Planet Fitness offers a Total Body Enhancement machine, Beauty Angel, that ensures overall health. It uses red light and vibration therapy to ensure your skin glows and your muscles heal. But that is not all.
In this piece, we’ll be breaking down everything about the device. We’ll highlight in depth why it could be the reason you get that glow you’ve been wanting. That said, expect to read on:
Let’s get started with the services Planet Fitness offers
The red light therapy services Planet Fitness offers include:
People often suffer from skin issues like glaring fine lines and breakouts. Others have muscles that hurt longer than they should after a gym session.
These scenarios are far more common than you think. But you can work around them in specific ways, finding non-invasive solutions for all. And that could be Planet Fitness’ walk-in Total Body Enhancement machine. This machine uses red light and vibration therapy.
But what are red light and vibration therapies to begin with?
Firstly, red light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This is the same spectrum visible light and microwaves fall on. This spectrum is measured in wavelengths, and red light falls before the infrared light window.
Infrared light, also IR, falls between wavelengths 700 to 1000 nanometers (nm). Red light is between 630 to 700 nm.
Red light therapy is the exposure of this red light for health benefits. You will only feel warmth during red light therapy sessions. It penetrates up to 5 mm into the skin.
Research proves that exposing yourself to this light consistently, with a doctor’s approval, helps:
Red light therapy is the treatment that heals the skin from the inside out. The wavelength on the Total Body Enhancement machine is between 620 nm and 700 nm.
Red light therapy works using low-level read and near-infrared wavelengths.
These waves move from the device to the skin, passing the first layers. They reach the cells and then enter the cells’ powerhouse, the mitochondria. The mitochondria soak up this heat and convert food into energy, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) faster.
This fastened energy production is called photobiomodulation. This causes more rapid healing, collagen production, and reduced inflammation.
This therapy uses mechanical vibrations to heal. The two types are:
Beauty Angel is a whole-body vibration device.
VT is used to reduce the adverse effects of aging on the deeper parts of our anatomy. That’s our bones, tissues, tendons, and muscles. A 2016 study highlights that it offers the human’s muscular-tendinous system anabolic mechanical signals. This means it sends growth-stimulating signals to these parts.
Another one also highlighted that it could reduce body fat percentage per kilogram. This means it could aid in weight loss. However, more studies are needed to prove this.
Therefore, vibration therapy may help:
The Planet Fitness’ Total Body Enhancement machine has four vibration settings.
This therapy works when standing, sitting, or lying on a vibrating platform. Beauty Angel has a footstand, so you get the treatment standing. When the device is on, you’ll start feeling the vibrations depending on the level set.
With each vibration, your muscles contract and relax multiple times per second.
NOTE: Consult a trained medical professional before trying red light or vibrational therapy.
The Beauty Angel combines the two research-proven treatments we’ve just talked about. It is designed like a booth where you walk in for treatment.
Once the red light therapy booth’s door is closed, it emits red light from the panels surrounding a user. The vibrations are driven by the plate one stands on. The user makes the necessary adjustments to the controls on the side of the door hinge.
To give you a better overview of who should or shouldn’t, look at these two tables:
| Who Should Use It | Why |
|---|---|
| Athletes & Active Individuals | Muscle recovery, circulation, and reducing soreness. |
| People Seeking Skin Rejuvenation Benefits | Stimulates collagen production and elasticity, reducing fine lines and improving skin tone. |
| Those Looking for Relaxation | Muscle relaxation and stress relief. |
| Individuals with Minor Muscle Pain | May aid in pain relief by improving blood flow and ATP production. |
| People Looking for Weight Loss Support | The vibration plate can assist in burning calories and improving muscle tone. |
| Pregnant Women | Effects on pregnancy are not well-studied; vibration may be unsafe. |
| People with Epilepsy | The flashing LED light may trigger seizures. |
| Individuals with Photosensitivity | Those sensitive to LED light or on medication that increases sensitivity should avoid it. |
| People with Pacemakers or Implants | The vibration plate and electromagnetic exposure could interfere with medical devices. |
| Individuals with Severe Skin Conditions | Conditions like eczema or psoriasis may worsen with red light therapy. |
The perks of using Total Body Enhancement are:
On the flip side, here are the downsides of the Beauty Angel:
Using this booth is quite elementary and straightforward.
First, before stepping in, be in the proper attire. This can be a swimsuit to allow maximum skin exposure. Next, step into the booth and adjust the settings.
Before starting, don the eye protection gear to safeguard your eyes from the LED light. Then, start the session, which typically lasts 10-12 minutes. Ensure you drink water before and after use to stay hydrated. You may also apply nourishing lotions afterward to boost the process.
Red light therapy delivers low-level wavelegths of red light and near-infrared light. These stimulate the mitochondria's energy level, making it produce more energy.
It is through this additional energy that the cells can heal and rejuvenate faster. The results? Reduced muscle soreness, improved blood circulation, and fastened tissue repair.
As mentioned, Beauty Angel is unfortunately unavailable in all Planet Fitness branches. But that does not mean you cannot do it altogether. You can still get the same benefits of red light therapy at home using at-home devices.
An excellent at-home alternative to Planet Fitness’s Beauty Angel is the Redlitex Pro.
This version is a medical-grade one that operates within the wavelengths of 480 nm to 1060 nm. It has seven settings, and you choose the one recommended for your purpose. It offers the same red light therapy benefits as Beauty Angel. The following are the extras:
Red light therapy and vibrational therapy are beneficial independently. When you combine the two, you enhance the treatment of skin, tissue, muscle, tendons, and overall wellness. The Planet Fitness Beauty Angel machine is, therefore, one you should consider.
Nonetheless, ensure you get a doctor’s input before use. And when you use it, operate it within the manufacturer’s and health provider’s guidance. To access it, become a Planet Fitness member and get the Black Card membership at your local Planet Fitness center to reap all the benefits.
If you cannot access the Beauty Angel, purchase the Redlitex RL1200 for home use. Same effect, more convenient.
1. Caerwyn Ash, Michael Dubec, Kelvin Donne, Tim Bashford. (2017). Effect of wavelength and beam width on penetration in light-tissue interaction using computational methods
2. Claudia Dompe et al. (2020). Photobiomodulation—Underlying Mechanism and Clinical Applications
3. Simone Cerciello, Silvio Rossi, Enrico Visonà, Katia Corona, Francesco Oliva. (2016). Clinical applications of vibration therapy in orthopedic practice
4. Maryam Omidvar, Seyed Mohammad Alavinia, Beverley Catharine Craven. (2019). The effects of whole body vibration therapy on reducing fat mass in the adult general population: A systematic review and meta-analyses
