The Truth About Red Light Therapy For Hair As Well As Skin

Dr. Andrea Suarez sheds some light on it:

Give yourself a healthy glow

Read Light Therapy (RLT) is well-known for its benefits to skin health, because red and near-infrared wavelengths are absorbed by mitochondria, increasing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, improving cellular energy, reducing inflammation, improving circulation, and supporting healthier skin and hair follicle function.

On that last note: yes, hair follicles too, as randomized controlled trials show increases in hair counts and thickness vs placebo devices; this is well-evidenced.

You may be wondering how one does placebo for red light; isn’t it visible? And the answer is that if it’s done in a lab, it’s easy to arrange for treatment (or sham treatment) of a participant’s hair without the participant being able to tell what is being done or not. That said, as with most hair loss remedies, it works best early in hair loss—not in fully bald areas.

After all, stimulating follicles will not work if there aren’t still living follicles to stimulate!

The science is as the science is, and/but when it comes to product recommendations, Dr. Suarez isn’t completely unbiased as she does have a sponsorship deal with a company (iRestore). Nevertheless, in terms of what to look out for, the more general recommendations are reasonable nevertheless, i.e. effective wavelengths between 620–700 nm, adequate power output, correct distance considerations, high diode count for coverage, and FDA* clearance and/or robust independent clinical testing with good results.

*Obviously only relevant in the US, but most of our readers are.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

Casting Yourself In A Healthier Light ← our main feature about the science of this

And if you’d like to treat yourself to one, then here’s an example product on Amazon 😎

Take care!