As we move past the halfway point of 2024, the world around us continues to spin and evolve while we, as humans, adapt alongside it. Whether it's our health and wellness or our social structures, we wake up every day to be presented with a host of new and exciting information to digest and use.
From new trends to unique concepts, the health and wellness space continues to be flooded with new tech, gadgets, and information that we need to sort through and work out what is worthwhile. In fact, the global health and wellness market is estimated to be approximately $5,546,0 billion as of 2024. By 2033, this is expected to almost double.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of red light therapy. It involves exposing the skin to red or near-infrared light. The process stimulates mitochondria function, which boosts the vital energy production needed for growth, repair, and healing.
To keep up with the times, we’ve looked at the top reasons why red light therapy is so popular in 2024 and the beneficial impacts it can have on several aspects of our health and wellness.
We’re going to start by giving you a brief history and background so you understand what you’re dealing with!
A Brief History and Background of Red Light Therapy
In 1967, Hungarian Physician Endre Mester was aiming to replicate an American experiment where a laser was used to destroy cancer cells in rats. While his laser didn’t possess any anti-cancer effects, interestingly, it seemed to help with wound healing and hair growth. Following this, the term low-intensity red light therapy was born.
Fast-forward to the 1990s, when NASA explored the use of red light therapy for plant growth in space. During the scientific studies, interest peaked when they noticed that their wounds healed faster due to red light exposure. Following this, studies conducted on Navy SEALs found that the red light therapy technique improved the healing of training injuries by 40%.
From this point on, interest in red light therapy in biomedical research continued to grow into the viral TikTok trend that is currently being promoted throughout the health and wellness space.
Just recently, well-known CrossFit Games athlete Noah Ohlsen was quoted as saying, “When I'm sitting down to write a few emails, I can have the Kineon, [a red light therapy device], on my elbow, getting me ready for the rope climbs in my afternoon session”.
Without further delay, let’s examine some of the main reasons why red light therapy will be so popular in 2024. We’ve detailed the main reasons below.
Reduced Pain and Inflammation
Let’s start this section by stating that inflammation is our body’s natural response to infection and injury. We can view it as a protective mechanism that uses our blood, immune cells, and molecular mediators.
However, like most things in life, we need a balance. Too much inflammation can lead to pain and inflammatory disease, both of which reduce our mobility and affect our quality of life.
Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease that commonly affects our hands, knees, hips, and spines. Symptoms include joint pain and stiffness, making it difficult to move and perform activities. In a study looking at the combination of red light therapy and exercise, results showed a reduction in pain and improvement in function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
In addition, studies on rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory condition, also showed reductions in pain following red light therapy.
Even for chronic conditions where treatment tends to involve stabilising the injury rather than treating it, red light therapy has shown promising applications. Researchers from the University of Birmingham looked at using red light therapy as a therapeutic approach in the treatment of spinal cord injury. Results showed a significant restoration of sensation and movement and regeneration of damaged nerve cells.
When applied correctly, the results of these studies suggest that red light therapy can have wide-ranging impacts when it comes to reducing pain and inflammation. In turn, this can help to restore function for a variety of acute and chronic conditions.
With the wonders of modern medicine only stretching so far, red light therapy is a popular alternative method to improve both pain and function in several aspects of our daily lives.
Ben Greenfield, a well-known Biohacker, commented, “ I used the MOVE+ on my knee to help me recover from my recent stem cell procedure, and it was a huge game changer in my path to recovery”.
Skin Rejuvenation and Anti-aging
Because of its TikTok popularity, it's not a surprise that red light therapy seems to find most of its publicity and success related to its skincare benefits. By stimulating collagen production and improving blood flow, red light therapy can help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and signs of aging. This results in a more youthful appearance alongside helping to address issues such as acne and sun damage.
A study involving patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris found that red light delivered by fluorescent lamps led to a significant improvement in symptoms, suggesting beneficial applications in acne treatment.
In another clinical trial, participants found significant improvements in skin feeling, roughness, and complexion following red light therapy. At the same time, an increase in collagen density backed up the red light mechanism mentioned above.
In a world longing for longevity, red light therapy may also offer hope against a natural aging process that most of us seem to hate. Human studies have demonstrated promising metabolic effects on aspects of cognitive function following red light therapy which include improved attention, memory, and learning.
Improved Hair Growth
Did you know that approximately 100,000 scalp hairs go through a hair cycle of growth, rest, death, and regeneration daily?
Hair loss, also known as alopecia, is a common hair loss disorder that affects this normal hair cycle. With hair representing a significant aspect of human appearance, we continue to search for therapeutic interventions to improve hair appearance and quality of life.
If you remember from above, increased hair growth was one of the first effects shown back in 1967 when the experiments on rats were taking place. In the present day, the suggested mechanism is an improvement in blood flow to the scalp, stimulating the hair follicles to grow and reduce thinning. When it comes to popularity, things that can improve appearance tend to sit top of the list in most people's books.
A meta-analysis is one of the best quality studies that you can perform. It analyzes other studies and presents a summary of the key information to decide the potential applications of the results. In a meta-analysis looking at the potential of red light therapy on alopecia in 11 clinical trials, results showed a low-frequency treatment of approximately 60 minutes per week was effective in improving hair loss symptoms.
Better Mental Health
As we navigate life, the importance of mental health and its links to several aspects of our physical states continue to gain traction and significance. According to recent statistics, the National Institutes of Health estimates that 57.8 million adults live with some form of mental illness. Of these, depression is a common mental illness that may affect each of us in some way throughout our lives.
Because of its resistance to common treatments, depression has continued to be a key area for innovative research. This includes studies looking at the impact of red light therapy. In theory, when applied across the skill, red light therapy may penetrate the brain's outer layer to stimulate the mitochondrial respiratory chain and cerebral blood flow.
With the signs and symptoms of depression well recognized throughout society, the potential applications of red light therapy are one reason why it continues to gain popularity.
Just below meta-analyses, randomized control studies are the next best thing when it comes to the efficacy of scientific research. In a randomized control trial, researchers administered red light therapy to the prefrontal cortex in the brain of subjects with major depressive disorder. When delivered twice a week over a six-week period, red light therapy improves symptoms of depression, suggesting therapeutic applications.
Low Risk and Convenient
With the invention of handheld gadgets and devices that can be used from home while performing other activities, red light therapy has become a convenient, non-invasive recovery method that offers accessible treatment for a range of acute and chronic conditions.
Unlike surgical procedures and interventions, red light therapy is relatively painless and involves no recovery time. Alongside this, it has minimal to no side effects, making it a safe option for a wide range of populations and conditions.
As our working lives continue to get busier, the role of convenience becomes more important. Red light therapy can be used anywhere and everywhere, allowing you to incorporate it into your everyday routines to reap the benefits with no effort at all.
The table below looks at the different reasons why people are interested in using red light therapy from the benefits listed above. It presents an interesting analysis of the current reasons why red light therapy is becoming so popular in 2024.
With an increasing interest across trendy social media sites such as TikTok, combined with promising scientific backing, the red light therapy train shows no signs of slowing down. It offers several therapeutic benefits that can be accomplished from the comfort of your own home or workplace when desired. As research continues to develop, time will determine if red light therapy continues to be adopted by mainstream media.
References
- https://www.precedenceresearch.com/health-and-wellness-market
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11776448/
- https://www.instagram.com/nohlsen?igsh=dWRqb2k5ZjJybG0=
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4281991/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16235295/
- https://aiche.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/btm2.10674
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5523874/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/srt.13391#:~:text=Unlike%20other%20colors,%20red%20LED,production%20of%20collagen%20and%20elastin.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10809858/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3926176/
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10103-023-03899-8
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9917549/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30706177/
- https://www.usa.edu/blog/mental-health-statistics/
- https://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/low-level-transcranial-photobiomodulation-depression/
For more articles on red light therapy, read:
- Red Light Therapy 101: Benefits, Side Effects, Risk & How to Use It
- Red Light Therapy Vs. Near Infrared Vs. Infrared: Differences Explained
- Red Light Therapy At Home For Pain: Everything You Need To Know
- Red Light Therapy Benefits For Pain Relief
- Red Light Therapy And Distance From Your Skin: How Far Should You Be?
