How Does Red Light Therapy Work?

Written By Dr Benjamin Bleess, Physical Therapist, CCI, CWS, Cert DN

Genesis 1:3-4 says “God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good and separated the light from the darkness.”

This statement rings true in my mind when the sun breaks a string of cloudy days or when the sunrise and sunset casts the most beautiful colors as imaginable as I drink my coffee and enjoy the same magnificence as billions of people throughout the world. Some things just make sense and need no research. But, through observation and the scientific method we are able to quantify the impact of light.

Visible light to the typical human eye is a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum which is a variation of light waves varied in length from 400-700 nanometers. Red light is a range from 620-750 nanometers.

All light wavelengths impact  the human body differently. Red light wavelengths are widely considered to be safe. Glass et al1 in 2023 stated in regards to red light that “There are no relevant clinical trial data linking photobiomodulation with any significant adverse events, including the finding of a new or recurrent malignancy. Current clinical and preclinical evidence suggests that photobiomodification is oncologically safe for skin rejuvenation, and there is no evidence to support the proposition that it should be avoided by patients who have previously undergone treatment for cancer.”

The Cleveland Clinic reports this about Red Light Therapy. “Red light therapy (RLT) is an emerging treatment that’s showing promise in treating wrinkles, redness, acne, scars and other signs of aging.”2 It goes on to report that red light: stimulates collagen production, which gives skin its structure, strength, and elasticity.  

Zhang et al3 performed 30 sessions of red light phototherapy and monitored various skin properties which all responded dramatically to improved skin health as shown in the pictures below.

Zhang et al3 also reported “Detailed analysis of the gene expression profiles in human fibroblasts revealed an influence of low-intensity red light with a 628-nm wavelength on 111 different genes that are involved in cellular functions, such as cell proliferation; apoptosis; stress response; protein, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism; mitochondrial energy metabolism; DNA synthesis and repair; antioxidant related functions; and cytoskeleton- and cell-cell interaction-related functions.”3

The red light therapy that was done in the above picture was only done on the face. Our total body bed Red Light Wellness bed treats the entire body from head to toe. This dramatically can improve tissue resilience as well as cosmetics. Imagine the results from treating a majority of your skin!

Red light has also been demonstrated to improve many skin conditions including acne, psoriasis, rosacea, hair loss, and skin wounds.

Frankly, there is much to be yet discovered about the different mechanisms being stimulated. Warroad Physical Therapy provides whole body treatment of red light. This is an absolute game changer as home units are typically more expensive than most are willing to pay, and they treat such a small area of the body.

Come visit us today for your first session and discover the difference you’ve been looking for. Feel better, live better, look better, today!

 

1.      Glass GE. Photobiomodulation: A Systematic Review of the Oncologic Safety of Low-Level Light Therapy for Aesthetic Skin Rejuvenation. Aesthet Surg J. 2023 Apr 10;43(5):NP357-NP371. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjad018. PMID: 36722207; PMCID: PMC10309024.

2.     Professional, C.C. medical (no date) Red light therapy: Benefits, Side Effects & Uses, Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22114-red-light-therapy (Accessed: 21 February 2024).

3.     Zhang Y, Song S, Fong CC, Tsang CH, Yang Z, Yang M. cDNA microarray analysis of gene expression profiles in human fibroblast cells irradiated with red light. J Invest Dermatol. 2003 May;120(5):849-57. doi: 10.1046/j.1523-1747.2003.12133.x. PMID: 12713592.

Dr Benjamin Bleess, Physical Therapist, CCI, CWS, Cert DN

Dr Benjamin Bleess graduated from University of North Dakota in 2001 and is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. He has been married to Amber (Rasmussen) from rural Angle Inlet, Minnesota since 1999. They have 6 children and have worked together as a family in various entrepreneurial ventures with the most recent being Warroad Physical Therapy.

Ben grew up in the small town of Bricelyn, Minnesota several miles from the Iowa border and they both love living and serving in the Warroad area since 2004 just several miles from the Canadian border on Lake of the Woods. They moved south from Fairbanks, Alaska after serving interior Alaska for 3 years at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. Ben also worked in Phoenix Arizona for 6 months after working in Alaska. For the past 18 years he has served primarily in an out-patient setting but also, at Marvin Windows in industrial health, Warroad Senior Living Center, and the local sporting events and athletes in Warroad.

He has enjoyed teaching the art and science of Physical Therapy to numerous Physical Therapy doctorates students, undergraduates, and high school students over the years. He has a passion for rural health care, community relationships, and serving in the local church.

Ben’s training has lead him throughout the country to acquire a diverse skill set that includes orthopedics, vestibular rehabilitation, geriatrics, joint replacements, dry needling, Graston Technique, wound care, functional capacity evaluations, and more. He is a Certified Neubie practitioner, Certified Wound Specialist, Certified Clinical Instructor, Certified LSVT Big practitioner, and is also a Certified in Dry Needling including ultrasound guided techniques.

The goal of Warroad Physical Therapy is to provide superior customer care to the Northern Minnesota community.

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