How to use red light correctly: how long and how often?

Red light therapy has developed significantly in recent years. With our Helsi™ Go, Helsi™ Plus, Helsi™ Pro and Helsi™ Max devices, you can easily use the latest technology optimized by Helsi™ at home.

Here you will find out how long and how often you should use near-infrared red light therapy and what effects you can achieve with it.

First, we would like to briefly explain what red light and near-infrared light mean and what the advantages of our modern devices are.

red light and near-infrared light

Visible light is made up of spectral colors, which differ, among other things, in their wavelengths.

At one end of the spectrum is violet light with a wavelength of 380 to 420 nm (nanometers). At the other end, the light is red and has a wavelength of 650 to 780 nm. Following the red light in the spectrum is infrared light with a wavelength of 780 nm to 1 mm.

It is divided into near, middle and far infrared light and is not visible, but can be felt as heat. Red light and near infrared light are used to treat individual areas of the skin. [1]

Your old red light lamp has served its purpose

You are probably familiar with the typical old red light lamps with the large light bulbs. They emit light and heat in the red and infrared range and are said to relieve certain ailments such as sinusitis, but also muscle tension.

These classic red light lamps are increasingly being replaced by more modern, more effective technology.

Our near-infrared red light therapy devices: Helsi™ Mini and Helsi™ Plus

Near-infrared red light therapy is precisely tailored to the human organism. These light waves do not simply heat the skin, they penetrate the cells and exert their effect there.

The near-infrared red light therapy devices from Helsi™ - Go, Mini, Plus, Pro, Max - contain LEDs (light emitting diodes) that emit exactly the wavelengths that the body benefits from most: red light with a wavelength of 660 nm and near-infrared light with a wavelength of 850 nm. The LEDs are arranged in a flat manner so that a larger part of the body can be irradiated at once.

How often and for how long should you use near-infrared red light?

How often and how long you should undergo a near-infrared red light treatment depends on several factors. The decisive factors are which health issues you specifically want to improve, how you individually react to the radiation, which part of the body is affected and how thick and pigmented the skin is through which the red light penetrates the body.

The affected part of the body should be free of clothing and makeup during irradiation.

It is best to experiment a little within the recommended exposure time to see how you respond to the effects of near infrared and red light therapy.

How do I choose the ideal distance when using it?How long should a therapy session last?

The distance and duration of use depends on the energetic potential of the mitochondria or the cells. There is no trivial answer here, since - from a scientific point of view - a large number of parameters influence the distance and duration of use.

However, assuming that it is a good red light device with sufficient intensity, the following rule of thumb can be used to simplify the calculation:

  • At a distance of 20cm and an intensity of >100mW/cm², the cells can absorb approx. 6 joules per minute.
  • According to an expert, the cells can absorb a maximum of 60J of energy in the form of near-infrared and red light. At the above distance, this results in a usage time of 10 minutes at a distance of 20cm (assuming it is a good red light device).
  • If the distance is increased, for example 40cm, the irradiation time changes by the same factor. So double the distance means double the duration. So at a distance of 40cm you should use it for about 20 minutes.
  • The above formula applies to each body region. So you could irradiate the upper body according to the above formula and then another body region.

In general, it is recommended to treat each desired body part for 10-15 minutes. You may also need a slightly longer session (up to 20 minutes) - depending on which complaints are to be treated.

How many red light treatments per day are optimal?

Near-infrared red light therapy should be used regularly to achieve lasting effects. It is best to irradiate the affected parts of the body every day. Treatment up to three times a day is also possible, but several hours should pass between sessions.

How many weeks should you use near-infrared red light therapy?

For some complaints, it can take several weeks for the desired effects to become apparent with regular treatment. In order to improve chronic illnesses, it often takes several months. Other effects, such as muscle recovery after exercise or improved skin elasticity, can occur after a short time.

When can therapy be stopped?

Once the desired effects have been achieved, it may be advisable to continue the treatment in order to maintain the improved condition. Since near-infrared red light therapy has no side effects, with a few exceptions, it can also be carried out over a long period of time.

Does red light therapy have side effects?

Near-infrared red light therapy is very safe and has virtually no side effects when used correctly.

The skin may be slightly red and feel warm after the treatment. This is due to the desired effects, such as increased blood circulation, and will subside after a short time. In this case, you can try shortening the treatment time or placing the device a little further away from the affected part of the body.

If you feel that your skin is reacting particularly strongly or in an unpleasant way to the therapy, stop the treatment and consult a doctor.

What should you consider when undergoing red light therapy?

When you perform near-infrared red light irradiation, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

  • Use safety glasses if it is uncomfortable without them
  • Only irradiate healthy skin
  • Red light should not be used when taking certain medications.

Use safety glasses

If the radiation is uncomfortable, protect your eyes with suitable protective goggles during the treatment. When you purchase a near infrared red light therapy device from Aurora, you will receive optimal protective goggles free of charge.

Only irradiate healthy skin

Only irradiate healthy or slightly irritated skin. If you have a rash or benign or malignant tumors on your skin, always consult your doctor before starting treatment. He can advise you whether your skin condition will benefit from near-infrared red light treatment or whether you should wait with the irradiation.

If you are taking certain medications, you must not use red light

Some medications (including those taken orally) cause skin to become more sensitive to light. These include some antibiotics, acne medications, some painkillers, certain diabetes medications, and other medicines. You can usually find a warning about this in the patient information leaflet.

If you are taking medication and are unsure whether it increases the skin's sensitivity to light, consult a doctor to be on the safe side before starting near-infrared red light therapy.

Areas of application: this is how our near-infrared red light therapy devices affect your health

Near-infrared light is used in many medical areas under medical supervision. But you can also benefit from the many positive effects of near-infrared light at home. Our near-infrared red light therapy devices Mini, Go and Plus have been specially developed for self-treatment at home.

Please have your symptoms diagnosed by a doctor first to make sure that near-infrared red light therapy is right for you and that you do not have a serious illness that requires additional therapy.

Here is an overview of the effects you can easily achieve in your own four walls with near-infrared red light irradiation:

  • supply of the body's cells with energy
  • regeneration of cells and tissue
  • improving blood circulation
  • Better and faster wound healing
  • vitality and youthfulness of the skin
  • Improved hair growth and reduced hair loss
  • improving fitness
  • improving sleep quality

supply of the body's cells with energy

Within the cells, the so-called mitochondria are responsible for the production of the energy carrier adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Near-infrared red light therapy helps the mitochondria to make this energy available to the cells and thus to the entire body.

regeneration of cells and tissue

Near-infrared light and red light improve the body's ability to regenerate. They stimulate the production of proteins that promote cell repair.

improving blood circulation

The blood vessels expand during the red light treatment, which increases blood flow. This ensures that the tissue is well supplied with macro and micro nutrients, immune cells reach the tissue more easily, and metabolic waste products are removed.

Better and faster wound healing

When the skin is injured or irritated and reddened by harmful environmental influences, the body's own wound healing mechanisms begin to work.

Destroyed cells grow again, the wound is closed, invading germs must be eliminated, and dead tissue is removed.

The cells involved in this repair work can become more active under the influence of near-infrared light, which improves and accelerates wound healing.

vitality and youthfulness of the skin

Collagen is found in many parts of the body that have to withstand mechanical stress - including the skin. This gives collagen strength and elasticity.

Over time, however, collagen production decreases, the skin becomes looser, and wrinkles appear. Many people are bothered by this cosmetic problem. Treatment with near-infrared light stimulates the body's own collagen production.

This makes the skin firmer, reduces wrinkles and allows you to maintain your youthful appearance.

The improvement in blood circulation and the promotion of wound healing described above also benefit the skin. Near-infrared red light therapy helps to combat the impure skin caused by the smallest wounds and skin irritations.

Improved hair growth and reduced hair loss

Many men, but also women, suffer from hair loss. Near-infrared red light therapy can significantly increase hair growth on the scalp, as a study [2] has shown.

improving fitness

Intensive exercise causes minor muscle damage. However, if you treat the muscles with near-infrared light before training, they tire less and recover faster after physical activity, as demonstrated in a study [3].

improving sleep quality

The sleep-wake rhythm is controlled, among other things, by the body's own melatonin, which promotes sleep. During the day, the melatonin level is low due to natural light.

Towards the evening, more and more melatonin is released and you feel the need to go to sleep.

Nowadays, however, many people are no longer subject to the natural rhythm of daylight. Shift work and staying in rooms that lack natural light disrupt the day-night rhythm. A study [4] showed that exposure to red light increases melatonin levels and improves subjective sleep quality.

Conclusion

Near-infrared red light therapy is a safe way to positively influence your health easily at home. If you follow the recommendations, near-infrared red light irradiation has almost no side effects and is very safe.

Near-infrared red light therapy increases energy production in the body's cells, promotes better wound healing, rejuvenates the skin and regrows hair. It also improves both fitness and sleep quality.

The duration of treatment can vary from individual to individual, but is generally 10-15 minutes per day per body part. To achieve lasting effects, you should carry out red light irradiation regularly, even after the desired effect has occurred, in order to maintain the results achieved and prevent further problems.

Try out for yourself which treatment duration is best for you and discover the many areas of your health that you can positively influence with Aurora's near-infrared red light therapy devices!

Sources

[1] https://www.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de/563197/einteil

[2] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14764172.2017.1326609?journalCode=ijcl20

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5167494/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3499892/pdf/i1062-6050-47-6-673.pdf

Cart

No more products available for purchase