‘It appears magical’: does light therapy actually deliver clearer skin, healthier teeth, and more resilient joints?

Light-based treatment is definitely experiencing a surge in popularity. You can now buy illuminated devices designed to address skin conditions and wrinkles to sore muscles and oral inflammation, the newest innovation is a toothbrush enhanced with tiny red LEDs, marketed by the company as “a breakthrough for domestic dental hygiene.” Globally, the market was worth $1bn in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1.8bn by 2035. Options include full-body infrared sauna sessions, that employ light waves rather than traditional heat sources, your body is warmed directly by infrared light. According to its devotees, the experience resembles using an LED facial mask, stimulating skin elasticity, relaxing muscles, relieving inflammation and chronic health conditions as well as supporting brain health.

The Science and Skepticism

“It sounds a bit like witchcraft,” says a neuroscience expert, professor in neuroscience at Durham University and a convert to the value of light therapy. Naturally, certain impacts of light on human physiology are proven. Sunlight enables vitamin D production, crucial for strong bones, immune defense, and tissue repair. Natural light synchronizes our biological clocks, additionally, stimulating neurotransmitter and hormone production during daytime, and signaling the body to slow down for nighttime. Sunlight-imitating lamps frequently help individuals with seasonal depression to combat seasonal emotional slumps. So there’s no doubt we need light energy to function well.

Various Phototherapy Approaches

Although mood lamps generally utilize blue-spectrum frequencies, the majority of phototherapy tools use red or near-infrared wavelengths. In rigorous scientific studies, such as Chazot’s investigations into the effects of infrared on brain cells, finding the right frequency is key. Photons represent electromagnetic waves, extending from long-wavelength radiation to the highest-energy (gamma waves). Phototherapy, or light therapy employs mid-spectrum wavelengths, the highest energy of those being invisible ultraviolet, followed by visible light encompassing rainbow colors and finally infrared detectable with special equipment.

Dermatologists have utilized UV therapy for extensive periods for addressing long-term dermatological issues like vitiligo. It modulates intracellular immune mechanisms, “and reduces inflammatory processes,” says Dr Bernard Ho. “Considerable data validates phototherapy.” UVA reaches deeper skin layers compared to UVB, while the LEDs in consumer devices (typically emitting red, infrared or blue wavelengths) “typically have shallower penetration.”

Safety Considerations and Medical Oversight

The side-effects of UVB exposure, like erythema or pigmentation, are understood but clinical devices employ restricted wavelength ranges – meaning smaller wavelengths – that reduces potential hazards. “Treatment is monitored by medical staff, meaning intensity is regulated,” says Ho. Essentially, the light sources are adjusted by technical experts, “to confirm suitable light frequency output – different from beauty salons, where oversight might be limited, and emission spectra aren’t confirmed.”

Commercial Products and Research Limitations

Red and blue LEDs, he says, “don’t have strong medical applications, though they might benefit some issues.” Red light devices, some suggest, help boost blood circulation, oxygen absorption and skin cell regeneration, and activate collagen formation – a primary objective in youth preservation. “Studies are available,” states the dermatologist. “However, it’s limited.” Regardless, with numerous products on the market, “we don’t know whether or not the lights emitted are reflective of the research that has been done. Appropriate exposure periods aren’t established, proper positioning requirements, whether or not that will increase the risk versus the benefit. There are lots of questions.”

Targeted Uses and Expert Opinions

Initial blue-light devices addressed acne bacteria, microorganisms connected to breakouts. The evidence for its efficacy isn’t strong enough for it to be routinely prescribed by doctors – although, explains the specialist, “it’s commonly used in cosmetic clinics.” Some of his patients use it as part of their routine, he observes, however for consumer products, “we advise cautious experimentation and safety verification. Without proper medical classification, oversight remains ambiguous.”

Advanced Research and Cellular Mechanisms

Simultaneously, in advanced research areas, Chazot has been experimenting with brain cells, discovering multiple mechanisms for infrared’s cellular benefits. “Virtually all experiments with specific wavelengths showed beneficial and safeguarding effects,” he reports. The numerous reported benefits have generated doubt regarding phototherapy – that claims seem exaggerated. Yet, experimental evidence has transformed his viewpoint.

Chazot mostly works on developing drug treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, however two decades past, a GP who was developing an antiviral light treatment for cold sores sought his expertise as a biologist. “He developed equipment for cellular and insect experiments,” he recalls. “I remained doubtful. It was an unusual wavelength of about 1070 nanometres, which most thought had no biological effect.”

Its beneficial characteristic, nevertheless, was its ability to transmit through aqueous environments, enabling deeper tissue penetration.

Mitochondrial Effects and Brain Health

Growing data suggested infrared influenced energy-producing organelles. These organelles generate cellular energy, generating energy for them to function. “Mitochondria exist throughout the body, including the brain,” says Chazot, who prioritized neurological investigations. “Studies demonstrate enhanced cerebral circulation with light treatment, which is consistently beneficial.”

With specific frequency application, cellular power plants create limited oxidative molecules. In limited quantities these molecules, notes the scientist, “activates protective proteins that safeguard mitochondria, preserve cell function and eliminate damaged proteins.”

These processes show potential for neurological conditions: free radical neutralization, swelling control, and cellular cleanup – autophagy being the process the cell uses to clear unwanted damaging proteins.

Current Research Status and Professional Opinions

Upon examining current studies on light therapy for dementia, he says, several hundred individuals participated in various investigations, incorporating his preliminary American studies