Red light therapy devices vary widely in cost, style, quality, and effectiveness.
In this article, we compare the best qualities of some of the top red light therapy panels on the market to help set them apart.
When considering this, it’s important to go beyond the ‘look’ of a panel to see what’s really under the hood and to understand how this actually impacts the efficacy of therapeutic treatment.
Read on to learn more about some of the top red light therapy panels on the market to see which would be the best for you.
What is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy (RLT) is a treatment modality that is growing in popularity for natural healing, in part because it treats the cause of bodily dysfunction rather than masking symptoms as is so often the case with pharmaceuticals today, unfortunately.
Numerous clinical studies suggest that this non-invasive, painless, and natural therapy stimulates the mitochondria, providing energy that helps heal tissues deeper in the body, which manifest themselves in visible, surface-level skin improvements.
During treatment, light in the visible red spectrum and the invisible near-infrared spectrum is delivered to bare skin using light emitting diodes (LEDs) calibrated to emit wavelengths of light that each have specific therapeutic value.
In the next section, we’ll discuss some of the main benefits of RLT.
Is Red Light Therapy Effective?
RLT has numerous therapeutic benefits. At its core, these come from stimulating the mitochondria, a mechanism of action that treats the body holistically.
Here are some of the widespread benefits of red light therapy:
- Accelerated tissue healing and wound healing, which results in faster workout recovery.
- Reduced systemic inflation, which has numerous other holistic health benefits.
- Reduced joint pain, which can help with arthritis.
- Restored nerve function for those with neuropathy.
- Improved skin health, and treatment for signs of aging.
- Reduced acne and skin redness.
In the following section, we look into this in more detail, starting with the question of delivery devices.
Key Benefits of Red Light Therapy Panels vs. Other RLT Devices
There are several factors that impact the therapeutic effectiveness of an RLT device.
Included in these are the following:
- The number of therapeutic wavelengths emitted by the device.
- The intensity of the wavelengths
- The distribution of light intensity among the wavelengths provided.
- The physical coverage of light provided.
The ideal red light therapy device would provide more rather than less therapeutic wavelengths at high intensity, with that intensity distributed in direct proportion to the body’s ability to absorb those wavelengths, and would entail ‘full-body’ coverage.
One common misunderstanding about RLT treatment is that devices that target specific areas of the body are optimal for treating those areas.
Conversely, the surface-level symptoms seen in specific areas on the surface of the body stem from core systemic issues that require full body treatment. Exposing the entire body to RLT treatment is what provides widespread mitochondrial stimulation that winds up resolving these numerous specific issues.
Thus, the idea of targeted treatment is inherently unsound. This is what brings us to question the efficacy of non-panel devices, including hand-held wands, masks, wraps, blankets, and other small devices. These also often have much weaker intensity and emit fewer therapeutic wavelengths.
The only other competing device that is left are red light therapy beds, which are not only extremely expensive, but may also fail in one important aspect.
Resting directly on the surface of light diodes prevents the light wavelengths from mixing, which is another significant advantage of getting treatment from a multi-wavelength panel while administering treatment at a distance, meaning physically being from six inches to a foot from the light diodes during treatment.
Panels also offer hands-free light therapy. They can be hung on a door, and you can purchase optional horizontal or vertical stands for some models. Some panels even come with stands that allow for placement over a bed, so you can take red light treatment while lying down comfortably.
Some panels are modular, meaning you can link several together. This will increase the treatment area and the light energy output. Even when looking at price, panels are often as expensive or sometimes even less expensive than many of the targeted treatment devices.
Our conclusion is that when considering the underlying principles of the mechanism of action for therapeutic effectiveness, it’s difficult to question that red light therapy panels are optimal for treatment.
Given this, in the following section, we take a look at some of the best red light therapy panels on the market.
