Does infrared light really tighten skin?

“TL;DR: Infrared light at reasonable intensities can slowly firm up the skin but not as effectively and not as fast as a good radiofrequency treatment.

However, LED red and infrared light therapy, used right after radiofrequency, can actually maximise the results of RF, for faster, better outcomes with skin tightening and skin rejuvenation.”

Does infrared LEd light tighten skin?

• Infrared light and skin tightening

• Intense deep heat for collagen stimulation with infrared light

• Intense deep heat for collagen stimulation with deep tissue radiofrequency

• Intense deep heat for collagen stimulation with deep tissue radiofrequency followed by red and infrared light therapy

• Intense deep heat for tissue burning and skin hardening with HIFU or RF microneedling - good luck with those, you will need it…

• Advanced, infrared / blue / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia

• Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts

• The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening

Infrared light and skin tightening

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 - and even red - light is more suited to skin laxity prevention, maintenance or slow improvement - not for fast results.

(With an LED mask, which by definition and by necessity are low-power, these results appear even slower. So even the best LED mask is only suited for prevention or very slow improvement - don’t expect spectacular skin tightening with any LED mask.)

For faster results, relatively intense deep heat has much better results. This can be deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency or very high intensity infrared light.

Intense deep heat for collagen stimulation with infrared light

Very high intensity infrared light at higher wavelengths (900+ nm, which unfortunately do not boost mitochondrial function), can provide such intense deep heat but it also inadvertently also heats up the surface of the skin (epidermis) too much and has limitations in its use, as excessive epidermal heating will lead to epidermal burns.

A superficial cooling mechanism could potentially avert this problem but no such machines, based on continuous handpiece movement, exist on the market today.

Continuous movement helps avoid hotspots, which can cause burns, regardless of cooling.

Intense deep heat for collagen stimulation with deep tissue radiofrequency

Deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency, on the other hand, provides treatment straight into the dermis and even deeper, into the hypodermis, while largely bypassing the epidermis.

(BTW, superficial radiofrequency overheats the epidermis and isn pointless while low-power RF is ineffective.)

Deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency can be intense but controlled without causing any epidermal burns. With continuous movement and cooling, hotspots and burning are almost totally avoided.

At the clinic, with this technology and with our protocols, after 3,000 sessions over 3 years we have only caused one tiny burn the size of an acne spot, which completely resolved in three weeks. This represents better than 99.9% safety.

Intense deep heat for collagen stimulation with deep tissue radiofrequency followed by red and infrared light therapy

So, at the clinic we do use high-power infrared light LED therapy - but not at extreme intensities.

We primarily use deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency to stimulate collagen and elastin production fast and then we use high-power red and infrared LED light to stimulate mitochondrial function in order to maximise the results of radiofrequency.

All with the same 99.9%+ safety and almost non-existent adverse reactions.

Intense deep heat for tissue burning and skin hardening with HIFU or RF microneedling - good luck with those, you will need it…

Another way to reach the dermis and hypodermis is with HIFU and RF microneedling.

However, those techniques are LITERALLY based on BURNING the skin at 60-90ºC with the hope that it will later regenerate and harden, which is then baptised as ‘skin tightening’.

We do not believe in burning the skin under any circumstances so at the clinic we do not offer those procedures.

Check here and here to see the adverse reactions of these procedures and judge for yourself if the risk is worth the results, which are inferior to SAFE deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency.

Advanced, infrared / blue / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia

At LipoTherapeia we are passionate about phototherapy (also known as photobiomodulation/PBM, red light therapy, infrared light therapy, blue light therapy, LED light therapy etc) and we use the most powerful equipment available today (up to 240mW/cm2), for best results and treatment of large body areas.

We use specialised therapy protocols for skin rejuvenation / anti-ageing, pigmentation / post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), moderate/severe acne, skin redness, sensitive/inflamed/irritated skin, wound healing, sports injuries / musculoskeletal pain and overall wellness / well-being.

Our LED phototherapy sessions are comfortable, deeply relaxing and super-safe and are great to enhance our radiofrequency/ultrasound treatments for skin tightening / cellulite reduction.

On our booking page you can book stand-alone phototherapy sessions or combine them with our other treatments, as an add-on.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert LED phototherapy treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1).

Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts

At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.

This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.

As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.

Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.

And for even better, faster results, we now combine our RF/ultrasound treatments with high-power red/infrared light LED treatment.

Our radiofrequency/ultrasound/LED treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, microneedling-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.

And our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service, with a smile.

We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1).

The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening

Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening?

Attend a half-day, 1-day or 2-day or 3-day one-to-one masterclass and confidently offer your clients the safest, strongest and most effective treatment possible.

Service available via Zoom or at our central London practice.

Learn more or check prices and book training at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1)