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Light therapy is clearly enjoying a moment. There are now available glowing gadgets for everything from dermatological concerns and fine lines to sore muscles and periodontal issues, recently introduced is a toothbrush enhanced with small red light diodes, promoted by the creators as “a major advance for domestic dental hygiene.” Internationally, the market was worth $1bn in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1.8bn by 2035. There are even infrared saunas available, where instead of hot coals (real or electric) heating the air, your body is warmed directly by infrared light. Based on supporter testimonials, it feels similar to a full-body light therapy session, boosting skin collagen, soothing sore muscles, relieving inflammation and persistent medical issues as well as supporting brain health.

Research and Reservations

“It feels almost magical,” says a neuroscience expert, who has researched light therapy for two decades. Certainly, certain impacts of light on human physiology are proven. Our bodies produce vitamin D through sun exposure, needed for bone health, immunity, muscles and more. Sunlight regulates our circadian rhythms, additionally, triggering the release of neurochemicals and hormones while we are awake, and winding down bodily functions for sleep as it fades into night. Artificial sun lamps frequently help individuals with seasonal depression to boost low mood in winter. Clearly, light energy is essential for optimal functioning.

Different Light Modalities

Although mood lamps generally utilize blue-spectrum frequencies, most other light therapy devices deploy red or infrared light. In rigorous scientific studies, including research on infrared’s impact on neural cells, finding the right frequency is key. Photons represent electromagnetic waves, extending from long-wavelength radiation to short-wavelength gamma rays. Light-based treatment utilizes intermediate light frequencies, the highest energy of those being invisible ultraviolet, followed by visible light encompassing rainbow colors and infrared light visible through night vision technology.

Ultraviolet treatment has been employed by skin specialists for decades to manage persistent skin disorders including eczema and psoriasis. It modulates intracellular immune mechanisms, “and dampens down inflammation,” explains Dr Bernard Ho. “There’s lots of evidence for phototherapy.” UVA goes deeper into the skin than UVB, while the LEDs in consumer devices (which generally deliver red, infrared or blue light) “typically have shallower penetration.”

Risk Assessment and Professional Supervision

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, so the dosage is monitored,” says Ho. Most importantly, the light sources are adjusted by technical experts, “to ensure that the wavelength that’s being delivered is fit for purpose – as opposed to commercial tanning facilities, where oversight might be limited, and we don’t really know what wavelengths are being used.”

Consumer Devices and Evidence Gaps

Red and blue light sources, he says, “don’t have strong medical applications, but they may help with certain conditions.” Red light devices, some suggest, enhance blood flow, oxygen uptake and cell renewal in the skin, and stimulate collagen production – a primary objective in youth preservation. “The evidence is there,” states the dermatologist. “However, it’s limited.” Regardless, amid the sea of devices now available, “we’re uncertain whether commercial devices replicate research conditions. We don’t know the duration, ideal distance from skin surface, whether or not that will increase the risk versus the benefit. Many uncertainties remain.”

Specific Applications and Professional Perspectives

Initial blue-light devices addressed acne bacteria, a microbe associated with acne. Scientific backing remains inadequate for regular prescription – even though, explains the specialist, “it’s commonly used in cosmetic clinics.” Some of his patients use it as part of their routine, he mentions, but if they’re buying a device for home use, “we recommend careful testing and security confirmation. If it’s not medically certified, standards are somewhat unclear.”

Innovative Investigations and Molecular Effects

Meanwhile, in a far-flung field of pioneering medical science, scientists have been studying cerebral tissue, revealing various pathways for light-enhanced cell function. “Nearly every test with precise light frequencies demonstrated advantageous outcomes,” he says. Multiple claimed advantages have created skepticism toward light treatment – that results appear unrealistic. But his research has thoroughly changed his mind in that respect.

The scientist mainly develops medications for neurological conditions, but over 20 years ago, a doctor developing photonic antiviral treatment consulted his scientific background. “He designed tools for biological testing,” he says. “I was pretty sceptical. The specific wavelength measured approximately 1070nm, that many assumed was biologically inert.”

Its beneficial characteristic, however, was that it travelled through water easily, allowing substantial bodily penetration.

Cellular Energy and Neurological Benefits

Additional research indicated infrared affected cellular mitochondria. Mitochondria produce ATP for cell function, generating energy for them to function. “Mitochondria exist throughout the body, particularly in neural cells,” notes the researcher, who, as a neuroscientist, decided to focus the research on brain cells. “Studies demonstrate enhanced cerebral circulation with light treatment, which is consistently beneficial.”

Using 1070nm wavelength, cellular power plants create limited oxidative molecules. In limited quantities these molecules, notes the scientist, “stimulates so-called chaperone proteins which look after your mitochondria, preserve cell function and eliminate damaged proteins.”

All of these mechanisms appear promising for treating a brain disease: oxidative protection, swelling control, and pro-autophagy – self-digestion mechanisms eliminating harmful elements.

Present Investigation Status and Expert Assessments

The last time Chazot checked the literature on using the 1070 wavelength on human dementia patients, he states, several hundred individuals participated in various investigations, comprising his early research projects