How To Use Red Light Therapy For Total Skin Rejuvenation

Whole-body rejuvenation is a term used to describe a younger, firmer, more restored appearance. However, using “anti-aging” procedures to turn back the hands of time may cause you to make the mistake of prioritizing how you look, over how you feel.

“Red light therapy is believed to work by stimulating the mitochondria in cells, which are the powerhouses of the cell responsible for producing energy,” physician and founder of Glo by Glen Facial Optimization Dr. Glenicia Nosworthy tells ESSENCE. Instead of “fixing” your skin, it draws life back into it.

Below, Dr. Nosworthy looks at what skin rejuvenation means and how red light therapy can help.

What is skin rejuvenation?

By definition, “rejuvenation” means “to make young or youthful again” or “to restore to an original or new state.” In the context of beauty, rejuvenation can be a term used to describe the lifting and brightening benefits of skincare treatments, products and procedures. “Some individuals may benefit from combining red light therapy with other skincare treatments or procedures, such as microneedling, radiofrequency treatments, or chemical peels,” Dr. Nosworthy says, which are all used to rejuvenate the skin.

How does red light therapy rejuvenate the skin?

According to the NIH, light in the spectral range from 600 to 1300 nm is useful for promoting wound healing, tissue repair, and skin rejuvenation. For example, Black women are disproportionately affected by post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which can result after a breakout. Thus, exposure to red light can help heal those skin wounds by helping to repair the tissue and restore the skin to health. In addition to wound healing, Dr. Nosworthy notes an improvement in skin texture and firmness as well.

How long does it take to see results?

Although, boosting collagen and elastin production along with giving the skin a lift are the leading buzzwords behind rejuvenation procedures. However, “stimulating collagen production in the skin with red light therapy typically requires consistent and regular treatment over an extended period,” she says, taking a few months to show optimal results. In the meantime, using devices like Therabody’s TheraFace Pro and TheraFace Mask can help you remain consistent at home.

How can I boost the effects of my red light treatment?

Your skin rituals outside of red light therapy are important for overall restoration. “Combination therapies can synergistically enhance the effects of red light therapy and provide comprehensive skin rejuvenation,” she says. “Ingredients such as retinoids, peptides, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants (like vitamin C and E), and growth factors may help enhance the results of red light therapy by promoting skin rejuvenation and repair.” 

In addition to skincare products that support collagen production, red light therapy also works well with other facial procedures. “PDO (Polydioxanone) threads have gained popularity in the field of aesthetic medicine for non-surgical facelifts and skin rejuvenation treatments,” Nosworthy says. “These threads are inserted into the skin to create a lifting and tightening effect, stimulating the production of collagen and elastin in the treated areas.”