Red Light Therapy: What Full-Body Photobiomodulation Actually Does

Red light and near-infrared, side by side

Red light therapy, more formally called photobiomodulation, uses visible red light in roughly the 630 to 660 nanometre range and near-infrared light around 810 to 850 nanometres.

Red wavelengths are absorbed close to the surface and are the ones most associated with skin tone and texture. Near-infrared penetrates further and is the wavelength typically chosen for joints, deeper muscle groups and post-exercise recovery.

Dose matters more than time

The variable that determines a session is total delivered energy: irradiance at the skin multiplied by exposure time. A powerful bed at close range delivers the same dose in ten minutes that a weak panel needs half an hour to reach.

More is not automatically better. Photobiomodulation follows a biphasic response, meaning an appropriate dose produces the effect while a very large dose can reduce it. Manufacturer session guidance exists for that reason.

What people use it for

The most common reasons clients install a full-body system:

• Skin appearance, tone and the look of fine lines
• Post-training muscle soreness and recovery
• Joint comfort and morning stiffness
• Sleep and circadian support when used in the evening
• General wellbeing programmes in clinics and studios

Bed or panels?

Panels are inexpensive and portable but treat one side of the body at a time and require the user to stand at a measured distance. A full-body bed surrounds the user, delivers a consistent dose across the whole body, and turns a thirty-minute routine into a ten-minute one.

For clinics and studios charging per session, throughput usually decides it. Our Nordic Red Light Bed page lists the panel count, wavelengths, irradiance figures and how the system compares with the beds most often shortlisted against it.