Red light therapy: what does the science say?

Exactly how red and near infrared light work has not yet been settled. The common model is about light being absorbed in the mitochondria. That model is a hypothesis and is being questioned within the field itself. The studies below are almost all laboratory research on cells.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

On pain, the research is extensive but contradictory. There are meta analyses with a favourable result and meta analyses that found no difference at all compared with a sham treatment. The British NICE guideline and the Dutch physiotherapy guideline advise against laser therapy for osteoarthritis and neck pain respectively, due to insufficient evidence. So we make no claims here about treating complaints.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

For skin, red light is one of the best studied uses. The effects found are small, though, the studies short, and some were paid for by device manufacturers. In the best blinded study so far, the effect on the clinical wrinkle scale disappeared.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

There is little hard evidence on red light and sleep. The studies are small, often only measure what people experience themselves, and where things were measured objectively there was usually no difference compared with a sham device. Research on daylight lamps with bright white light is something else and is deliberately not included here.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

Sport is a well researched area with small effects and weak evidence. The largest summary, with 39 studies and 861 participants, itself speaks of very low to moderate quality evidence. There are also clear null results, and a meta analysis from 2024 found no effect in recreationally active people.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

Most research on inflammatory processes is laboratory research on cells and animals. That shows what can happen, not what happens in you. Clinical outcomes vary and the evidence is of low quality.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

For hair loss there are relatively many double blind studies with home devices, but almost all with laser combs and helmets, not with panels. The studies are small, rarely run longer than 26 weeks and are often paid for by the manufacturer. In the Cochrane review on hair loss in women, participants themselves saw no difference compared with a sham device, while the researchers did count more hairs. Luxyor does not sell hair growth devices.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

For acne, most of the evidence is for blue light, not red. The Cochrane review on light therapy for acne, with 71 studies and 4211 participants, concludes that high quality evidence is lacking.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

Under this heading are very diverse studies, from laboratory research to small studies in patients. Some of it is animal research. There is no evidence that a red light panel makes you more energetic.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

For lower back pain the evidence is divided. There are meta analyses that find less pain in the short term, but a large blinded study with 148 patients found no clinically relevant difference at all compared with placebo, and the Cochrane review concludes that there is insufficient data.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

On blood flow, the research is mainly about the assumed mechanism via nitric oxide. Some of the studies are animal research. In the only human study below, about half of the participants did not respond.

Please note when reading: by far most of the studies below were done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. That is why each source states what kind of light and what setup it involved. The full assessment of this research is in our article what the research really says.

Red light therapy is generally safe and well tolerated, but you get the most out of it with the right routine. A few practical guidelines:

• Distance: with panels, usually keep 15 to 30 cm; always follow the manual for your model.
• Duration: 10 to 20 minutes per zone is usual; longer is not automatically better.
• Frequency: a few times a week over several weeks; regularity matters more than a single long session.
• Eyes: use the supplied or recommended eye protection, especially with near infrared light.
• Skin: use on clean, uncovered skin without sunscreen or covering creams.
• Check first: are you pregnant, do you take light sensitive medication or do you have a medical condition? Then talk to a doctor first.

Every statement on this page links to the original publication, so you can check everything yourself. We have reviewed every source on this page ourselves and adjusted the texts where they were stronger than the study behind them. Sources that turned out not to be about the topic they were cited for have been removed.

Three things to keep in mind. First, by far most research was done with laser equipment in a clinic, not with an LED panel at home. Second, a large part is laboratory research on cells or animals. Third, the quality of evidence in this field is low across the board: an umbrella review from 2025 of 204 randomised studies found high certainty of evidence for not a single outcome.

The full assessment per application, with all sources, is in the article red light therapy: what the research really says. Similar articles exist for the two other devices, on the infrared lamp and on the infrared sauna and the sauna blanket.

This knowledge base informs you about available research and is not medical advice. Red light therapy does not treat conditions and does not replace care from a doctor. Do you have complaints, are you pregnant or do you take medication? Then talk to your doctor first.