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Light-based treatment is definitely experiencing a surge in popularity. There are now available light-emitting tools for everything from dermatological concerns and fine lines along with aching tissues and oral inflammation, the newest innovation is a toothbrush enhanced with miniature red light sources, marketed by the company as “a breakthrough for domestic dental hygiene.” Internationally, the market was worth $1bn in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1.8bn by 2035. Options include full-body infrared sauna sessions, which use infrared light to warm the body directly, your body is warmed directly by infrared light. According to its devotees, it feels similar to a full-body light therapy session, stimulating skin elasticity, relaxing muscles, relieving inflammation and chronic health conditions while protecting against dementia.

Understanding the Evidence

“It appears somewhat mystical,” observes a neuroscience expert, who has researched light therapy for two decades. Of course, certain impacts of light on human physiology are proven. Sunlight enables vitamin D production, needed for bone health, immunity, muscles and more. Light exposure controls our sleep-wake cycles, as well, stimulating neurotransmitter and hormone production during daytime, and winding down bodily functions for sleep as it fades into night. Daylight-simulating devices are standard treatment for winter mood disorders to elevate spirits during colder months. So there’s no doubt we need light energy to function well.

Different Light Modalities

Whereas seasonal affective disorder devices typically employ blue-range light, most other light therapy devices deploy red or infrared light. In serious clinical research, such as Chazot’s investigations into the effects of infrared on brain cells, finding the right frequency is key. Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, spanning from low-energy radio waves to high-energy gamma radiation. Light-based treatment utilizes intermediate light frequencies, including invisible ultraviolet radiation, followed by visible light encompassing rainbow colors and then infrared (which we can see with night-vision goggles).

Ultraviolet treatment has been employed by skin specialists for decades to treat chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and vitiligo. It affects cellular immune responses, “and dampens down inflammation,” says Dr Bernard Ho. “Considerable data validates phototherapy.” UVA penetrates skin more deeply than UVB, in contrast to LEDs in commercial products (typically emitting red, infrared or blue wavelengths) “tend to be a bit more superficial.”

Safety Protocols and Medical Guidance

The side-effects of UVB exposure, such as burning or tanning, are understood but clinical devices employ restricted wavelength ranges – meaning smaller wavelengths – which decreases danger. “It’s supervised by a healthcare professional, so the dosage is monitored,” says Ho. And crucially, the devices are tuned by qualified personnel, “to ensure that the wavelength that’s being delivered is fit for purpose – as opposed to commercial tanning facilities, where oversight might be limited, and emission spectra aren’t confirmed.”

Home Devices and Scientific Uncertainty

Colored light diodes, he says, “don’t have strong medical applications, though they might benefit some issues.” Red wavelength therapy, proponents claim, help boost blood circulation, oxygen utilization and skin cell regeneration, and promote collagen synthesis – an important goal for anti-aging. “Studies are available,” says Ho. “Although it’s not strong.” In any case, amid the sea of devices now available, “we’re uncertain whether commercial devices replicate research conditions. Optimal treatment times are unknown, ideal distance from skin surface, the risk-benefit ratio. Numerous concerns persist.”

Treatment Areas and Specialist Views

Initial blue-light devices addressed acne bacteria, bacteria linked to pimples. The evidence for its efficacy isn’t strong enough for it to be routinely prescribed by doctors – even though, says Ho, “it’s frequently employed in beauty centers.” Individuals include it in their skincare practices, he says, though when purchasing home devices, “we just tell them to try it carefully and to make sure it has been assessed for safety. Without proper medical classification, the regulation is a bit grey.”

Advanced Research and Cellular Mechanisms

Simultaneously, in a far-flung field of pioneering medical science, scientists have been studying cerebral tissue, revealing various pathways for light-enhanced cell function. “Pretty much everything I did with the light at that particular wavelength was positive and protective,” he reports. The numerous reported benefits have generated doubt regarding phototherapy – that it’s too good to be true. But his research has thoroughly changed his mind in that respect.

Chazot mostly works on developing drug treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, though twenty years earlier, a GP who was developing an antiviral light treatment for cold sores sought his expertise as a biologist. “He created some devices so that we could work with them with cells and with fruit flies,” he explains. “I was quite suspicious. It was an unusual wavelength of about 1070 nanometres, which most thought had no biological effect.”

Its beneficial characteristic, though, was that it travelled through water easily, allowing substantial bodily penetration.

Mitochondrial Impact and Cognitive Support

Additional research indicated infrared affected cellular mitochondria. These organelles generate cellular energy, creating power for cellular operations. “Mitochondria exist throughout the body, including the brain,” notes the researcher, who prioritized neurological investigations. “Research confirms improved brain blood flow with phototherapy, which is always very good.”

With 1070 treatment, cellular power plants create limited oxidative molecules. In limited quantities these molecules, notes the scientist, “activates protective proteins that safeguard mitochondria, look after your cells and also deal with the unwanted proteins.”

These processes show potential for neurological conditions: free radical neutralization, swelling control, and pro-autophagy – autophagy representing cellular waste disposal.

Ongoing Study Progress and Specialist Evaluations

The last time Chazot checked the literature on using the 1070 wavelength on human dementia patients, he says, about 400 people were taking part in four studies, incorporating his preliminary American studies