Let’s Talk About LightStim Red Light Therapy

Sting and the Police weren’t totally accurate after all: Roxanne does have to put on the red light—if she wants to reap the benefits of this colorful wellness treatment! At R3 Health, we’ve become quite enamored with LightStim Red Light Therapy. Let’s see why!

Red light therapy uses low-level wavelengths of colored light as an effective treatment for a wide variety of skin conditions. You may have already heard of this advancement before under a different name, such as:

• infrared light therapy
• photobiomodulation (PBM)
• low-level light therapy (LLLT)
• soft laser therapy
• cold laser therapy
• biostimulation
• photonic stimulation
• low-power laser therapy (LPLT)

It feels gentle and warm—like a day at the beach—but down at the cellular level, it’s working to produce a biochemical response in the mitochondria. That’s the powerhouse of the cell where it creates energy.

By boosting those mitochondria’s efficiency, cells can produce more adenosine triphosphate. That’s a molecule common in all living things responsible for carrying energy throughout the body. With more ATP, cells can function with better efficiency to repair damages and rejuvenate themselves.

This process is mildly similar to more popular laser treatments, except for the fact that Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) sessions cause damage to superficial layers of the epidermis, inducing tissue repair and regeneration. RLT, on the other hand, skips the damaging part of laser therapies and instead goes right to stimulating the healing aspect by penetrating approximately 5mm below the skin surface.

Are you wondering how experts discovered the benefits of RLT? That particular fact is a little out of this world! In the early 1990s, scientists working on the International Space Station program performed experiments while in orbit using plants and red light-emitting diodes. They noticed that these particular light waves were effective at promoting growth and photosynthesis in their subjects.

These scientists wondered if they could harness this tech to combat many common issues caused by weightlessness during prolonged space travel like bone density problems, muscle atrophy, and slow wound healing.

Since then, there have been thousands of laboratory experiments and clinical studies done to suss out the many benefits of these powerful red lightwaves, including:

• repaired and rebuilt collagen, elastin, and other proteins
• reduced pain and inflammation
• increased blood circulation
• improved oxygenation
• enhanced lymphatic flow
• shrunken pores, wrinkles, fine lines, and scars
• accelerated healing
• extended lifespan for Botox and other fillers
• toned skin and a radiantly glowing complexion
• optimized cellular functions
• acne relief
• and more!

The RLT process is quite similar to using a tanning bed! Patients simply relax for 40 minutes in an LED light bed with an optional face panel, and the red waves get to work. Why the face panel? Because we’ve found it’s incredibly helpful in speeding up the healing process after facials—especially when paired with microneedling!

Some patients report experiencing results after only a single treatment, while other conditions benefit from a series of sessions for a better outcome. For this reason, we offer membership rates for our patients here at R3 Health for those that want to come in multiple times a month for that warm, relaxing red glow.

Ready to turn on your red light for some excellent health + beauty benefits? We’re ready to help you out and answer all your questions, so reach out to us today and learn more!