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Phototherapy is certainly having a moment. Consumers can purchase illuminated devices designed to address dermatological concerns and fine lines to aching tissues and oral inflammation, recently introduced is a toothbrush equipped with tiny red LEDs, marketed by the company as “a breakthrough in at-home oral care.” Worldwide, the industry reached $1 billion in 2024 and is forecast to expand to $1.8 billion by 2035. There are even infrared saunas available, that employ light waves rather than traditional heat sources, the thermal energy targets your tissues immediately. Based on supporter testimonials, the experience resembles using an LED facial mask, boosting skin collagen, relaxing muscles, reducing swelling and chronic health conditions while protecting against dementia.

Research and Reservations

“It sounds a bit like witchcraft,” observes a Durham University professor, professor in neuroscience at Durham University and a convert to the value of light therapy. Of course, some of light’s effects on our bodies are well established. Our bodies produce vitamin D through sun exposure, crucial for strong bones, immune defense, and tissue repair. Sunlight regulates our circadian rhythms, too, triggering the release of neurochemicals and hormones while we are awake, and preparing the body for rest as darkness falls. Artificial sun lamps are a common remedy for people with seasonal affective disorder (Sad) to combat seasonal emotional slumps. Undoubtedly, light plays a vital role in human health.

Various Phototherapy Approaches

Although mood lamps generally utilize blue-spectrum frequencies, most other light therapy devices deploy red or infrared light. In rigorous scientific studies, such as Chazot’s investigations into the effects of infrared on brain cells, finding the right frequency is key. Light constitutes electromagnetic energy, spanning from low-energy radio waves to short-wavelength gamma rays. Light-based treatment employs mid-spectrum wavelengths, the highest energy of those being invisible ultraviolet, then visible light (all the colours we see in a rainbow) and finally infrared detectable with special equipment.

Dermatologists have utilized UV therapy for extensive periods to manage persistent skin disorders including eczema and psoriasis. It modulates intracellular immune mechanisms, “and reduces inflammatory processes,” explains a dermatology expert. “There’s lots of evidence for phototherapy.” UVA penetrates skin more deeply than UVB, in contrast to LEDs in commercial products (which generally deliver red, infrared or blue light) “tend to be a bit more superficial.”

Risk Assessment and Professional Supervision

The side-effects of UVB exposure, including sunburn or skin darkening, are recognized but medical equipment uses controlled narrow-band delivery – meaning smaller wavelengths – which minimises the risks. “It’s supervised by a healthcare professional, thus exposure is controlled,” notes the specialist. Essentially, the light sources are adjusted by technical experts, “to confirm suitable light frequency output – different from beauty salons, where it’s a bit unregulated, and we don’t really know what wavelengths are being used.”

Commercial Products and Research Limitations

Red and blue LEDs, he says, “don’t have strong medical applications, though they might benefit some issues.” Red LEDs, it is proposed, improve circulatory function, oxygen absorption and dermal rejuvenation, and promote collagen synthesis – a primary objective in youth preservation. “The evidence is there,” comments the expert. “However, it’s limited.” Nevertheless, with numerous products on the market, “we’re uncertain whether commercial devices replicate research conditions. Appropriate exposure periods aren’t established, ideal distance from skin surface, the risk-benefit ratio. Many uncertainties remain.”

Targeted Uses and Expert Opinions

One of the earliest blue-light products targeted Cutibacterium acnes, microorganisms connected to breakouts. The evidence for its efficacy isn’t strong enough for it to be routinely prescribed by doctors – although, notes the dermatologist, “it’s frequently employed in beauty centers.” Certain patients incorporate it into their regimen, he mentions, however for consumer products, “we advise cautious experimentation and safety verification. If it’s not medically certified, standards are somewhat unclear.”

Cutting-Edge Studies and Biological Processes

At the same time, in advanced research areas, researchers have been testing neural cells, identifying a number of ways in which infrared can boost cellular health. “Virtually all experiments with specific wavelengths showed beneficial and safeguarding effects,” he states. The numerous reported benefits have generated doubt regarding phototherapy – that claims seem exaggerated. However, scientific investigation has altered his perspective.

Chazot mostly works on developing drug treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, but over 20 years ago, a GP who was developing an antiviral light treatment for cold sores sought his expertise as a biologist. “He developed equipment for cellular and insect experiments,” he recalls. “I was pretty sceptical. The specific wavelength measured approximately 1070nm, that nobody believed did anything biological.”

The advantage it possessed, nevertheless, was its efficient water penetration, meaning it could penetrate the body more deeply.

Mitochondrial Impact and Cognitive Support

Growing data suggested infrared influenced energy-producing organelles. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells, generating energy for them to function. “All human cells contain mitochondria, including the brain,” notes the researcher, who, as a neuroscientist, decided to focus the research on brain cells. “Research confirms improved brain blood flow with phototherapy, which is always very good.”

Using 1070nm wavelength, mitochondria also produce a small amount of a molecule known as reactive oxygen species. In limited quantities these molecules, says Chazot, “activates protective proteins that safeguard mitochondria, look after your cells and also deal with the unwanted proteins.”

These processes show potential for neurological conditions: free radical neutralization, swelling control, and pro-autophagy – autophagy representing cellular waste disposal.

Ongoing Study Progress and Specialist Evaluations

The last time Chazot checked the literature on using the 1070 wavelength on human dementia patients, he states, approximately 400 participants enrolled in multiple trials, including his own initial clinical trials in the US