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Red light therapy is a non-invasive and painless treatment, using low levels of red light and near-infrared light to produce regenerative effects on your cells and skin. It is thought to stimulate the production of energy in the mitochondria, and studies have found that it is effective for conditions including arthritis, hair loss, acne, and tendinopathy.
One of the key factors that determine the effectiveness of red light therapy is the irradiance of the light source. In this blog, we’ll discuss what it is and how to ensure you’re getting the right dosage for your needs.
Irradiance is the intensity of light coming from a red light therapy device within a certain surface area. It is measured in watts per square metre (W/m²) or milliwatts per centimetre (mW/cm²), using a radiometer which is specifically used to ensure that the red light device is emitting enough energy.
Other than the price tag and wavelength of the red light device, it’s also important to consider its irradiance. This measurement will directly influence your biological response to red light therapy, given that the higher the light intensity, the more light is being sent to the target area - to be absorbed and prompted to activate photoreceptive, ATP-generating pathways within its cells.
At a surface level, between a red light device that provides 183 mW/cm² and 60 mW/cm² irradiance at the same distance, the former would be more powerful. This higher intensity allows the light to penetrate more layers of the skin to trigger a cascade of biological processes in the cells.
One study looking at the correlation between increasing the red light intensity, and the resulting depth penetration, found that 100mW/cm^2 penetrates the skin less than 50 mm deep. To penetrate more deeply, a disproportionate intensity increase is needed, in other words. Further study about the level of intensity needed for red light to arrive at the brain supports this. Researchers found that a 15-watt 810nm laser can penetrate 2.9% of its power 3cm through the skin and skull into the brain.
Fundamentally, this explains why LED Christmas lights are not effective as red therapy light devices. They do emit red light, after all - however, their irradiance is so low that the light won’t penetrate into your skin to produce any effects.
A study on the effect of red light on skin cell growth and energy production reveals that a high level of irradiance is essential, so as to effectively stimulate cell proliferation and reap actual skin benefits. However, the right level of light intensity will depend on a few more factors other than the condition you’re dealing with. A higher intensity does not always mean faster healing or better effects. It’s still important to find the right balance between the treatment duration and other factors like skin sensitivity to get the most out of your red light therapy device.
Consulting a professional will help you take the additional factors mentioned into account when creating a treatment plan. These other factors include pre-existing skin issues, medical history, and goals for the treatment.
Low-quality red light therapy devices might not have the right levels of irradiance for your needs which makes the treatment moot. That’s why it’s important to carefully choose devices that have been tried, tested, and approved by relevant governing bodies such as ROJO’s light therapy panels. These devices are incorporated with industry-leading high-quality drivers and LED diodes to deliver a high intensity of red and near-infrared light.
If you want to know more about our light therapy panels and how you can reap their maximum benefits, call us today!
