Experience and research consistently prove that red light therapy shows positive results immediately with the first session. Nevertheless, you will only notice extensive long-term results from red light therapy over time in days, weeks, or months.
To be precise, red light therapy can take a week to six months or more to show significant and long-lasting results.It’s also important to note that the duration red light takes to show results can vary from person to person, depending on many factors.
So, what are these factors? That’s what the next section is about.
The condition you are treating, frequency of use, and device wavelength intensity are some of the core factors defining how long red light therapy takes to work.
Let’s take them one by one.
While people mostly use red light therapy for skin rejuvenation and to treat other skin conditions like psoriasis, acne, wrinkles, and aging signs, they also use RLT for a range of other different conditions.
Reversing hair loss, managing pain and inflammation, oral health, improving sleep quality, and managing neurodegenerative conditions are all areas where red light therapy is in use with positive results.
In each of these conditions, red light therapy can take a few weeks to six months to show significant results.
Here are some research-backed examples.
How long does red light therapy take to work on skin?
Evidence suggests it can take a few weeks to 3 or 4 months for red light to show results on skin treatment. That also depends on the skin condition.
For example, a study reported overall improved skin texture and less pronounced skin aging signs among 20 participants after 3 months.
Another study reported a significant decrease in acne lesions in 10 weeks for all 28 study participants.
Similarly, an extensive review found that participants in several studies showed 60%-100% psoriasis clearance within 1-4 weeks of red light therapy.
Driven by curiosity, we also found many Redditors who say red light therapy worked on their skin in weeks or months. That includes a Redditor with photo evidence who found “amazing results” in 2 weeks for melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
How long does red light therapy take to work on hair?
Research and experience suggest red light therapy for hair growth works in months.
A study involving men with androgenetic alopecia reported a significant increase in hair count after 4 months (16 weeks) of red light therapy.
Our Reddit search also revealed similar results, with Redditors reporting “6” and “many months” of red light therapy use before noticing significant hair growth.
How long does red light therapy take to work for pain and oral conditions?
Red light therapy shows immediate positive outcomes for pain and oral health conditions. Extensive benefits come in weeks.
In a clinical trial that targeted women with temporomandibular disorders, researchers found that red light therapy reduced pain in 24-48 hours.
Red light therapy devices mainly work with non-invasive LED near-infrared light. Studies have shown that the intensity of the wavelength can determine the effectiveness of red light therapy.
When we speak about the frequency of red light therapy use, we ask questions such as, How long should you do red light therapy to see Results? How often should you do red light therapy? How Often Can You Use Red Light Therapy?
While the frequency of RLT use will vary with each person and the condition being treated, experts in red light therapy agree that consistency with short RLT sessions gives the best results.
Here’s what consistency in red light therapy could look like:
But, as already mentioned, this can vary from person to person.
Some specific examples from the studies we already mentioned reveal that:
With these encouraging results, you probably want to know how to use red light therapy.
We always recommend that you work with a professional dermatologist or cosmetic expert on the issue of how to use red light therapy.
The professional will guide you on details such as the type of RLT device that’s most appropriate for your unique case and how often you should use it.
This recommendation is valid even for home users who opt for red light therapy devices from online suppliers.
For these users, it’s also crucial to follow manufacturer instructions on how to use the red light therapy device, especially for what concerns device distance from the skin, the right wavelength, and use frequency.
Red light therapy can take a first session, weeks, or months to show positive outcomes. However, that depends on many factors, including the type of condition you are treating, device wavelength, and RLT frequency.
As a safety precaution, work with a professional dermatologist or cosmetic expert for the best red light therapy results.
Doing that will save you from red light therapy side effects such as burns and skin lesions. Instead, it will deliver improved skin texture, pain relief, and overall well-being.
