Author - apccrm

Let's dig into something that has become quite the conversation piece regarding red light therapy—hair loss. Millions of people worldwide experience hair loss. While it may be a natural process, many would instead prefer to reverse and regrow permanent hair.

Today there are multiple hair loss remedies designed to treat hair loss but only to a certain degree. While some of these treatments are as simple as taking a pill or using a specific shampoo, others require extensive surgery such as hair transplant surgery.

Causes of Hair Loss

For starters, hair loss is entirely normal! Now before we get into all the details of treating hair loss with red light therapy, lets take a look at what causes hair loss. Below we’ll go through the different conditions that cause hair loss in the first. One thing that needs to be made clear is that other health-related issues can cause hair loss, so it’s always best to consult with a medical professional to narrow down the issue.

Hereditary hair loss

This tends to be one of the most common causes of hair loss globally. Most of the time, men experience male pattern baldness while women experience female pattern baldness. This means that a gene has been inherited that leads to the hair follicles in the scalp to shrink. The early signs of female pattern baldness are overall thinning, while in men, the first sign is most likely a receding hairline or bald spot on the top of the scalp.

Age

Almost everyone experiences some form of hair loss as they age. This tends to be more prominent in males, and one estimate shows that around 40% of men will have some form of hair loss by the time they are 35 years old.  

Poor nutrition

Poor nutrition is probably one of the easiest of the hair loss causes listed to treat. The human body needs the proper amount of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to function correctly. When your protein intake is low, it can damage normal healthy hair and inhibit new hair follicles' growth.

Stress

While stress is an everyday part of everyone's life at some point, it isn't good for growing and retaining hair. So what causes this? Most of the time, it is psychological stress from a life event. The good news is that loss of hair from stress is temporary, and within a few months, your hair growth will be back on track.

WHAT ARE MY TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR HAIR LOSS?

It lends itself to ask, What is the best option for me with so many different treatment options? While there are many other options and a lot of snake oil out there, we’ve taken the time to list the most popular choices for tackling hair loss.

Topical Treatment

One of the most common drugs used to combat hair loss in topical treatments is Minoxidil. Minoxidil is typically in a liquid form and is blended with foam and shampoo solutions. If you want to see even the slightest of results with this treatment option, you’ll have to apply the solution twice a day for males and once a day for females.

The main issue with this treatment method is that you’ll need to continue to apply the solution every day to retain any of the benefits you experience, not to mention the amount of money you’ll end up spending throughout a lifetime buying the products.

Possible side effects from Minoxidil include dizziness, drowsiness, temporary edema, nausea, and vomiting.

Oral Tablets

Another option to combat hair loss is finasteride, otherwise known as Propecia. Propecia is a prescription drug for males that shows promising results in reducing hair loss. Most people who take finasteride experience a reduction in hair loss. In some cases, users have reported new hair growth.

While taking a pill is more straightforward than applying shampoo twice a day, it does have its downsides. To begin with, it takes a few months for someone to see results, and in the case, you are one of the lucky ones, you’ll have to take the pill every day for the rest of your life to retain any benefits you may have experienced.

Possible side effects from finasteride include decreased sex drive, trouble getting or keeping an erection, ejaculation disorder, increased breast size, and skin rash.

Hair Transplant

Hair transplants are becoming more popular as a means to treat hair loss, but again it isn’t permanent. In a hair plant procedure, the hair follicules are taken from other scalp areas and the remaining hair is transplanted to the bald spot. While this procedure doesn’t warrant an overnight stay in the hospital, it is painful and will require you to be sedated.

While hair transplant surgery may seem like the most ideal solution and permanent solution, it isn’t. If you choose to go this route, be prepared for possible risks such as bruising, bleeding, and infection, not to mention that you may need multiple surgeries. Again, we find that this isn’t permanent and if you’re hair loss is hereditary then you will eventually lose the hair gained from your surgery.

Possible side effects from hair transplant surgery: Infections, scalp pain, inflammation of hair follicles, bleeding, losing sensation around the surgical sites, and visible areas of hair that don’t match the surrounding hair or are noticeably thinner.

WHAT IS RED LIGHT THERAPY?

Red light therapy also commonly called cold laser therapy and low level laser therapy is the application of photons of light onto an area of the skin where it is absorbed. Red light therapy is a scientifically proven method for reducing inflammation, improving hair growth and stimulating the healing of wounds. You can learn more about the science of how red light therapy works here.

HOW DOES RED LIGHT THERAPY HELP REVERSE HAIR LOSS?

Red light therapy used to treat the scalp and is commonly applied in wave ranges from 630 to 670 nanometers. The Solbasium red light therapy range generates a perfect wavelength of 660 nanometers to treat hair loss. These wavelengths of visible red light are absorbed by the molecules located in the hair follicle. This, in turn, increases the blood flow in the scalp and stimulates the growth of hair follicles.

The good news is that treating hair loss with red light therapy is almost free of any side effects. The main rare side effects include a slight irritation of the skin that subsides or a little discomfort to the skin but nothing long-lasting.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND RED LIGHT THERAPY AND HAIR LOSS

There have been hundreds of papers discussing the benefits of red light therapy, and we have included a couple of these studies below relating to red light therapy treating hair loss.

• The following study conducted in 2013 on 44 males showed 39% percent hair increase and demonstrated no adverse events or side effects reported.
• The following study from 2014 showed that controlled clinical trials demonstrated hair growth in both men and women.

HOW SHOULD I USE A RED LIGHT THERAPY DEVICE TO TREAT HAIR LOSS?

The most suitable distance when treating the scalp with red light therapy is between 12 and 14 inches away for best results. You won’t need to dedicate a lot of time to this either. Simply use the device 1 – 2 times a day for 10 – 20 minutes at a time, 3 -5 times a week.

Like with the other hair loss treatment options, you will need to follow these guidelines for a few months to experience the best results and continue to incorporate red light therapy to ensure that you retain the results.

PICKING YOUR RED LIGHT THERAPY DEVICE

• When picking a red light therapy product, there a few things to consider when making this decision. Make sure you are buying a high-quality device backed up by an industry-leading 4 year warranty like Solbasium. Most companies choose to offer two or three-year warranties while Solbasium gives you peace of mind knowing that you are buying a product that lasts. Before you buy a red light therapy device, be sure that the company has a strong warranty and return policy in place.

• Take into consideration the price of the device. You don’t have to break the bank to reap the rewards of red light therapy. Most red light therapy devices on the market are overpriced and under deliver on quality, power output, and craftsmanship.

• Another item to consider when picking a red light therapy device is the size of the unit. The Solbasium devices range from portable solutions all the way up to full body treatment options. When picking a device, take into consideration the area being treated, and don’t forget that along with using red light therapy for hair loss a larger device will give the ability to experience other many benefits.

• Make sure that you pick a device that outputs at least 100 mW/CM2 of irradiance. Irradiance is the amount of power that light produces over a given area. This is the amount of light that will be delivered to your body over a given area.

SOLBASIUM RED LIGHT THERAPY 

Solbasium is the leading innovator and manufacturer of red light therapy devices in the world. All Solbasium red light therapy products are backed with our industry-leading 4 year warranty. It's our goal to deliver the best overall customer experience to you, and that's why when you choose Solbasium, you'll have a human being there to guide you and help through your red light therapy journey. If you have any questions, you can call our toll free number or send us an email. 

From high-calibre athletes to weekend warriors, muscle recovery is a serious consideration. Muscle tissue is to your body what the transmission is to your car. It’s what allows you to move and do things. From simple tasks like walking across the room to Olympic-level athletic performances, muscles lie at the heart of it all. However, physical performance can be hampered by soreness and pain.

The good news is that mounting evidence shows that light therapy can have a powerful effect on muscle recovery. It may also be able to help your muscles grow larger and stronger in less time. Below, we’ll explore what light therapy is, how it affects your muscles, and why you might need to incorporate this treatment into your daily routine.

The Underlying Cause of Muscle Pain and Soreness

When you work out, you overtax your muscles, creating tiny tears in the tissue. Your body’s natural response to damage is to create inflammation, which causes pain and discomfort. That’s why longer, more intense workouts leave you feeling sore and tired. In many cases, particularly for those just getting started in physical fitness, or those ramping up their workouts ahead of an event, that pain can be so great that you’re sidelined and unable to continue until it fades.             

That’s never a good thing – your physical condition will deteriorate, your stamina decreases, and you end up taking two steps back for every step forward. Light therapy shows a lot of promise in stopping that pain in its tracks. What’s more, it may be possible to prevent muscle soreness and pain from workout-related stress in the first place.

How Does Muscle Tissue Function?

In order to really understand how light therapy can benefit muscle recovery and growth, we first need to discuss how muscle tissue functions in the first place. It’s similar to how other cells in the body work, but there are some key differences due to the type of tissue and the demands you put on your muscles every day.

First, muscles must be able to produce energy to sustain both high-intensity, short-lived activity, and prolonged, lower-intensity activity. For instance, they need fuel for short sprints, but also need to function just as well when running a marathon. Both are types of running, but they affect the body in dramatically different ways.

Because of their intense need for energy, muscle cells have more mitochondria than most other types of cells in the body. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, providing fuel through ATP for all cellular functions. This is true for all muscle tissue within the body. We’re not just talking about the long muscles of the arms and legs. It also applies to skeletal muscle, smooth muscle around internal organs, and even your heart.

Light therapy has a profound effect on the mitochondria within your body’s cells, which makes it even more potent when it comes to treating muscle tissue.

How Does Light Therapy Affect Muscle Tissue?

According to one study,  

“There are several mechanisms of action that have been proposed to account for the effects of phototherapy on cells. All of these mechanisms are based on the light absorption by chromophores in the cells, especially by Cox inside the mitochondria, triggering improvements in muscle recovery and performance.

The absorption of light by Cox promotes modulations in cell metabolism, altering the energetic state of the cells via increased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased synthesis of ATP and cycle adenosine monophosphate, which in turn possibly modulate the synthesis rate of DNA and RNA via mitochondrial retrograde signalling.”

Or, in plain English, red and infrared light therapy excite the mitochondria within cells. This allows them to create more energy and improve cellular function and efficiency.

Diving into Improved Muscle Performance and Pain Reduction

Because infrared and red light therapy increases function, muscle cells are able to do more than just improve energy and efficiency. They also heal faster and reduce inflammation, which helps to reduce or eliminate pain and improve range of motion. Red and infrared light have been shown to amplify the body’s ability to create antioxidants, which are essential in combating oxidative stress, which is closely associated with muscle fatigue. You’ll also find that antioxidants play another important role – they prevent cells from early death related to stress.

Red and infrared light therapy have also been shown to improve blood circulation. Any athlete knows that improved circulation ensures better oxygenation for muscle cells, improved access to vital nutrients and minerals, and reduced build-up of toxic materials like lactic acid that can damage muscle performance.

The Role of Light Therapy in Preventing Muscle Soreness

So far, we’ve addressed the ways that light therapy can help to combat muscle soreness and improve performance. However, it can also help prevent pain and discomfort in the first place. A double-blind trial conducted in 2014 found that participants who participated in physical activity and who also received light therapy, were able to achieve important benefits that participants who did not receive light therapy did not achieve. These included:

• Reduced delayed onset muscle soreness
• Better range of motion
• Less stiffness in muscles

Another similar trial conducted the same year discovered that participants who underwent light therapy prior to engaging in strenuous physical activity were able to increase performance, decrease pain afterwards, and even prevent musculoskeletal damage from occurring.

What Can You Expect with Light Therapy?

With light therapy prior to working out, you can expect to achieve a number of important outcomes. These include:

• Less soreness and stiffness
• Improved flexibility and range of motion
• Less damage to muscle and bone
• Long-lasting benefits up to four days after physical exertion
• Less damage to knees, tendons, and leg muscles from running
• Less soreness for postmenopausal women
• Reduced cellular damage from inflammation
• Lower creatine kinase levels
• Decreased blood lactate
• Decreased C-reactive protein levels

Is Light Therapy Right for Me?

You may be wondering if light therapy is applicable for those who aren’t professional athletes. Actually, it has been shown to be effective for anyone engaging in physical activity that might result in stiffness and soreness. It can be used just as easily by weekend warriors as by Olympic athletes, and by someone going for an evening jog just as easily as by professional athletes.

In addition, light therapy may actually be more beneficial for everyday users than it is for professional athletes, because it is more likely that those just starting out will be sidelined by pain and soreness after overdoing it in a workout. Because light therapy can reduce or eliminate that pain, it’s less likely that you will need to sit out several days to recover, allowing you to burn more calories and improve your physical performance more quickly.

How Should You Use Light Therapy in Your Routine?

If ever there was a fountain of youth, I believe that red light therapy may very well be it. The benefits of using red light in health and wellness have been known for centuries, but only in the last couple of decades or so has the concept gone mainstream.

More than just a cosmetic tool, red light therapy has also been shown to improve skin healing and scarring, among other things. Here’s a brief overview of red light therapy and what science says about its efficacy in health and wellness.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy (RLT) isn’t just the stuff of beauty bloggers and magazines. It’s actually a verified tool used by wellness facilities and health spas. Simply put, red light therapy is the use of concentrated wavelengths of red light to penetrate specific areas of your skin. The light can go as deep as 10 millimeters, where it becomes absorbed by your cells.

Once absorbed, the red light stimulates a whole range of regenerative effects. Collagen, fibroblast, and elastin production increases. Blood circulation improves and takes more nutrients and oxygen to your tissues and cells. What’s more, the red light doesn’t pose the same skin-damaging effects as UV rays, so there’s no risk of “overdoing it.”

The Science Behind How Red Light Therapy Works

Unlike a lot of other popular beauty trends and fads, red light therapy actually has numerous scientific studies to back up its claims.

For example, this controlled trial looked into red light therapy’s effects on reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and skin roughness, along with increasing collagen density. The trial identified that light sources that use wavelengths of 590 nm, 633 nm, 830 nm provided noticeable effects on skin quality in a safe manner, with the latter two being the most effective. The 633 to 650 nm is absorbed by the skin faster than other wavelengths, which makes it a common go-to option for home devices and beauty treatments. The 850 nm wavelength is more commonly used in healthcare settings, as its deeper penetration helps with muscle recovery, inflammation, and joint health.

Another study noted that red light therapy and light emitting diode devices are among the safest and most effective tools for a variety of skin conditions. Specifically, the study calls out skin inflammatory conditions, acne, aging, and disorders linked to hair loss. 

One additional study illustrates the effects of red light therapy penetration depth compared to other colors of light. In the study, red light penetrated significantly deeper than UV, violet to deep blue, blue-green, yellow to orange, and NIR. Because of this depth, red light stands to be the most effective when targeting deep tissue conditions, which is why it’s a powerful tool in prompting wound healing, collagen production, and anti-aging.

Other studies have shown similar outcomes to support red light therapy as more than a passing fad. In fact, the technology has also been leveraged by scientists to grow plants in outer space. The wavelengths of the red light showed to promote plant cell growth and photosynthesis. The effects on human cells have been found to be similar, which is why it’s a promising treatment for certain conditions.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy can be a powerful solution for a variety of skin conditions. Let’s look at some of its benefits in more detail:

Muscle Repair

Athletes who train hard often use red light therapy for pre- and post-workout recovery. It helps to ease muscle soreness, and one study on red light therapy’s role in exercise found that it can result in fewer range-of-motion impairments.

Another study conducted in 2018 also found that red light therapy specifically benefits knee muscles. When used before and after exercise, the therapy can reduce knee muscle fatigue, which can potentially help athletes train longer and at a higher intensity.

Wound Healing

One of red light therapy’s most recognized benefits, wound healing is sped up when using the therapy compared to not using it. This is due to the red light’s regenerative abilities that promote healthy cell growth and tissue repair. Also, because wounds are healed faster, red light therapy can also be considered an effective pain relief therapy.

Pain Relief

Speaking of pain relief, red light therapy’s ability to reduce inflammation also has a positive effect on pain. Studies have examined the impact of red light therapy on osteoarthritis knee pain, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, and meniscus tears. It’s non-invasive and doesn’t carry the damaging side effects associated with many pain relief medications, which makes it a preferable  option for many pain-related conditions.

Acne

Red light therapy works deep below the surface of the skin, but its impact can actually be seen with the naked eye. One example of this is its effect on acne, especially when combined with blue light.

Users with severe acne find red light therapy to be a safe, effective alternative to traditional OTC acne creams and solutions. The 633 to 650 nm wavelength decreases oil production (which is a major contributor to acne) as well as killing harmful bacteria on the skin’s surface (another contributor to acne).

Scarring

Just like its noticeable improvements in wound healing, red light therapy can also help with the appearance of scars. It’s safe for all types of scars, including raised scars, and research has shown red light therapy to promote less visible scarring compared with patients who don’t receive red light therapy.

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, which can lead to wrinkles, fine lines, and a general lack of skin elasticity. Because red light therapy promotes the production of collagen and elastins, it’s becoming a go-to method to improve skin appearance, texture, pore size, and tone.

Final Thoughts

More research on red light therapy is always welcome, but the results so far make a strong case for a variety of uses.

At Solbasium, we specialize in manufacturing the highest quality red light therapy products to help you live your best life. Get in touch today to learn more!

Red light therapy offers powerful rejuvenation capabilities, restoring skin elasticity, building new collagen, and wiping away the signs of aging.

Wrinkles, laugh lines, crow’s feet – there’s a veritable army of forces arrayed against you. Their only goal? To mar your appearance. We’re talking about the forces of aging here, and fighting back against them can seem incredibly challenging. You’ve tried creams and toners, powders and lotions, all to little avail.
There is a new weapon in the war against aging, though. Red light therapy promises to help rejuvenate your skin, restore your youthful glow, and more.

What is red light therapy, how does it work, and can it really help restore your youth? 

What Is Red Light Therapy for the Skin? 

Red light therapy is nothing more than bathing the skin in specific wavelengths of red and near infrared light. These wavelengths trigger activity within your skin cells, boosting their ability to heal and repair damage, fight free radicals and oxidative stress, and more.

If you haven’t heard of red light therapy, or RLT, you might be more familiar with it as soft laser therapy, cold laser therapy, or photonic stimulation. These are just a few of the names used to describe the technology. It’s been around since the early 1990s, at least in experimental forms, and has been used for a wide range of things. In fact, it actually began as a way to help grow plants in space. The findings of that experiment led to an explosion of uses for red light and infrared light therapy for human beings.

How Does Red Light Therapy Work?

When your skin is exposed to the right wavelength of red or near infrared light, you’ll feel a slight warmth, but may not see any light at all depending on the wavelength selected. These wavelengths strike the skin and are absorbed by the cells. There, they do something incredible – they energize your skin’s cells.
Red light wavelengths produce a biochemical effect that improves the way mitochondria work. This allows the cell to produce more ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, which is the fuel source for all cellular functions. With more fuel available and more energetic mitochondria, your skin cells become more efficient at repairing damage and at removing toxins.

Benefit of Red Light Therapy for Skin Health

When cells have more energy and operate more efficiently, all their functions improve. For your skin, this means critical changes in things that directly affect the formation and appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and other problems. Red light therapy is able to rejuvenate your skin due to the following changes:

• Collagen is naturally produced by the body. It’s a type of connective tissue that supports the skin on your face and ensures elasticity. It’s also an important element for imparting strength to hair, and also plays a role in joint health, nail health, and more. Over time, your body begins producing less and less collagen. This thins the skin, but also allows wrinkles and lines to form and become permanent (because the skin is less elastic). It also affects your hair, nails, and joints. With red light therapy, the body once more begins producing higher amounts of collagen, which plump up the skin, reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. It also improves your complexion and skin tone, while simultaneously rebuilding collagen-based connective tissues throughout the body.
• Clearer Skin– Your skin can be marred by many problems, particularly acne. Red light therapy has shown promise in alleviating chronic acne, as well as the occasional outbreak. How does light improve acne? It’s all about inflammation, really. Red light therapy has been used to treat wounds and even auto-immune conditions because it reduces inflammation. Acne is a type of inflammation, and red light therapy can help soothe inflamed tissues, reducing the appearance of acne breakouts on your face and other parts of your body. You’ll also find that the right wavelengths reduce oil production and kill harmful bacteria, leading to a naturally clearer complexion over time.

Other Uses and Benefits of Red Light Therapy

In addition to its role as the fountain of youth, red light therapy is also being used in a wide range of other areas, including the following:

• Wound healing – RLT is being used to help treat patients with wounds that are slow or non-healing.
• Post-surgery – RLT delivers benefits to patients recovering from surgery, reducing their recovery time, as well as their discomfort.
• Scar tissue – RLT’s ability to jump start the body’s regenerative capabilities means that it is a powerful tool in reducing the appearance, thickness, and stiffness of scar tissue.
• Joint pain – RLT is currently being used to help treat joint pain for sufferers of conditions like osteoarthritis.
• Sleep health – The right wavelength of red light is able to improve the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone related to sleep health, which boosts your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Is Red Light Therapy Safe?

Yes, red light therapy has been proven to be very safe. Understand that this is not the same thing as laser therapy – there is no damage to the skin. In other types of treatments, high-energy light is used to vaporize the uppermost layer of skin. In RLT, that’s not the case. The warmth is low-key and gentle.
The wavelengths painlessly penetrate the skin, where they activate the cells’ mitochondria. There’s also no fear of overdoing it. There are no damaging UV rays here, so you could soak in red light 24 hours per day and suffer no ill effects from it. Of course, there are also no potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals involved – it’s completely natural light and nothing more.

Who Benefits from RLT?

Who is the right candidate for red light therapy? Actually, anyone can benefit. If you have already noticed the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, this technology can help stimulate collagen production and reduce them. However, it is also useful for those whose skin is still young and healthy. Red light therapy can be an important tool in your daily beauty regimen and help ensure that you stave off the signs of aging for as long as possible.

There’s nothing quite as indulgent and relaxing as a spa treatment, but who has the time to go every day? Red light therapy is most effective when performed daily. You only need between 10 and 15 minutes per day, but regular exposure to the right wavelength of light is vital. That makes home-based RLT devices better options because you’re able to use them when and where you want. You’ll find a wide range of devices on the market, from masks to full-body arrays but there's no doubt that our Solbasium products have been specifically designed to be a more durable, longer lasting and user-friendly device.

PICKING YOUR RED LIGHT THERAPY DEVICE

• When picking a red light therapy product, there a few things to consider when making this decision. Make sure you are buying a high-quality device backed up by an industry-leading warranty like Solbasium. Most companies choose to offer two or three-year warranties while Solbasium gives you peace of mind knowing that you are buying a product that lasts. Before you buy a red light therapy device, be sure that the company has a strong warranty and return policy in place.

• Take into consideration the price of the device. You don’t have to break the bank to reap the rewards of red light therapy. Most red light therapy devices on the market are overpriced and under deliver on quality, power output, and craftsmanship.

• Another item to consider when picking a red light therapy device is the size of the unit. The Solbasium devices range from portable solutions all the way up to full body treatment options. When picking a device, take into consideration the area being treated, and don’t forget that along with using red light therapy for hair loss a larger device will give the ability to experience other many benefits.

• Make sure that you pick a device that outputs at least 100 mW/CM2 of irradiance. Irradiance is the amount of power that light produces over a given area. This is the amount of light that will be delivered to your body over a given area.

SOLBASIUM RED LIGHT THERAPY 

Solbasium is the leading innovator and manufacturer of red light therapy devices in the world. All Solbasium red light therapy products are backed with our industry-leading warranty. It's our goal to deliver the best overall customer experience to you, and that's why when you choose Solbasium, you'll have a human being there to guide you and help through your red light therapy journey. If you have any questions, you can call our toll free number or send us an email.