The beauty world is abuzz with LED therapy, a treatment using light-emitting diodes to tackle skin woes, from acne to wrinkles. Once confined to NASA labs and dermatologists’ clinics, these devices are now available as at-home face masks, promising transformative results. This article explores this surge, spotlighting how photobiomodulation (PBM)—the process where light energy triggers cellular changes—has shifted from scientific curiosity to…
Red light therapy unveiled: miracle cure or overhyped trend?
A Stanford Medicine Scope article, published on February 24, 2025, dives into the growing phenomenon of red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, which has captured attention in both medical clinics and home settings for its potential to improve skin, promote hair growth, and address various health issues. This therapy employs low-level red light wavelengths to penetrate the skin, aiming to stimulate cellular processes. Specifically, it targets fibroblasts - cells responsible for producing collagen - thus supporting skin rejuvenation and hair regrowth…
IPL vs LED red light therapy for facial skin redness
Superficial facial vascular lesions (facial redness, thread/spider veins) can be an aesthetic problem as well as a symptom of different skin diseases. Risk factors include Fitzpatrick skin types I, II and III, significant sun exposure, rosacea, alcohol consumption and smoking. Facial spider veins and related facial vascular lesions are treated with laser, IPL and LED phototherapy treatments. The first two (laser and IPL) are generally more effective but also can cause side effects, such pain, erythema/redness and less often oedema, blistering, hematoma, crusting, hyperpigmentation, scarring, keloid formation and infection…
Infrared light therapy for achilles tendinopathy
The most common treatment regime for achilles tendon injury involves eccentric exercises to effect fibre remodelling. However, low level light therapy (LED or laser), usually in the infrared range for improved penetration, is also used for soft tissue / sports injuries, such as tendinopathies, always in combination with exercise. The randomized controlled trial listed below investigated the clinical effectiveness of an eccentric exercise regime for achilles tendinopathy and evaluated the additional benefits of photobiomodulation (low level light therapy, LLLT) as an adjunct treatment. The study challenged the necessity of the intensive Alfredson protocol…
Can I use retinol before/after an LED mask?
Depending on the type of retinol you are using, it may be quite harsh/sensitising on your skin, especially when combined with light. So applying retinol before LED treatment is not recommended. In fact, light skin absorption is maximum when it is cleansed with nothing applied on it. You can always apply actives after treatment…
Can you overdo it with LED therapy?
LED light therapy, also known as low level light therapy (LLLT), is rightly acknowledged as a very, very safe type of treatment, with minimal and rare adverse reactions. Indeed, treatment with LED light can only go wrong if provided in a very, very stupid way. This is usually the case when extremely high intensity, extremely long treatment times or a combination of both is utilised. Luckily, most home and even professional devices on the market are not strong enough for this to easily occur but it is still possible…
Advanced LED light therapy treatments for back acne in London
Hyaluronic acid before red light therapy
A lot of LED mask companies suggest that you use a (usually very expensive) serum before having a red/infrared light therapy session with their mask. However, skin has to be as clean as possible before LED treatment, especially with an LED mask, which by definition - and for safety purposes - is of low-power. This is because the skin surface has to display the smallest reflection possible, in order to…
Advanced red light therapy treatments in London
Advanced blue, infrared and red light therapy treatments in London for anti-ageing, skin rejuvenation, acne, wound healing, skin firming, back pain, sports injuries, stress relief and deep relaxation at LipoTherapeia, in the heart of London. Two decades of experience, honest advice, personalised treatment, caring service. Book now!
How does infrared / red light therapy work?
Energy in every single cell of the human body is produced in specialised cell compartments called mitochondria. Mitochondria is where oxygen is utilised to produce ATP, the energy currency of the cell. If mitochondria malfunction then the whole cell malfunctions and underperforms. On the skin, this can lead to aesthetic problems (dull, irritated, inflamed or unhealthy skin). In other organs and tissues this can lead to a poorer state of health, lower energy levels, slower recovery from injuries etc…
Laser and red/infrared LED light therapy vs radiofrequency and cavitation for skin tightening and cellulite
Which is better for body skin tightening and cellulite: laser or radio frequency? Absolutely NOT laser. Laser is way too superficial and also pointless for skin tightening or cellulite. There are two types of lasers: strong, ablative, lasers aim to burn the surface of the skin to stimulate new epidermal growth. Cellulite, however, is found at the deepest layer of the skin (hypodermis), not the most superficial (epidermis), so ablative lasers do not work for cellulite at all…
Red light therapy: are 10 minutes enough?
Red and infrared LED light therapy is quite effective and very safe for both aesthetic applications and health applications (back pain, musculoskeletal injuries, seasonal affective disorder etc). With a high-power LED device 10 minutes might be enough but 20 minutes (and sometimes 30 minutes) would be better. Consider a high power device one that offers about 60-120mW/cm2…
Does LED light help with nasolabial folds?
Red and infrared light therapy with an LED device can indeed help with anti-ageing, skin healing and rejuvenation, giving skin a healthy glow and helping prevent skin laxity and fine lines and light wrinkles. However, its effect is not strong enough to reduce nasolabial folds (smile lines), especially deep ones that have formed over…
Red light vs infrared light therapy: what are the differences?
Red light therapy (wavelengths of 620 to 750 nm) and near infrared light therapy (wavelengths of 800 to 2,500 nm) has become very popular the last few years for both aesthetic (anti-ageing, acne, hyperpigmentation, skin rejuvenation etc) and wellness (pain relief, sports injuries, back pain, seasonal affective disorder, burns, wound healing etc) applications. Many people wonder what is the main difference between red light and near infrared (NIR) light therapy and the answer is quite simple, as we will see below...
Does red LED light help with pain?
Yes, it can. Multiple quality studies (randomised and placebo controlled) have shown that pain (back pain musculoskeletal pain. or other pain) can be relieved immediately after red / infrared LED light therapy treatment - and can also be reduced in the long run with repeated treatment. Red/infrared light therapy (laser or LED) can also help with injury healing, in combination with other modalities, such as physiotherapy, or on its own, as research has shown. Specifically for pain reduction, higher light intensities…
Does infrared light really tighten skin?
Infrared light penetrates more than red light and can better reach the dermis where fibroblasts (collagen and elastin producing cells) and collagen structures are found. High-power LED phototherapy in the near infrared wavelength boosts mitochondrial function via the stimulation of cytochrome C oxidase enzyme. Improved mitochondrial function means better fibroblast function and increased collagen and elastin synthesis, meaning firmer skin. No other procedure is known to have this effect on mitochondrial function - only red light at around 630nm and infrared light at around 830nm. However, this effect is subtle and appears gradually and slowly, so infrared…
How long to see results from LED light therapy?
It all depends on the protocols and the LED device you are using. With correct protocols and a proper, high-end LED canopy device results can appear immediately after the end of the session and quite often are impressive. With multiple sessions results are cumulative and long-lasting. On the other hand, with a home-use LED mask (even the high-end ones) results are subtle and take…
Are LED masks any good? High-end LED canopy devices vs high-end LED masks.
LED light therapy (phototherapy / photobiomodulation) is used to treat a variety of aesthetic and health concerns, most commonly skin ageing, skin wounds/burning, diabetic wounds, psoriasis, hyperpigmentation, acne, seasonal affective disorder, sports injuries and back pain, among others - and to enhance the effectiveness of other treatments, such as radiofrequency or ultrasound. Red and infrared light wavelengths are used for all the above concerns, except from blue wavelength, which is used for acne and psoriasis. LED devices come in the shape of masks, panels and dome/canopy style...
Is yellow LED any good?
LED light therapy has gained huge popularity in the last few years, with a plethora of machines, from high-end and super effective to low-end and practically useless and each of them employing different intensities and wavelengths. Blue, red, near infrared light, ~415nm, ~630nm and ~830nm, respectively, are proven to work by literally thousands of studies. However, for the yellow wavelengths (570-590nm) there is only a handful of studies…
Will red light help jowls?
Unfortunately not. We offer the strongest and best red/infrared LED phototherapy available on the market and we wish we could claim that your jowls will disappear or even be reduced / tightened with it but the honest truth is that they won’t. The best possible technology to SAFELY and effectively tighten up and lift the jowl / jawline area, and…