Buying a red light lamp or panel: which one suits you

Buying a red light lamp sounds simple, until you start looking. One seller offers a small tabletop model, the next a panel of almost a metre, and in between there are masks, glasses, bands for your knee and lamps that are really heat lamps. All under the same name. No wonder people give up before they choose anything.

This buying guide helps you choose. How red light works exactly, which wavelengths do what and what you can expect from a session is all covered in the complete guide to red light therapy. Here it is purely about the purchase: which form suits you, what to look for in the specifications, and when cheap is simply too cheap.

The four forms: red light lamp, panel, mask or brace

Almost everything you can buy falls into four groups. They do not do the same thing and they are not interchangeable. The question is not which form is best, but which form fits your plan.

The panel

A red light therapy panel is a flat housing full of LEDs that you hang on a stand, place against a wall or put on a table. Panels usually combine several wavelengths in one device, from visible red to near infrared, and they cover a large area in one go. You sit or stand at a distance in front of it and do nothing else in the meantime.

A panel suits you if you want to use it on several areas, if you want to stick with it seriously, and if you have a fixed spot at home where it can stand. It is the most versatile form, but also the one that asks the most space and the most discipline. A panel that sits in the cupboard does not work.

The mask

A red light therapy mask sits over your face and neck. It follows the shape of your head, so the LEDs are close to the skin and the distance stays the same everywhere. You do not have to sit still in front of a panel; with a mask on you can simply lie down or walk around.

A mask is the logical choice if you only have your face in mind, have little space, or want to take it with you. It is not a replacement for a panel: you cannot reach your shoulder, knee or back with it.

The lamp

By a red light lamp, people mean two very different things. Sometimes an LED lamp that only gives light, sometimes a classic infrared lamp that mainly gives warmth and glows red while doing so. That difference matters. A heat lamp such as the Redlight 160 infrared lamp is pleasant if you are looking for warmth on one spot, for example your neck or lower back. An LED panel gives hardly any warmth and works in a different way.

If you are looking for that tangible warmth, a lamp is often the nicest and simplest purchase. If you are looking for light with specific wavelengths, a heat lamp is not what you think you are buying. The difference between those two is exactly where most bad purchases happen.

Which lamp to choose then, and why distance says more than wattage, is explained step by step in the buying guide buying an infrared lamp: wattage, distance, stand and timer.

The brace

An infrared brace is a flexible band with LEDs that you wrap around a knee, elbow, wrist or ankle. The light reaches the joint from all sides and the distance is zero, because the band lies on the skin. You can sit on the sofa with it in the meantime.

A brace such as the Luxyor Pulsebrace 110 is meant for one spot at a time. If you do a lot of sport and it is always the same knee you want to give attention to, that is handier than setting up a panel every time. If you want to reach your whole body or your back, a brace falls short.

What to look for when buying a red light therapy lamp

Product pages are full of numbers. Most of them say little when you look at them on their own. These are the points that really matter, in the order in which they usually make the difference.

Wavelengths

Wavelength determines how deep the light goes. Visible red stays closer to the surface and is therefore the usual choice for the skin. Near infrared is invisible to the eye and penetrates further, which is why it is more often used for muscles and joints. Panels that only give red are cheaper to make, panels with near infrared can be used more widely.

Make sure a seller actually names the wavelengths. If it only says "red light" or "660 and 850" without further explanation, you do not know how the LEDs are distributed. A panel with seven wavelengths, such as the Luxyor Lumi panels that range from 480 to 940 nm, gives you more options than a panel with one colour. Whether you use them all is another question. Many people end up using two settings and leave the rest alone.

Number of LEDs and area covered

The number of LEDs says something, but not everything. A hundred weak LEDs can do less than fifty strong ones. More interesting is the combination: how many LEDs, over what area, and how much of your body you cover in one session. A compact panel covers roughly your face and neck, or one shoulder. A full body panel covers your whole front if you stand at the right distance in front of it.

Work out in advance how many sessions you need to do what you have in mind. If you want to cover your front and back with a small panel, you will stand in front of it twice as long. That is fine if you do five minutes at a time, and it is a reason to give up if you have to set aside half an hour for it.

Distance and setup

Distance is the most underestimated factor. Light drops off quickly the further away you sit. Twice as far away means considerably less light on your skin, and you notice that more than a difference of twenty LEDs. For most panels the usual distance is between about fifteen centimetres and half a metre, depending on whether you want to work superficially or deeper.

So also look at what is or is not included. A panel without a stand or mounting hardware soon ends up leaning crookedly on a chair, and then your distance is never right. Before you order, think about where the device will go, and whether there is a socket there.

Controls, timer and remote

This sounds like a detail and it is not. A device you set up with three presses of a button gets used more often than a device you need a manual for. A touchscreen that shows the wavelength and time directly saves hassle. A remote is especially pleasant if you are sitting in front of the panel wearing glasses and do not want to keep getting up.

A timer is not a luxury. Without a timer you end up watching your phone, or you lose track of time. With a timer that stops by itself, you keep your sessions short and consistent, and that is exactly what you want when you keep something up for months on end.

EMF and build quality

EMF, the electromagnetic field around a device, is something many sellers like to make a fuss about. Every device with a power supply gives off a field, and at normal operating distance it is low for a well built panel. Look for a seller who is down to earth about it and simply tells you how the panel is built, rather than turning it into a sales pitch.

You notice build quality in the things around it: a sturdy housing that can get rid of the heat from the LEDs, a fan that does not rattle, a neatly finished cable, a connection that fits. Also ask about the warranty and the time you have to change your mind. At Luxyor that is 60 days to change your mind and a 2 year warranty, and that is a reasonable yardstick to compare other sellers against.

Why a bigger panel is not automatically better

It is tempting to buy the biggest panel you can find. More LEDs, more surface, more value for money. Partly that is true: a bigger panel saves time, because you do not have to shift around to reach your whole body.

But bigger also brings things you do not think about beforehand. A full body panel needs space and a fixed setup. You have to stand in front of it, so you cannot sit on the sofa or work while using it. And if all you want is your face, a metre of panel is glowing away for an area of twenty centimetres.

The other way round, a compact panel is too small if your whole body is the goal. Then you stand in front of it three times as long, and hardly anyone keeps that up. The right size is the size that suits the part of your body you want to reach and the time you have for it each day.

The best device is not the biggest, but the device you are still using three months from now.

Choosing by goal: which form goes with which plan

Put your goal first and the choice becomes a lot simpler. This table is not advice about results, only about practical suitability.

Still torn between devices? The overview of which red light device suits you helps you make the final call.

Red light therapy for the face: when a mask is handier than a panel

For the skin on your face, red light is the most popular choice, and that is also where most of the confusion lies. Both a mask and a panel can reach your face. The difference lies in convenience, not in whether it is possible.

A mask keeps the distance the same everywhere, including around your nose, jawline and forehead. With a panel your nose is closer than your cheeks, especially if you sit right in front of it. A mask also leaves you free: you can lie down, listen to something, or simply do nothing for a while. For short sessions every evening, that convenience often wins out over the versatility of a panel.

A panel wins as soon as you want more than just your face. If you also want to include your neck, décolletage, hands or shoulders, a panel makes more sense. And if you eventually want your back or legs too, a mask is something you will end up adding to later anyway. What you can expect from red light on your skin is in the article on red light and your skin.

A practical point: a mask has to fit. If it sits loosely, the distance changes each time and you are wasting light. If you wear glasses, a mask is sometimes harder to combine than a panel you just sit in front of.

Lumi 110 and Lumi 700 side by side

Luxyor has two red light therapy panels at either end of the range. The Lumi 110 is a compact table panel, the Lumi 700 is the full body model. They share the technology and differ in size and reach.

If you find yourself somewhere in between, that is a fair feeling. A mid range model is coming soon that falls exactly between the Lumi 110 and the Lumi 700: bigger than a table panel, smaller than a full body panel. If you are in no hurry and neither one quite fits, it may be worth waiting for it.

Luxyor Lumi 110

• Compact table panel with 7 wavelengths from 480 to 940 nm
• Touchscreen and remote control, timer included
• 60 days to change your mind and 2 year warranty

View the Lumi 110

Red light therapy at home: space, time and sticking with it

Red light therapy at home stands or falls on how easy it is to get to. A device you have to take out of a cupboard, set up and put away again every time gets used enthusiastically in the first week and less and less after that. That is not a question of motivation, that is just how it goes.

So before you buy, think about three things. Where will it stand? When in the day will you use it? And what will you do in the meantime? Anyone who puts the panel next to the spot where they already sit every evening simply uses it more often. The same goes for a mask: keep it on your bedside table instead of in a drawer.

Keep your sessions short and consistent. Better a short session every day than a long one once a week. What a realistic build up looks like is in the beginner's guide to red light therapy at home.

What to watch out for with cheap sellers and big claims

The market for red light is growing fast, and that attracts sellers who are not too particular. These are the signals to look out for before you pay:

• No wavelengths given. If it only says "red light" without nanometres, you do not know what you are buying.
• Only the number of LEDs as a selling point. Without the area and recommended distance, that number says little.
• Promises about medical conditions. A seller who claims a device cures or treats a condition is crossing the line. Do not go along with it.
• Before and after photos without context. Different light, different angle, different makeup. They prove nothing.
• Vague figures from studies. Loose percentages without a source are a red flag, not evidence.
• No address, no warranty, no time to change your mind. If something breaks, you want to be able to reach someone.
• No support in your language. Handy when you have questions, and a sign that there is a real company behind it.
• Only discount pressure. Countdown clocks and "only 2 left in stock" say something about the seller, not about the product.

It is best to keep the background on what red light is and is not separate from the sales copy. A seller who is open about that deserves your trust sooner than one with the loudest promises.

Red light therapy experiences: what you can realistically expect

When you read about people's experiences with red light therapy, you see two extremes. One half is wildly enthusiastic, the other half noticed nothing. That is not because one of them is lying. It is because people expect different things, use different devices and stick with it for different lengths of time.

Three things are fair to know beforehand. First: it takes time. This is not a product where you notice something after one session, and most people who do notice something have been doing it for months. Second: it does not work the same for everyone. Skin, age, habits and expectations differ, and you see that reflected in the stories. Third: this is not a medical treatment. If you have a complaint that really bothers you, a doctor is the right place to go, not a panel.

What you can expect is a calm moment at a fixed time, and a device that does what it says on the box if you keep to the right distance and time. If someone sells you more than that, be careful.

Eye protection and red light glasses

Panels are bright. Not dangerously bright with normal use, but uncomfortable if you sit staring into one for ten minutes. With near infrared there is an extra point: you can barely see that light, so you do not automatically squeeze your eyes shut. Your natural brake is gone.

That is why red light glasses belong with the purchase of a panel, just like a case with a phone. Include them in your choice rather than ordering them later. If you wear them during every session, you sit more relaxed and can simply look straight ahead.

With a mask it is different: good masks cover the eye area or have a cut out. Look at that specifically when buying. More about when you need glasses is in the article on red light glasses.

The right choice in five steps

Go through these steps before you order anything. It saves you a return and a disappointment.

1. Decide on your goalFace, whole body, one spot or on the go. Choose one, not everything at once.
2. Choose the formPanel, mask, lamp or brace. Use the table above and be honest about your space.
3. Check the specificationsWavelengths in nanometres, area covered, recommended distance, timer and controls.
4. Look at the sellerWarranty, time to change your mind, how easy they are to reach and whether the claims stay sensible.
5. Plan the spot and the momentWhere will it stand and when will you use it? Without an answer to that, you are better off waiting a while.

When you are better off not buying anything

A buying guide that only tells you what to buy is not a buying guide. There are situations in which not buying is the better choice.

If you are mainly looking for warmth and relaxation, an LED panel is probably not what you are after. An infrared lamp or an infrared sauna blanket does give you that warmth, and that is a very different feeling from cool red light. If you expect a quick result within two weeks, the purchase will probably disappoint you. And if you have no spot where the device can stand, you are buying something that will end up in a cupboard.

Also good to know: you do not have to go for the biggest model straight away to get started. Starting small and expanding later works fine, especially if you are not yet sure you will keep it up.

Luxyor Lumi 700

• 91 cm full body panel with 300 LEDs
• 7 wavelengths from 480 to 940 nm, touchscreen and remote control
• 60 days to change your mind and 2 year warranty

View the Lumi 700

In conclusion

Buying a red light lamp or panel is mainly a matter of getting your goal clear first. Face, whole body, one spot or on the go: the form follows from that, and only then does the specification list become interesting. Wavelengths, area, distance and a timer that does the work for you count for more than the biggest number on the packaging.

Want to understand exactly what red light therapy is before you choose anything? Then read the complete guide to red light therapy. Want to see all the panels side by side? You will find the Luxyor products in the web shop, and all the background together in the knowledge base.