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Medically Reviewed by | Heidi Wright, BSN, RN, PCCN
It’s popping up everywhere. At your local Planet Fitness, at the spa, and even in your friends’ homes. Red light therapy may seem up and coming, but there’s one place it's been all along: your doctor’s office. Photobiomodulation, or the use of light for therapeutic treatment of certain conditions, has been used in the medical field for decades. Now, we have access to it in more places and for more purposes.
Deciding to jump on the red light therapy (RLT) train is an easy decision once you understand how it works and what it does (which we’ll cover). However, the cost of RLT can vary dramatically depending on certain factors. The team at Mito Red Light will give you a breakdown of what to expect depending on where you go for RLT and what kind of session you seek.
First, a little introduction to RLT and its benefits.
What Is Red Light Therapy?
If you aren’t familiar with RLT, we’re happy to acquaint you. RLT involves the use of wavelengths of light to promote wellness in all parts of the body. RLT can be used to treat physical ailments, address issues with pain and muscle soreness, speed up recovery times post-workout, target skin concerns and skin rejuvenation, improve mood and cognitive function, and even deepen sleep.
Both red light and near infrared light (NIR) are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Red light is visible, but near infrared light is not. NIR light can penetrate the skin, and reach soft and hard tissues like fascia, muscle, and bones.
How Does RLT Interact With Your Body?
The science behind RLT is fascinating. It starts within the humble cell. The cell is the foundation of every tissue, organ, and system in the body. Most of us don’t concern ourselves with matters of cellular health, but all of our health and wellness concerns are driven by how well our cells are able to function.
With age, our cells begin to lose function. Researchers have identified 12 different ways that cells change as we get older, which they believe underlie age-related illnesses and even the aging process itself. In other words, if we can target and support our cellular health, we can essentially target and support anti-aging in an entirely fresh and more promising way.
Inside the Cells
Inside your cells, mitochondria work to convert the food we eat into usable energy packets (called adenosine triphosphate, or “ATP”) to fuel cellular function. This process is complicated, but RLT plays a role in how it works.
Red light is able to stimulate mitochondria, and is absorbed by a molecule known as cytochrome C oxidase. This molecule helps mitochondria make ATP more efficiently. More ATP translates to more cellular energy, which means better cellular function, better tissue and organ performance, and an overall healthier and better performing you.
With higher levels of cellular performance, the benefits to your body are practically endless. Research around RLT and NIR light therapy is ongoing, and we will continue to discover new ways to use this technology in the coming months and years.
What Are the Benefits of Red Light Therapy?
To date, there are scientifically backed, heavily researched benefits that involve the use of RLT. Keep in mind that this technology has been present in the medical community for decades and was also developed by NASA to help heal astronauts while in orbit. This is a safe, non-invasive method of supporting the body both inside and out.
Skin Health
Originally developed to help with wound healing, RLT therapy can help with skin rejuvenation both on the surface of the skin and in deeper layers. RLT may help address collagen loss, which starts at age 20. RLT targets fibroblasts in the skin, which are responsible for the creation of collagen. By supporting these cells, RLT may help support proper collagen production.
Other skin conditions, like psoriasis, dark spots, and even pimples can also be managed with RLT.
Hair Loss
Losing one’s hair can be overwhelming, and the options for hair regrowth and restoration range from hormone therapy to invasive surgical treatments. RLT therapy offers a non-invasive, non-medicated solution for supporting healthy hair growth.
By stimulating cell turnover, RLT can help promote and encourage hair growth. RLT also increases blood flow to hair follicles, which is necessary for new hair to grow healthfully. Mito Red Light Helmets are FDA-cleared to help with hair growth.
Pain Management
Dealing with an aching hip or a stiff neck? RLT to the rescue! NIR light wavelengths can penetrate the skin and reach muscle and bone, releasing stiff muscles, reducing inflammation at the source, and increasing blood flow to the area to help support a speedy recovery.
It’s important to note that only NIR light has wavelengths long enough to reach muscle and bone, with wavelengths that measure between 800 nm and 900 nm.
Sleep
No matter how hard we try, most of us find the only thing consistent about our sleep is that it evades us. Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, but you may need more or less depending on your activity level.
Research on athletes who used RLT to help with sleep found that they experienced deeper, more consistent sleep. Unlike intrusive blue light, which is known to interfere with circadian rhythms and make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, RLT before bedtime can help prepare the body for rest and increase the depth of your sleep.
Physical Performance
Muscle and endurance are built on a cycle of damage and repair. Exercise damages the muscle, and rest repairs it and builds new muscle tissue. In randomized controlled trials, exposure to red light immediately after a workout supported faster recovery periods, meaning a faster turnaround time between rest and your next gym session.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of the benefits of RLT, and as research continues we’ll understand more of how RLT benefits the body. Now that you know its benefits, let’s discuss its cost.
How Much Does Red Light Therapy Cost?
The cost of RLT will depend on several factors, including location, service, and product quality.
Location
You can access RLT therapy in numerous different facilities. Your healthcare provider, wellness spas, medspas, massage studios, gyms, and boutique red light therapy retailers are all places that offer RLT.
While your insurance may cover RLT offered by your healthcare provider (under certain medically necessary circumstances) you’ll most likely pay for your service out of pocket at other locations. In addition, your healthcare provider may not be equipped to offer RLT for concerns like hair loss or skin rejuvenation.
Service
There’s a high demand for anti-aging products, especially those that work in a non-invasive, effective way. The average cost of a general RLT session, which typically involves the use of some type of red light panel or enclosure with red LED lights, is between $20-$200.
Why such a vast range? That depends on the quality of the RLT equipment being used. Some manufacturers create RLT products that don’t contain many LEDs per square inch. This can result in panels that have “dead space” and a suboptimal experience.
For the highest quality RLT, you’ll want to use products that have high-powered LEDs that are plentiful and emit the wavelengths of light that are necessary for your desired result. Remember that only near-infrared light can penetrate the skin and reach muscle and bone, so if your goal is improved muscle recovery and/or pain management, you’ll need a higher-powered machine.
Offsetting the Cost of RLT
While it can be pricey at the moment, the global market for light therapy is forecasted to exceed $250 million by 2027. With increased demand for these services and the availability of high-quality RLT devices for at-home use, RLT is predicted to become more accessible to more people. One way to offset the cost of RLT is to invest in a high-quality, long-lasting device for at-home use.
What Is Mito Red Light?
You’ve got options for red light therapy, including seeing a medical professional, visiting a medspa, or treating yourself in the comfort and privacy of your own home. When you’re ready to invest in an at-home product, don’t settle for a product that produces less red light and near-infrared light than you need.
Our Lights
At Mito Red Light, our panels and our wearable devices contain more diodes per square inch than competitors. Our MitoPRO and MitoPRO+ options contain balanced amounts of NIR and RL to avoid a “polka dot” effect.
Our Testing
We submit our products to third-party testing to ensure they are within the therapeutic window of treatment as defined by scientific testing and research.
Advanced Technology
Our devices are specially formatted with Enhanced Spectral Energy Output™, a technology that delivers energy across all spectrums of red and NIR light. Combined with our risk-free 60-day trial and superior customer service, Mito Red Light is the solution for getting the high-powered, top-quality RLT you want, conveniently and affordably.
The Red Zone
The red zone: it’s good for your body, not always great for your bank account — but trying RLT in person at a spa or other location can be a great way to give it a shot and see what you think.
If you’re hoping to continue your RLT routine outside of the spa, consider investing in the only at-home RLT products that deliver professional-grade light therapy to address all your concerns. We are HSA and FSA eligible and offer veteran and military discounts, making RLT an option for even more people.
You can enjoy increased wellness when you get in the red. Mito Red Light supplies you with the RLT devices that work so you can enjoy a healthier, happier life.
DISCLAIMER: Mito Red Light devices are not clinically proven to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical conditions. Mito Red Light devices are Class II general wellness devices aimed at affecting the body through topical heating and supporting cellular function. The scientific studies referenced in this article are for informational purposes only. To see a list of precautionary warnings and contraindications, click here.
Sources:
Transcranial near-infrared light in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases | Frontiersin.org
Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe | NCBI
Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring | PMC
Red Light and the Sleep Quality and Endurance Performance of Chinese Female Basketball Players | PMC
Photobiomodulation in human muscle tissue: an advantage in sports performance? | PMC
Light Therapy Market Statistics: Shedding the Lights on Current Trends | Tech Report.com
