What is light?

Light is electromagnetic ENERGY that is perceived by the human eye.

Light travels through the environment in the form of electromagnetic waves. There are a huge amount of types of electromagnetic waves: radio waves, TV waves, mobile phone waves, X-rays, and plenty of others.

But visible light waves are unique for us, humans. Our biology evolved to interact with these types of waves: to see, modulate our physiology and behavior, and supercharge our inner batteries — mitochondria.

Light wavelengths

The rainbow is just the visible spectrum of light for humans. Other animals can see other types of energy waves (snakes, for example, can see infrared energy). 

Infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths are invisible to us. But they strongly affect our health. Moreover, we need them to be healthy, strong, and happy!

Different wavelengths can penetrate tissues of the body to different depths.

• Longer wavelengths (red, infrared) penetrate through tissues. Even down to the bone marrow.
• Shorter wavelengths (blue, green, ultraviolet) don’t penetrate deep. (just beneath the top layer of skin). 

So Light is Energy. That is why Light can change the way that other things behave. It causes reactions in the cells of our body. Different wavelengths cause different reactions. And some of these reactions are impressively efficient, healthy, and safe — those caused by the Red Light.

THE RED LIGHT THERAPY

WHAT IS RED LIGHT THERAPY

Red light therapy (RLT) is a treatment method that uses red light to veraciously improve your skin’s appearance (reduce wrinkles, scars, and acne), enhance hair growth, reduce pain, improve eyesight and eye health, for stimulating bone recovery, and more.

Red light therapy is also often called low-level laser therapy (LLLT).

DOES RED LIGHT THERAPY WORK?

There are numerous scientific studies supporting the effectiveness of red light therapy in improving skin health, hair growth, eye health, bone repair, and pain reduction. More details on the benefits of red light therapy and links to studies are provided below in the article. 

Also, interest in red light therapy is growing rapidly and many new discoveries of the useful benefits of this method can be expected in the near future.

WHAT DOES RED LIGHT THERAPY DO

Red light has this amazing ability to penetrate through tissues, even to the bone and bone marrow.

When red light passes through the skin, it activates mitochondria — our cells' energy stations, that produce ATP (main energy molecule). Activation of mitochondria increases ATP levels, and directly or indirectly reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are harmful molecules generated during mitochondrial oxidative metabolism as well as in cellular response to different toxins, cytokines, and bacterial invasion.

Oxidative stress refers to the imbalance due to excess ROS or oxidants over the capability of the cell to mount an effective antioxidant response.

So, red light therapy supercharges mitochondria, increases ATP (energy), and reduces oxidative stress. 

Moreover, these effects lead to decreasing inflammation [1, 2] and improvement of blood circulation [2, 3]. 

RED LIGHT THERAPY BENEFITS and USE CASES

This ability to recharge mitochondria, and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation may be very useful and efficient due to the varied range of states. 

Red light therapy for Skin Health🤚

Red Light Therapy helps to reduce skin lesions, scars from acne, and acne lesions themselves [4, 5]. Low-intensity burning of the top layers of the skin stimulates stem cells in the lower layers of the skin, to produce new skin cells to replace that burned out on the top.

It is also helpful in wound healing and removing some types of pigmentation [3]. 

Red light therapy for Eyes👀

There is a tremendous effect of Red Light Therapy on eyesight in humans 40+ years old [7].  

2-3 min per day of 670-790 nm red light exposure from the safe distance of ~1 meter, in the first 3 hours of the morning, causes a significant improvement in visual function (up to 22% in acuity)! 

It works by the reversal of the aging process of retina neurons and by reducing and reversing the accumulation of drusen (cholesterol deposits in the eye retina).

Red light therapy for Pain Reducing😌

Red Light Therapy is also an effective treatment to reduce pain in adult humans with different musculoskeletal disorders [8].

Red light therapy for Bone Recovery🦴

Red Light Therapy also seems to improve bone formation and bone density, promote anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and accelerate healing, as well as enhance the quality of life in patients on maxillofacial area bone repair) [2].

Red light therapy for Hair Growth🧒

Lots of studies have also shown that Red Light Therapy stimulated hair growth in both men and women [10]. 

You can use red light therapy for hair loss treatment, as well as to improve hair health, strength, and shine!

RED LIGHT THERAPY SIDE EFFECTS

Red Light Therapy is a completely natural treatment. It uses low wavelength red light, the same as the red light from Sun. 

And moreover, it hasn’t that ultraviolet (UV) light waves, which can harm your skin health during long exposure to the sunlight.

However, using devices incorrectly (too close to the skin, or too long in time) can cause burns, so always read and follow your device's instructions!

FUTURE STUDIES

As you can see, red light really works! That is why more and more people around the world start using at-home red light therapy devices to promote their health and well-being.

Already today, there are many studies confirming the significant effectiveness of red light therapy. Many more interesting facts await us ahead!

It can be expected that soon there will be studies on the effectiveness of Red Light Therapy for problems caused by chronic inflammation, such as:

• heart diseases
• diabetes
• arthritis
• cancer
• different bowel disease
• and many others.  

In fact, because it is absolutely safe, efficient, and easy to use, Red Light Therapy may become a new big thing in Biohacking and Wellness very soon!

• I also highly recommend these awesome Light path LED panels for at home red light therapy usage! I’ve been using them for many years!
  This link will give you a 5% discount! Or just use the ‘BEAUTIFULLYBROKEN’ product code. 
• Here you can also find a 10% discount for the Therasage Sauna — an affordable Infrared Personal Portable Sauna!
  Biohack yourself😎

And here are some amazing Beautifully Broken Podcast Episodes related to this topic🤩

• #50 Redlight, Magic Water, Fasting and owning the Force! (Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify)
• #59 The Biohacker Babes (Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify)
• #73 The Healing Power of Red-Light Therapy with Scott Kennedy (Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify)
• #94 The Blind Biohacker Victor Mifsud (Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify)
• #98 Breathwork, Biohacking, and Warrior Woman Mode (Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify)
• #114 Charging the Cell through Pulsed Redlight with Scott Kennedy (Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify)