‘It appears magical’: does light therapy actually deliver clearer skin, healthier teeth, and more resilient joints?

Light therapy is certainly having a wave of attention. There are now available glowing gadgets targeting issues like dermatological concerns and fine lines along with sore muscles and oral inflammation, recently introduced is a toothbrush outfitted with tiny red LEDs, marketed by the company as “a significant discovery in at-home oral care.” Globally, the market was worth $1bn in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1.8bn by 2035. You can even go and sit in an infrared sauna, that employ light waves rather than traditional heat sources, the infrared radiation heats your body itself. Based on supporter testimonials, it feels similar to a full-body light therapy session, stimulating skin elasticity, soothing sore muscles, relieving inflammation and long-term ailments while protecting against dementia.

Research and Reservations

“It feels almost magical,” observes Paul Chazot, who has researched light therapy for two decades. Naturally, we know light influences biological functions. Our bodies produce vitamin D through sun exposure, needed for bone health, immunity, muscles and more. Sunlight regulates our circadian rhythms, as well, stimulating neurotransmitter and hormone production during daytime, and winding down bodily functions for sleep as it fades into night. Sunlight-imitating lamps are standard treatment for winter mood disorders to combat seasonal emotional slumps. So there’s no doubt we need light energy to function well.

Different Light Modalities

Although mood lamps generally utilize blue-spectrum frequencies, consumer light therapy products mostly feature red and infrared emissions. In serious clinical research, such as Chazot’s investigations into the effects of infrared on brain cells, determining the precise frequency is essential. Light constitutes electromagnetic energy, spanning from low-energy radio waves to the highest-energy (gamma waves). Phototherapy, or light therapy utilizes intermediate light frequencies, with ultraviolet representing the higher energy invisible light, then visible light (all the colours we see in a rainbow) and then infrared (which we can see with night-vision goggles).

Dermatologists have utilized UV therapy for extensive periods to treat chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and vitiligo. It affects cellular immune responses, “and dampens down inflammation,” says a dermatology expert. “Considerable data validates phototherapy.” UVA goes deeper into the skin than UVB, in contrast to LEDs in commercial products (typically emitting red, infrared or blue wavelengths) “tend to be a bit more superficial.”

Safety Considerations and Medical Oversight

UVB radiation effects, including sunburn or skin darkening, are recognized but medical equipment uses controlled narrow-band delivery – meaning smaller wavelengths – that reduces potential hazards. “It’s supervised by a healthcare professional, meaning intensity is regulated,” notes the specialist. And crucially, the light sources are adjusted by technical experts, “to ensure that the wavelength that’s being delivered is fit for purpose – different from beauty salons, where it’s a bit unregulated, and emission spectra aren’t confirmed.”

Commercial Products and Research Limitations

Colored light diodes, he notes, “aren’t typically employed clinically, though they might benefit some issues.” Red LEDs, it is proposed, help boost blood circulation, oxygen utilization and cell renewal in the skin, and activate collagen formation – an important goal for anti-aging. “The evidence is there,” comments the expert. “But it’s not conclusive.” Regardless, with numerous products on the market, “it’s unclear if device outputs match study parameters. We don’t know the duration, how close the lights should be to the skin, if benefits outweigh potential risks. Numerous concerns persist.”

Specific Applications and Professional Perspectives

Early blue-light applications focused on skin microbes, microorganisms connected to breakouts. Research support isn’t sufficient for standard medical recommendation – although, says Ho, “it’s frequently employed in beauty centers.” Individuals include it in their skincare practices, he mentions, though when purchasing home devices, “we advise cautious experimentation and safety verification. Unless it’s a medical device, standards are somewhat unclear.”

Cutting-Edge Studies and Biological Processes

Simultaneously, in a far-flung field of pioneering medical science, scientists have been studying cerebral tissue, identifying a number of ways in which infrared can boost cellular health. “Nearly every test with precise light frequencies demonstrated advantageous outcomes,” he reports. It is partly these many and varied positive effects on cellular health that have driven skepticism about light therapy – that claims seem exaggerated. However, scientific investigation has altered his perspective.

The scientist mainly develops medications for neurological conditions, however two decades past, a physician creating light-based cold sore therapy requested his biological knowledge. “He designed tools for biological testing,” he explains. “I remained doubtful. The specific wavelength measured approximately 1070nm, which most thought had no biological effect.”

The advantage it possessed, though, was that it travelled through water easily, enabling deeper tissue penetration.

Mitochondrial Effects and Brain Health

More evidence was emerging at the time that infrared light targeted the mitochondria in cells. Mitochondria produce ATP for cell function, creating power for cellular operations. “Every cell in your body has mitochondria, including the brain,” says Chazot, who, as a neuroscientist, decided to focus the research on brain cells. “Studies demonstrate enhanced cerebral circulation with light treatment, which is generally advantageous.”

With 1070 treatment, energy organelles generate minimal reactive oxygen compounds. At controlled levels these compounds, notes the scientist, “activates protective proteins that safeguard mitochondria, look after your cells and also deal with the unwanted proteins.”

These processes show potential for neurological conditions: free radical neutralization, swelling control, and waste removal – autophagy representing cellular waste disposal.

Current Research Status and Professional Opinions

When recently reviewing 1070nm research for cognitive decline, he states, about 400 people were taking part in four studies, comprising his early research projects