Red LED light devices deliver therapy in two main ways: Full-body and localized. 

A red light therapy bed is a device that delivers full-body photobiomodulation therapy using red light (630-660nm) or near-infrared light (810-850nm) waves. 

As its name suggests, a red light therapy bed is a large device that allows the user to lie on it while in therapy. But the bed also has an upper section that spreads over the user to deliver red light waves from above.

To have a design idea, think of the tanning beds that deliver UV radiation, only this time the bed has safe light-emitting diodes (LEDs) without the risks of ultraviolet rays. 

Like other RLT devices, red light therapy beds deliver specific wavelengths to achieve therapeutic benefits such as skin care and skin rejuvenation from signs of aging, reduced inflammation, wound healing, pain relief, muscle recovery after injury, and overall wellness.

Considering their size, red light therapy beds have these benefits:

• They provide full-body treatment in a single session.
• They are hands-free and relaxing because the user simply lies down to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of red light.
• They can be customized to specific treatment needs by setting up session duration, light intensity, and wavelength, including pulsed wave delivery.

A red light therapy panel is a compact device that delivers red or near-infrared (NIR) light to targeted body parts. Panels can be small-sized and deliver localized phototherapy or large and broad-reaching to provide full-body therapy.

Because they come in different sizes, red light panels can be used for a wide range of therapeutic purposes, including skin health for issues like acne, age marks, fine lines, and psoriasis, as well as pain management, muscle recovery, and overall well-being.

Also, for being a versatile option, panels are a popular option as home light therapy products. Besides, they are more affordable, easily portable, and easy to use.

So, how do red light therapy panels compare to red light therapy beds, and which one should you choose? Find out in the section below.

To choose between a red light therapy panel and a red light therapy bed, consider whether you want a strictly whole-body red light therapy device or one that offers targeted red light therapy and can be adapted to deliver full-body light treatment. 

Since making that decision may not be as straightforward as it sounds, you’ll need to weigh the specific features of each device in order to make a truly informed decision. 

Let us help you with that by comparing red light panes vs bed features.

1. Red Light Panel vs Bed Comparison

Red light therapy beds and panels have several differences, which we discuss in the 9 features below.

Size and space flexibility

• Panels come in many sizes to fit individual therapy and space needs. Because they are compact devices, panels are easily portable and safer to use in varied situations.

Smaller RLT panels can be handheld to focus on a targeted area. Medium-sized panels can be hung, placed on a table, or clamped on a designated stand, and then adjusted to direct light to specific areas. Alternatively, they can be wall-mounted for stationed application.

Larger whole-body panels can be rolled on a trolly, and for whole-body therapy, several of them can be set up on a foldable nanowall.

• Beds have to be large-sized to fit any body size. You have to set them up at a designated space in the house, spa, or wellness center. 

Because of their large size, you cannot fold them once you mount the pieces together. That means they take up a considerable part of floor space permanently and cannot be adapted to stand in a different position or mounted on a wall as with panels. 

Cost

• RLT panel prices vary by their size. Their cost can go from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars (~$500-$1500 on average). This price range makes them a lot more affordable for more people, including owners of wellness centers who want to mount multiple panels in their therapy rooms.

• RLT beds are larger and more complex. So, they cost a lot more. Our research shows that red light therapy bed cost can go from a few tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars ($40,000 -$100,000+ on average). Price differences can vary on factors like size, LED count, advanced technology such as pulsed waves, touchscreen features, and app or phone-enabled control.

Versatility in application

• Panels are a versatile RLT option as they can target a small area like the face or knee or larger areas like the back. They can even be set up to deliver full-body therapy. Since they come in different sizes, you can choose the appropriate size for your therapy needs.

• Beds are one-size-fits-all whole-body red light therapy devices, period! You cannot decide to treat your face and leave the rest of your body free of red light irradiance. It’s either full-body or full-body!

Session Time

• Unless you are using large, whole-body panels that irradiate your entire body, handheld and smaller RLT panels may require you to move them around to ensure you cover the entire targeted area. That means longer and multiple sessions.

• Red light therapy beds irradiate your entire body in one go. You do not need to turn your body or the bed to achieve full-body irradiance, which means shorter sessions in a single shot.

Therapeutic wavelength range

• Red light therapy panels can have red light LEDs of 600-660nm or combine red and near-infrared LEDs of 800-850nm. Some have a wider range of wavelengths, starting below 600nm and edging closer to the maximum wavelength (1200nm) in the therapeutic window. 

All that means you can adjust them to fit the recommended wavelength for the condition you want to treat. For example, using lower red light wavelengths for skin treatment and higher near-infrared waves for joint pain relief.

• Red light therapy beds have the same range of red light and near-infrared wavelengths. However, adjusting them is more complicated, as you must use the same wavelength on your entire body, regardless of the target area.

Power consumption

• Most panels have an LED count ranging from below 100 to around 1000. Their power consumption is not as high as that of an RLT bed, and they are usually plugged into the standard wall outlet.

• Beds have thousands of LEDs, usually from 20,000 and above. This means they need a higher power output and may require you to adjust the wall outlet to meet their voltage requirements.

Cleaning and maintenance

• Red light therapy panels are made to be used from a safe distance of 6-14 inches away from your skin. From a hygiene perspective, you only need to clean your RLT panel to ensure the diodes are clear and direct the therapy light as required.

• Red light therapy beds entail lying on them, sometimes with skin parts touching the diodes directly. Besides, their stationed setup also means they can accumulate dirt and debris over time. As a result, they require a more detailed cleaning routine to ensure high hygienic standards. 

Warranty

• Most manufacturers offer 1-2-year warranties for low-level red light (LLLT) therapy panels. A few, like the medical-grade RedLiteX panels, come with a 3-year warranty, giving the buyer a better and longer-time guarantee for product and customer service quality and cost-free device replacement or maintenance.

• Because of their size and complex structure, red light therapy beds have years of warranty. We recorded RLT beds with warranties of up to 10 years, which should give the buyer solid security for such a large investment.

2. Tips for Choosing Between a Red Light Therapy Panel vs Bed

With the above red light therapy devices comparison, it is easier to tell whether you should choose a panel or a bed.

Here are some tips to help you make that decision:

Choose a red light therapy panel if:

• You want a red light therapy device for targeted phototherapy.
• You want a portable red light therapy device that takes up little space in the home.
• You are on a budget or don’t want to spend all your savings to purchase a red light therapy device.
• You want a red light therapy device that you can easily plug into a standard 120V wall outlet without needing to make any adjustments.
• You want to set up light therapy rooms for your commercial wellness center and are looking for the cheapest option.

Choose a red light therapy bed if:

• You are setting up a full-body light therapy wellness center or spa, and spending plenty of money is not an issue.
• You want consistent whole-body therapy for overall wellness at home, and you have the money to spend.

From the above, it will seem like a red light therapy bed is an expensive, luxury red light therapy device attainable only by a few. 

So, can panels offer a bed-like red light therapy experience? We say they can!

How to Use RLT Panels to Achieve Effects Similar to a Bed

If you’ve been keen, you noticed that we consistently mentioned you can set up multiple panels to adapt them for full-body phototherapy and create an RLT bed effect.

Here are two options for using panels to achieve a bed-like red light therapy effect.

• Purchase 4 whole-body red light panels (see the RedLiteX RL1500) and combine them into a full-body red light therapy panel. This should be enough to deliver a one-side full-body red light therapy experience by standing in front of the panel. You can then turn the other side of your body to the light after the recommended 10-20 minutes a session. 

• Purchase 8 whole-body red light panels and combine 4 on one side and 4 on the other side. You can have your bed-like red light therapy experience by simply standing between the two long panels without fear of side effects.

In both cases, you can mount the panels on a wood board or purchase a foldable nanowall. All the panels should deliver the same level of red light therapy wavelengths.

This setup has two advantages over a red light bed:

• It does not take up as much floor space as a bed and can be folded and rolled away after use.
• It will cost you a lot less than purchasing a red light therapy bed. For example, 4 panels of the RedLiteX RL1500 will only cost you $4,396 with the 5 % discount. If you go for the 8-panel option, you pay $8,792, even if you were to pay an extreme $2000 for the setup labor, you still wouldn’t be paying half the minimum $40,000 for a red light bed.

This option works great for at-home red light therapy and professional wellness centers, gyms, spas, salons, and healthcare centers.

Concluding Verdict

Anyone looking for an at-home red light therapy device should go for a red light therapy panel. Those who want a cheaper option for their wellness centers or spas can create a multiple-panel setup to mimic an RLT bed while enjoying the red light therapy panel benefits.

Commercial wellness centers can go for a red light therapy bed. But they’ll need to deal with the cons of a red light therapy bed, such as the complex care and maintenance for utmost hygienic standards.

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