Red and Infrared Light Therapy: What It Does in the Body and Who It Suits

In short: Red and infrared light therapy, also called photobiomodulation, shines specific wavelengths of light onto the body. The light is absorbed inside cells, mainly by an enzyme in the mitochondria. Absorbed light can influence mitochondrial activity and signalling involved in energy production, repair and inflammation. At SOMA it is given with clinical-grade equipment inside physician-set protocols, at our centres in Mumbai and New Delhi.

What is red and infrared light therapy?

Photobiomodulation means using light to change how cells behave. It uses two kinds of light:

• Red light, which you can see. It is roughly 620 to 700 nanometres in wavelength. A nanometre is one billionth of a metre; the number tells you the colour and type of light.

• Near-infrared light, which you cannot see. The cited dermatology review describes near-infrared wavelengths of approximately 700 to 1,440 nanometres.

Photobiomodulation uses non-ultraviolet light and is generally well tolerated. Nothing is injected or cut. Dermatologists describe it as non-invasive with a favourable safety profile. Warmth, redness or irritation can occur, and excessive exposure can cause blistering or pigmentation changes. That is why the dose is set and checked for each area.

What does the light do inside the body?

It reaches the target tissue. Most colours of light are soaked up at the surface by blood and skin pigment. Red and near-infrared light sit in an "optical window", roughly 600 to 1,070 nanometres, where they travel further into the body. Red light (about 600 to 700 nanometres) mainly acts on skin and the tissue just below it. Longer near-infrared wavelengths (about 780 to 950 nanometres) go deeper, into muscle and other soft tissue.

It meets the cell's power plants. Mitochondria are tiny structures inside almost every cell that turn food and oxygen into ATP, the energy molecule cells run on. One enzyme in the mitochondria, called cytochrome c oxidase, absorbs red and near-infrared light.

It can change how the enzyme works. Nitric oxide is a small signalling molecule that can bind to cytochrome c oxidase and slow it down. One proposed mechanism involves light altering nitric-oxide binding to mitochondrial enzymes, which can affect cellular energy production.

It sends a short signal. Light can briefly alter reactive oxygen signals inside cells. These signals can influence pathways involved in repair and antioxidant defences. Responses depend on dose and cell condition. This is a form of hormesis, where a small, controlled stress prompts the body's own responses. You can read more on our page about hormetic signalling.

It can quieten inflammatory signals. Laboratory studies report reduced inflammatory markers in activated inflammatory cells; responses depend on dose and cellular conditions.

Dose matters. The effect follows a curve. Too little light does little, the right amount stimulates, and too much can damp the effect down. So wavelength, power and time are chosen for each area.

What does the research show?

Clinical reviews report findings in pain, muscle recovery and skin applications.

• Neck pain. A review in The Lancet pooled 16 randomised trials with 820 people. In five trials of chronic (long-standing) neck pain, people treated with light were about four times as likely to report less pain as those given a dummy treatment. In chronic neck pain, the relief lasted up to 22 weeks after treatment ended. Side effects were mild and no different from the dummy treatment.

• Muscle and soft-tissue pain. A 2017 review of 18 studies with 1,462 adults found light therapy reduced pain in muscle and soft-tissue problems compared with control groups. Studies that followed recognised dose recommendations tended to show larger drops in pain.

• Muscle performance and recovery. A review of 46 studies with 1,045 people, including athletes, found light applied before or after exercise can add to muscle gained in training. It also lowered markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in muscle samples.

• Skin. A 2024 review for dermatologists found light therapy can be used effectively for skin rejuvenation, acne, wounds and scars.

These findings come from defined wavelengths and doses. Results vary from person to person, and no single result is promised.

Clinic sessions vs home devices: what is the difference?

A 2019 review included 11 studies of home devices for non-cosmetic applications, used at least three times weekly. Most reported positive results. This does not establish equivalent performance across consumer masks, panels and wands.

The main differences from a clinic session are:

• Dose. Light power, distance and time decide the dose your tissue receives. A clinic sets these for the target tissue. Home devices vary widely, and labels do not always state the numbers you need.

• Screening. At a clinic, a doctor checks your medicines and history before the first session. At home, you check yourself.

• Planning. At SOMA, light therapy is one part of a plan built from your tests. It is not sold as a stand-alone gadget session.

If you already use a home device, bring it up at your consultation. Your doctor can tell you whether it fits your plan.

Who is red light therapy used for?

On SOMA's red and infrared light therapy page, it is described as a repair-and-recovery tool within wider protocols:

• supporting tissue healing and easing muscle and soft-tissue pain after injury (see pain and regeneration)

• recovery in athletic programmes

• skin and inflammatory concerns where testing supports it

Most adults tolerate it well. Suitability and the plan come from your consultation, not from a device menu. Darker skin can react more strongly to high doses of red light, so your skin type is part of the dose decision.

Who needs extra assessment before light therapy?

These are screening points for a doctor to consider, not a complete list:

• Eyes. Light should not be shone into the eyes. Eye protection is used where appropriate.

• Photosensitising medicines. Some medicines make the skin react more strongly to light. Tell your doctor about everything you take, including creams and herbal products.

• Pregnancy. Light is not applied over the abdomen during pregnancy.

• Cancer, current or past. Active cancer is an exclusion at SOMA. A past history, including skin cancer, needs a doctor's review.

• An overactive thyroid, if the neck is to be treated.

• Epilepsy.

• Certain skin conditions, which your doctor will check.

Tell staff straight away if any area feels hot, uncomfortable or irritated during or after a session.

What happens during a session at SOMA?

Before: the target areas and that day's dose are confirmed against your protocol.

During: you rest under or beside the light panels. Sessions typically run 10 to 20 minutes per area. It is generally well tolerated, and most people find it relaxing. Some feel mild warmth.

After: usually, no recovery time is needed, and most people return to their day straight away. Mild redness, if any, is reported to staff.

Most protocols run two to five sessions a week for several weeks. Response is assessed across the course; further sessions depend on individual progress, and the protocol is adjusted as needed.

How does a SOMA doctor decide if it is right for you?

Your doctor starts with your history, tests and goals. Light therapy is then chosen for a specific target, such as a tissue that needs to recover. The doctor sets the wavelength, dose, frequency and length of the course. If other therapies are part of your plan, each is chosen on its own merits. You get a clear plan with what to measure and when, as one part of a plan built around you.

SOMA centres in Mumbai and New Delhi

Red and infrared light therapy is given at both SOMA centres, as part of physician-designed protocols:

• Mumbai: A-507, Kohinoor Square, N.C. Kelkar Marg, Shivaji Park, Dadar West, Mumbai 400028. Phone +91 98671 94033.

• New Delhi: E-354, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi 110048, serving Delhi NCR and Gurugram. Phone +91 87969 92001. More about the New Delhi centre.

The New Delhi centre is independently operated under licence from SOMA Longevity Sciences, and its own doctors lead care there. Both centres follow the same SOMA assessment and diagnostic standards. Online consultations are also available. Contact either centre.

Questions people ask

What does red light therapy do in the body?

Red and near-infrared light is absorbed mainly by an enzyme in the mitochondria, the cell's power plants. Absorbed light can influence mitochondrial activity and signalling involved in energy production, repair and inflammation. Red light acts near the surface; near-infrared reaches deeper tissue.

Are home red light devices as good as clinic sessions?

Most studies of home devices for non-cosmetic uses reported positive results, but that does not mean every consumer mask, panel or wand performs the same. The difference is control: a clinic sets the wavelength, power and time for the target tissue, and a doctor screens you first. Ask your doctor whether your device fits your plan.

How long does a red light therapy session take?

At SOMA, sessions typically run 10 to 20 minutes per area. Most protocols run two to five sessions a week for several weeks, set by your doctor. Response is assessed across the course, and further sessions depend on your progress.

Is red light therapy safe?

Photobiomodulation uses non-ultraviolet light and is generally well tolerated. Warmth, redness or irritation can occur, and excessive exposure can cause blistering or pigmentation changes. Usually, no recovery time is needed. Screening covers your eyes, photosensitising medicines, pregnancy, cancer history and other points.

Where can I get red light therapy in Mumbai or Delhi?

SOMA gives red and infrared light therapy at its centres in Dadar West, Mumbai and Greater Kailash II, New Delhi, serving Delhi NCR and Gurugram. Every course starts with a doctor's consultation and is set inside a physician-designed protocol.

Sources

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