial stimulation.
The higher a wavelength is, the deeper it penetrates into the skin. Using multiple wavelengths ensures noninvasive therapeutic penetration beyond the skin to various depths. While the surface area exposure should be maximized, the same is true of exposure to healthy, stimulating wavelengths from the surface to as deep as possible.
Near-infrared light is ideal for treating signs of aging, sun damage, acne, rosacea, psoriasis, crepey skin, and stretch marks. Meanwhile, NIR+ light is required for treating muscle aches, deep bruises, joint pain, healing, and systemic inflammation. For extremely deep-tissue healing and to activate the body’s ‘heat shock proteins,’ users should seek a panel that emits 1064nm wavelengths.
Devices with a variety of wavelengths offer optimal flexibility and better results during treatment.
Blue light therapy is best for treating acne-causing bacteria on the surface of the skin. Green light has shown some promise, but less overall therapeutic value. The other tones on the color spectrum meanwhile fall far shorter in terms of effectiveness. This includes yellow, cyan, purple light therapy devices etc.
The bottom line is to seek a variety of red light wavelengths and traces of blue light also would not hurt.
Mistake #4: Covering The Body While Using Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy works best when it is applied to bare, clean skin. Clothing, makeup, face powder, henna, oils, and lotions can block and scatter light.
For this reason, shortly after showering is generally the perfect time for a red light therapy session.
The same generally goes for clothing. Red light therapy works best when the skin has maximum exposure.
Mistake #5: Infrequent Red Light Therapy Treatment Sessions
Red light therapy typically requires at least a few weeks before results are seen. During this time, it’s important to keep up regular treatment.
It works at the cellular level. Once individual cells are treated and their function is restored, the body needs time for the effects to become evident.
Doing red light therapy once in a while won’t yield great results. For optimal results, users should try to have sessions of up to 20 minutes, four days per week.
Consistent red light therapy supports cells in all stages at the same time: emerging, mature, and damaged cells.
Mistake #6: Excessively Long Treatment Sessions
Users get the most out of red light therapy by having daily treatment sessions. As long as users stick to treatment guidelines, they don’t experience any side effects.
Some users will be tempted to get more intense treatment by having longer-than-recommended treatment sessions. This may seem ideal for an ultra committed user, but it’s not recommended.
At best, the user will experience diminishing returns from super long sessions, and at worst, the user will have minor side effects, such as redness of the skin. We should stress that there is no risk of any serious adverse events as a result of excessively long treatment times. These are mostly just not recommended because they result in very significantly diminished returns.
In a way, red light therapy is like food for the cells. By providing them with small amounts of light daily, they will function beautifully. In being ‘stuffed’ through excessively long sessions, most of the energy is just wasted.
For those with more free time to spend on health optimization, there are plenty of other things that can be done, such as exercise and meditation!
Mistake #7: Forgetting Supplemental Treatments
Red light therapy is an excellent practice and it works even better when combined with the many elements of a healthy lifestyle.
It has been shown to treat numerous chronic conditions, which are also helped by good nutrition and potentially other doctor-recommended treatments.
We recommend that users consult with a doctor to maximize their chances of having optimal health and/or addressing any ailments.
Mistake #8: Expecting Overnight Results
Red light therapy can take several weeks or longer before results start to appear. It will be easier to engage in daily treatment when it becomes habitual.
Nonetheless, having a panel at home makes treatment far easier and more convenient, far more so than needing to go to a clinic every time treatment is sought.
Better, Faster Results with the BIOMAX Series
Using a powerful medical-grade light therapy device from a legitimate and reputable company is another important factor in getting results.
The BIOMAX series feature the most comprehensive treatment available, including R+ wavelengths, NIR+ wavelengths, and traces of blue wavelengths as well.
Check out the Learning Center to discover the many ways red light therapy can improve your overall well being!
