Which is better, infrared or red light?

It depends on what you are after. An infrared lamp or cabin gives warmth; an LED red light panel gives light at set wavelengths without much heat. They are two different uses.

Is a red light lamp an infrared lamp?

The classic red heat lamp with a bulb is: it emits mostly infrared, and the red is just the visible share. LED red light panels instead emit red and near-infrared in narrow bands.

How often can I use a red light panel a day?

Follow the maker’s instructions. For Helsi™ red light panels the usual rule of thumb is 10 to 15 minutes at about 30 to 40 cm, daily or every other day.

When should I not use infrared or red light?

If you are sensitive to light, take photosensitising medication, are pregnant or have a skin or eye condition, ask a doctor first. Never look straight into the light source.

Glossary

Red light vs. infrared

Red light is visible light of about 620 to 780 nm and infrared is invisible radiation from 780 nm; the classic red “heat lamp” is really an infrared heater, while LED red light devices emit narrow bands of red and near-infrared.

Also: red light or infrared, red light vs heat lamp, infrared lamp

Updated November 1, 2026

Three devices that get mixed up

In everyday speech “red light” stands for three very different things. The classic red heat lamp is an incandescent bulb behind red glass: it mainly gives off heat, and the red is only the visible remainder. An LED red light panel emits two narrow bands on purpose, red and near-infrared, and barely gets warm. An infrared cabin heats with far-infrared and warms the whole body.

	Red heat lamp	LED red light panel	Infrared cabin
Light source	Incandescent bulb, usually 100–300 W	LEDs, narrow-band	Heating panels or films
Spectrum	Broad, mostly IR-A and IR-B	Red 630–660 nm and NIR 810–850 nm	Mostly far-infrared (IR-C)
Heat	Hot, needs a safety distance	Barely warm	Air at about 45–65 °C
Area	One spot	Face to whole body	Whole body
Typical session	A few minutes	10–15 minutes	20–40 minutes

Why the difference matters

Heat and light are two different stimuli. A bulb warms the skin, and it hardly matters which exact wavelength arrives. With red and near-infrared LEDs it is about wavelength and irradiance (mW/cm²) at a stated distance, not heat. That is why photobiomodulation studies report wavelength, power and time, not temperature.

For choosing, that means: if you are after warmth, an infrared cabin or heat lamp is the right tool. If you are after light at specific wavelengths, look for nm values and measured irradiance.

At Helsi™

Helsi™ red light panels are LED panels with half 660 nm red and half 850 nm near-infrared, from the Helsi™ Go with 12 LEDs to the Helsi™ Max with 1,200. They are flicker-free and barely get warm; Plus, Pro and Max have fans. The Helsi™ One Sauna Dome combines both: far-infrared heaters for the warmth and 132 LEDs in red and near-infrared.

Helsi™ Go held in the hand, its light on the knee — Helsi™ Go: 12 LEDs, battery powered.

Helsi™ One Sauna Dome in sage — Helsi™ One Sauna Dome: far-infrared plus red and NIR.

More at Helsi™

See the Helsi™ red light panels Red light therapy guide

Frequently asked questions

More questions? Our team in Germany can help.

Contact

All terms in the glossary

This entry explains a term in technical terms. It makes no claim about health effects and is not medical advice. Helsi™ products are not medical devices.