Red Light Therapy &
NIR (Near-Infrared Light) Therapy
RED light therapy (which includes both red and NIR wavelengths) can work from the inside-out, on a cellular level, to boost cellular performance.
Many people ask if red light therapy, and specifically NIR light, is safe and if there are any side effects or contraindications.The scientific community considers it a safe modality for treating a wide variety of physical conditions including: AC joint pain , general pain relief, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, hip pain, neck pain,shoulder pain , knee pain, faster recovery from sports injuries, arthritis pain relief , and hair growth, improved physical performance( strength and endurance) , erectile dysfunction and weight loss. Meanwhile, there may be other sympathetic benefits, including anti-aging and skin care treatment.
Near-infrared light physical therapy is making huge strides in the physical therapy community both as a complementary and primary Management of Acute and Chronic Pain.
Near-infrared light therapy has been consistently shown in clinical trials to be effective for treating sports injuries, overuse injuries, osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, neuropathic pain, and even broken bones.
How can shining light on a painful area offer relief?
NIR therapy bridges the beneficial effects of light therapy and heat therapy:
Like red light, NIR light stimulates cellular functioning and cellulite, boosts collagen synthesis, promotes blood and lymph flow, and reduces inflammation.
Unlike red light, NIR light generates a small amount of heat in the body by exciting water molecules in the cells. Heat has been shown to have pain-relieving effects and to increase connective tissue elasticity, which is likely (at least partially) due to increased blood flow and a temporary mild inflammatory reaction.
It’s important to repeat NIR light generates very little heat. NIR light has been used successfully to treat conditions in heat sensitive body parts,including the eyes and testicles. Light therapy helps relieve muscle and joint pain and has been proven safe .
What does the research say?
A 2012 study by Chinese researchers observed the effects of NIR light on chronic pain, when used with nerve block (NB) or local block (LB). This three-week study evaluated the intensity of pre- and post-therapy pain in 52 patients with shoulder periarthritis (frozen shoulder), myofascial pain syndrome, or lateral epicondylitis.
The patients were randomly assigned to two groups: Group I received NB or LB along with near-infrared light. Group 2 received the same nerve or local block, but did not receive NIR light treatment.
Immediately after treatment, the researchers observed a significant difference between the test and control groups, with no side effects. They concluded that NIR light therapy effectively and safely treated chronic pain and that it has synergic effects with NB and LB.
The researchers also determined that the effects of the treatment are short-lived, which suggests that ongoing treatment could be beneficial in treating chronic pain.

Red Light & NIR Therapy
& Fat Cell Reduction
The ability of red light to cause fat cells to "leak" could be one of the most exciting findings in red light research.
Studies have revealed that red light triggers the formation of small openings (or pores) in fat cells, which release fatty acids known as lipids. A study led by Harvard researchers found that just four minutes of exposure to red light therapy at 635nm caused 80 percent of lipids to be released from fat cells, and by six minutes, almost all of the fat had been released.
Scientists theorize that red light causes temporary pores to form in fat cells, which is what allows lipids to leak out. Red light also appears to stimulate adipocyte apoptosis, which is the natural death of fat cells. As a fat cell dies, it releases lipids stored within the cell into the body, where the lipids are naturally expelled.
While targeted fat loss has historically been considered difficult, the research into how red light/NIR causes fat cells to release their contents and die more quickly is very exciting. It is a promising finding for anyone wanting to lose belly fat or improve the appearance of other areas where fat reduction is desired.
In one 2011 study on the effects of red light on body contouring, 40 healthy men and women experienced a significant reduction (about 1”) in waist measurements after undergoing 30-minute treatments twice per week for four weeks (eight total treatments) – and they achieved these results without altering diet or exercise habits.
Another study used 635nm red light to spot-reduce excess fat stored around the waist, hips, and thighs of 65 male and female participants. When the targeted areas were measured, the combined loss was an average of 3.51 inches, with no changes to diet or exercise.
The fat-loss benefits of red light (620-660nm) are profound, but they are limited to fat stored directly under the skin. Red light can only penetrate the dermal layer where it activates cellular metabolism at and just below the surface of the skin. This is where most excess fat is stored, so it is possible to have great results with a red-light-only approach.
NIR (Near-infrared) and IR ( Infrared) light penetrate deeper into the body than red light. To promote weight loss and improve body composition (the ratio of muscle to fat), it’s necessary to stimulate the metabolism at a deeper level.
Red light/ NIR Therapy Reduces Insulin Resistance
Near-infrared light therapy combined with exercise has been proven to reduce insulin resistance and body fat, and enhance the physical exercise effects in obese women undergoing weight loss treatment. This was the finding of a 2015 study by Brazilian researchers on metabolic flexibility, or the body's ability to adjust fuel (fat) burning in response to exercise.
In the study, 64 obese women participated in a 20-week program that combined exercise (three weekly aerobic and weight training sessions) with red light therapy. The researchers measured insulin as well as fat loss and found that adding red light therapy to an exercise regimen reduced insulin resistance and reduced fat mass. The study also found that physical training along with red light therapy was more effective in boosting metabolism than physical training alone.
NIR & Improved Sleep
Sleep deprivation has been associated with many health issues, including weight gain. One cause of insomnia is chronic stress, which amplifies weight gain by stimulating cortisol production and disrupting how the nervous system regulates metabolism (leptin and ghrelin levels).
A 2021 study by the China Institute of Sport Science found that elite female basketball players who received red light therapy before bed experienced better sleep through increased melatonin production – and; better sleep directly affected their endurance performance.
Red Light & NIR Therapy Improves Thyroid and Adrenal Health
Red light therapy reduces the need for a hypothyroid medication known as levothyroxine, according to a 2010 study by researchers from São Paulo, Brazil. Fifteen patients with hypothyroidism had been undergoing levothyroxine treatment and participated in the study. After ten treatments with NIR light therapy, all patients either had reduced levothyroxine dosage needs or no longer needed the medication at all.
Similarly, a 2018 study by researchers from Brazil confirmed that red light therapy using a combination of red and NIR light has long-term positive effects on thyroid health.
NIR & Red Light Therapy Can Minimize and Prevent Scars
Red light therapy, which is also known as low-level light therapy (LLLT) and photobiomodulation, shows great promise as an effective treatment for scars.
Red light is a different type of approach to treating scars. Rather than just minimizing their appearance, red light penetrates tissue and stimulates healing at the cellular level using specific wavelengths of light: from 630 nanometers (nm) to 850 nm.
Human cells respond beneficially to these light waves in much the same way that plant cells respond to natural sunlight: by producing energy and optimizing cell function, which stimulates the body’s self-healing processes.
RED Light /NIR Improves Cellular Energy Production and Reduced Inflammation
According to a 2013 article co-authored by Harvard researcher and world-renowned photobiomodulation expert Michael Hamblin, red light therapy stimulates cellular energy production and reduces inflammation, which supports tissue repair and regeneration.
This powerful combination of effects can make a world of difference in healing with minimal scarring; and in reducing the appearance of existing scars.
Acute (short-term) inflammation is a normal and necessary part of wound healing. However, chronic inflammation can interfere with the healing process. Inflammation can cause a condition called mitochondrial dysfunction: the inability of the mitochondria (tiny energy-producing organelles in each cell) to function properly and convert raw materials into cellular fuel.
As red and near-infrared (NIR) light photons absorb into the skin, they interact with light-sensitive chromophores within the mitochondria. This sparks an increase in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the primary fuel of human cells.
This boost in energy gives cells the resources to perform their functions, including self-repair and regeneration.
Which cells benefit from this? All cells that are irradiated by red light benefit from it. This includes cells within the circulatory system, nerve cells (neurons), and fibroblasts, which are the most common cell type in connective tissue and are responsible for the synthesis of collagen and elastin proteins.
Red Light Therapy /NIR & Increasing Circulation
Another way to accelerate the healing process is to increase circulation to the damaged skin.
Red light therapy boosts the production of endothelial cells, which are the cells that make up the tiny blood and lymph capillaries close to the surface of the skin. According to a 2017 study by researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin, red light also increases vessel diameter (known as vasodilation), which promotes circulation.
Increasing blood flow through new blood vessels brings oxygen and nutrients to the site of the wound. Increasing lymph flow removes waste that could cause infection.
The vasodilating effect of red light therapy can accelerate the healing process.
RED Light Therapy/NIR increases Intradermal Collagen Density
Red light therapy is well-known for its skin rejuvenation benefits, such as reducing fine lines and wrinkles, smoothing skin complexion, and reducing sunspots and another photodamage. The same mechanisms that make skin look more youthful can be applied to reduce scarring.
Because of the role collagen plays in the development of scars, it may seem counterintuitive to use red light therapy to increase collagen production. But it’s not the amount of collagen that causes scars – it’s the way the collagen is organized.
During skin regeneration, which is a constant, ongoing process, fibroblasts produce an organized lattice of collagen and elastin proteins. This process results in what we see and feel as healthy skin. The latticework is extremely strong and resilient and allows the skin to stretch and move freely.
After an injury or surgery, however, when the body is in emergency-response mode, the healing response is rapid and intense – the immune system aims to close the wound as fast as possible. How it looks afterward is not the body’s concern.
Instead of a latticework, the collagen organizes in side-by-side bands much like bridges that are built as quickly as possible to cross the gap and close it. This network is much weaker than the normal latticework of skin and does not contain elastin, which means it can't stretch. This is why scars on joints are inflexible and make it difficult and painful to move.
To compensate for the weak structure of scar tissue and to better protect the body, this new tissue becomes thicker. The result is a visible scar.
Scarring is a pretty genius self-preservation mechanism; it’s a fast and effective way to close a wound. But if the cells in the skin regenerate about once a month, why don’t scars disappear over time?
At the lowermost layers of the scar, newly formed cells push older cells to the surface. Here’s the key, however: the emerging cells develop the same characteristics as the cells they are replacing. So, cells in contact with scar cells will become new scar cells, rather than normal skin cells.
The way red light could help prevent scarring is by stimulating normal fibroblast growth and normal collagen synthesis and organization.
During a 2019 study, researchers from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University observed the effects of red light therapy on scar prevention. They discovered that the treatment modulates the processes involved in skin fibrosis, meaning excessive growth of collagen proteins. Thus, red light therapy was found to help create healthy skin rather than scars.
NIR & Increasing Elastin Production
One of the main characteristics of scars is that they are very inflexible, which is caused by how the collagen proteins are organized: in rows next to each other to quickly form a bridge across the wound. Another factor in the inflexibility of scars is the lack of elastin proteins since elastin is what allows the skin to stretch. Boosting elastin synthesis is important for softening the scar over time and restoring normal joint movement.
A 2019 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that red light is an effective treatment for boosting elastin production. The study used a combination of red light (640 nm) and NIR light (830 nm) to address all of the layers of the skin.
While this study was focused on the effects of low-level red and near-infrared light therapy on aging, it is also applicable to scar reduction. This is because emerging cells that will eventually work their way to the surface (to the epidermis) need to be supple and strong.
NIR promotes Stem Cell Activation
Stem cells are the body’s “potentials,” meaning unspecialized cells. They are key to healing because they have the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body. There are two types:
One type is generated from fully developed tissues including the skin; these types of stem cells will take on the characteristics of their neighboring cells and become the cells that make up your skin
Most stem cells are formed in the bone marrow. These cells remain in standby mode to develop into any type of specialized cell.
In the presence of a skin wound, stem cells can become normal, healthy skin (dermal) cells with different genetic makeup than scar cells.
LED Therapy and Erectile Dysfunction
Low-T is a common cause of erectile dysfunction. It's more common in men over 40, but even younger men can be affected by abnormally low levels of testosterone.
Red light therapy stimulates energy production in the Leydig cells, which are the cells responsible for producing testosterone. This can naturally increase the production of testosterone at any age.
With consistent red light therapy treatments you could, along with positive lifestyle changes, even restore age-appropriate testosterone levels – or better.
A 2013 study by researchers from Korea involved stimulating increased production of testosterone in male rats with a combination of red and near-infrared light. This study suggests that red light therapy could potentially be used as an alternative treatment to conventional testosterone replacement therapy.
Reversing mitochondrial dysfunction could hold the answer to many chronic health problems, including Low-T.
Michael Hamblin, one of the world's foremost experts in red light therapy, published a paper in 2017 titled “Mechanisms and Applications of the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Photobiomodulation. In the paper, Hamblin discusses the efficacy of red light therapy on reducing inflammation, which could be a contributing factor to mitochondrial dysfunction.
A 2008 University of California San Diego study confirmed that treatment with red and NIR light therapy increased ATP production by mitochondria. Red light therapy (i.e., both red light and near-infrared light) also positively influenced cell proliferation, as well as cellular homeostasis, which is optimal cell functioning under normal circumstances.
To recap, red light therapy boosts cellular performance in all cells, including Leydig cells – but this is just one way it can help with erectile dysfunction.
Red Light Therapy Increases Blood Flow
Erectile dysfunction is often due to poor blood flow, which is one of the reasons diabetics and men with heart disease often suffer from erectile dysfunction. High blood glucose levels decrease the elasticity of blood vessels and cause blood vessels to narrow, which impedes blood flow.
Increasing blood flow using red light therapy could be one way to treat erectile dysfunction. Red wavelengths absorb into the skin to promote microcirculation.
Near-infrared light penetrates the body deeper, up to about three inches, which means that NIR light therapy can reach the blood vessels in the penis to improve blood flow and help you achieve and maintain an erection.
A 2017 study on the effects of diabetic peripheral artery disease found that red light therapy stimulated vasodilation in both healthy and diabetic blood vessels. This holds promise in treating not only diabetic vascular disease but any condition where poor circulation could be a contributing cause – such as erectile dysfunction.
In a 2007 paper, Arthur L. Burnett, Johns Hopkins professor and researcher, wrote that a released of nitric oxide is key to achieving and maintaining an erection. Nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscles in the veins, which allows them to expand and increase blood flow.
A 2013 study by researchers from Brigham Young University found that NIR light therapy increased nitric oxide levels in the veins. The researchers concluded that this was a viable treatment wherever increased peripheral blood flow is desired.
A 2017 study on diabetes-related vascular dysfunction found that red light therapy significantly dilated blood vessels, which suggests the potential for red light therapy to increase vasodilation in the penis.