If you don't know what you're looking for, you could end up spending your money with the company that has the best marketing team, rather than the best product.
While it's great to look at the benefits that are proven in the research, the truth is that the devices used in these studies are nothing like the ones being sold for at home usage.
The reality of this is that some devices, even the most expensive ones, won't get you the results you are after if they are missing one, or many, of the 4 details that we'll be unpacking on this page.
The good news is that there are devices out there that can give you the results you're after, you just need to know what you're looking for.
So if you want a red light therapy device that actually works, then the information on this page will make sure that you don't waste your money.
You're also going to learn a really quick and simple way that you can compare different red light therapy companies on these 4 details.
Without further ado, let's jump in:
Light intensity, sometimes referred to as irradiance, is simply a measurement of how much light energy your device is delivering to your body. An underpowered device would mean extremely long treatment times, or no benefits at all.
Light intensity is measured in milliwatts per centimetre squared (mW/cm2) and you want to look for a light intensity around 100 mW/cm2 at treatment distance*
*While the "100 mW/cm2" is important, it is essential that the company tells you the distance that they were away from the device when they took this measurement.
Many underpowered devices will give a measurement as "100 mW/cm2" without telling you the distance. This usually means they took the measurement right up against the device, but when you’re a few inches away you’ll have no idea if you’re actually getting enough light for any benefits.
For full transparency the company will tell you the light intensity measurement at various distances.
Red light therapy uses wavelengths of light between 600-1000 nanometres (nm), and all this means is that it runs from the red to the near-infrared spectrum.
A high quality red light therapy device will use multiple wavelengths in order to ensure the light penetrates your tissues at multiple levels, leading to the best results.
It's important that all the wavelengths fall between 600-700nm & 800-900nm - where the therapeutic window exists!
As soon as you look into the research on red light therapy, it quickly becomes apparent that different benefits require different protocols.
Generic devices will give you generic guidelines, such as,
"5-10 minutes, 3-5 times per week",
whereas if the device can match the quality of those in the studies, the company will give you a specific time for each benefit.
If the company is not afraid to compare their devices to the ones used in the studies, then they will give you a protocol that is proven to get results.
Electro-magnetic fields (EMFs) are invisible areas of energy, also known as radiation, which are emitted by various electrical sources.
Excessive exposure to EMFs has been shown to break down human cells, leading to oxidative stress.
A low quality device will expose you to EMFs at treatment distance, reducing the results you get from your sessions.
A high quality red light therapy device will deliver a strong dose of light at treatment distance, where there are zero EMFs.
Below you will find free access to the Red Light Therapy Comparison Sheet.
It's a simple spreadsheet that compares the top red light therapy devices on these 4 details.