Red light therapy uses visible light in the form of lasers or LED. It cannot affect DNA so cannot cause cells to mutate or cause cancer. Red light therapy is generally tolerated very well, although results will vary between people and some conditions will respond better than others.
Red Light Therapy Side Effects
It is thought that red light therapy has virtually no side effects and those which may occur will be mild and will not last long. For example, eye strain or a headache may be caused by the glare of the intense light. Take care not to stare directly into the light to prevent this and wear suitable eye protection. Some red light therapy kits have built-in eye protection.
Care should also be taken when considering the dose being given. Lower doses can be more effective than higher doses. Some effects such as mild nausea or dizziness and muscle weakness may be attributed to overuse, so care should be taken when considering how long a light therapy session will last. Overuse, particularly by infra-red sources, can cause burns so care should be taken to prevent overexposing your skin. If you do suffer a burn, treat it as you would sunburn, keeping it clean to prevent infection and keeping it moisturized.
The skin may be more sensitive to sunlight after red light therapy, so take care to always wear adequate sun protection.
