Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy

Red Light Therapy

Red Light therapy, also known as Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT), a type of red light treatment, is the application of red and near infrared light over tissue that is sick, injured, degenerating or ageing to promote healing, reduce inflammation and give relief for both acute and chronic pain.

Immediate and lasting benefits include:

• Benefits immediate and lasting
• Elevated energy levels
• Better sleep
• Enhanced mood
• Temporary happier mood
• You’ll notice clarity and better tone in your skin
• More regular bowel movements
• Reduced inflammation and swelling of extremities
• Sharper mind
• A greater sense of just feeling good

And so much more!

Red Light Therapy at Urban Wellness Space is on the TheraLight 360 bed, which uses red and near-infrared light in four wavelengths for endless Photobiomodulation options. The therapy helps increase circulation and the synthesis of cellular energy. The natural metabolic processes enhanced by red light therapy help reduce the damaging effects of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is generally considered an underlying cause of illness, disease and ageing.

Theralight 360 Bed

Simply lie on the bed and relax for 10 - 20 minutes to increase blood flow, support wellness and promote repair. We recommend the red light treatment every other day or just 10 mins per day to allow for recovery.

Is it right for me?

New customers to Urban Wellness Space must complete a customer waiver and suitability form. Find out more here.

Your questions answered.

Below are answers to the more commonly asked questions we receive about the treatments at Urban Wellness. If you have further questions, please get in touch.

Oxidative stress and why it’s a problem
Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. Both of these molecules are necessary for normal, healthy reactions in the body, but an excess of either can cause damage.

Free radicals are molecules that contain oxygen and have an uneven number of electrons. Because free radicals have an uneven number of electrons, they’re unstable and highly reactive with other molecules, which helps them cause large chain chemical reactions in the body. Antioxidants are molecules that can give up an electron without becoming unstable, so they have the ability to stabilise free radicals.

When there are more free radicals than antioxidants can manage, oxidative stress occurs. Because free radicals are highly reactive, they cause damage to the body’s proteins, fatty tissue, and DNA in their quest for that stabilizing electrons. Damage by free radicals can affect cellular function and cause apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death.

The science of how Near-Infrared and red light combats oxidative stress

Red light, at specific wavelengths, is readily absorbed by chromophores in the mitochondria of the body’s cells, which activates metabolic energy processes. Red and near-infrared wavelengths of light promote ATP production, which boosts energy transport within cells, leading to increased cell proliferation.

This boost in the body’s natural healing cycle helps reduce inflammation and promotes the healing of damaged tissue.

Red light is unique from other lights because it penetrates deeper into the skin and be absorbed by cells deep in the body. Blue and ultraviolet penetrate the upper layers of the skin. Also called photobiomodulation therapy because of the results in the body from using this type of light.



Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28748217/

Effects of photobiomodulation on the redox state of healthy and cancer cells
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34457388/

Safety and efficacy of photobiomodulation therapy in oncology: A systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33107198/

Photobiomodulation (PBM) Therapy is the application of red and near-infrared light to tissue that is injured, sick, degenerating or ageing. The absorption of this light has been clinically proven to:

• Elevated energy levels
• Improved circulation
• Reduction in oxidative stress
• A reduction in inflammation
• Activate cell repair

These cellular mechanisms result in:

• Better muscle capacity
• Improved exercise stamina
• Reduction of discomfort and pain
• Better joint mobility
• Speedier and better quaility efficient tissue repair
• Activate chemicals that positively affect mood and sleep
• Better immunity

Photobiomodulation is safe, relaxing, and has no known negative side effects.

There is a big difference between Photo-biomodulation and far-infrared saunas. Saunas use unseen far-infrared waves to activate sweat using heat. The waves are very warming, unlike Photo biomodulation. Far-infrared technology vibrate the water molecules in your body to weaken the ion bonds until the water breaks down into encapsulated gasses and toxic materials to assist the body with detoxifying.

Red light therapy uses red and near-infrared light (600-1,100nm). In typical light bed applications, these light wavelengths are non-thermal (little to no heat). Applied properly with the correct wavelengths, light specifically targets cells. Stressed cells deprived of oxygen are competing with free radicals to utilise oxygen to produce energy known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Light (or photons), hit the cell and are absorbed. This absorption disassociates the free radical (Mitochondrial nitric oxide – mNo) from the cell to allow oxygen to take its rightful place and resume optimal energy production (ATP) in the Electron Transport Chain.

Far-Infrared Saunas use FAR-Infrared HEAT to stimulate sweat glands for detox. Saunas are extremely warm/hot.

Red Light Therapy uses NEAR-infrared cold LIGHT to reverse oxidative stress, reduce pain, inflammation and improve cellular energy production.

The effects are photochemical, just like photosynthesis in plants. When the correct parameters are used, light reduces oxidative stress and increases cellular energy (ATP). This in turn improves cell metabolism and reduces inflammation. PBM Therapy appears too good to be true as it has many applications, but really it does just one thing and it does it very well. It reduces oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is essentially an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants, which is critical in helping the body recover. Oxidative stress is accepted as the underlying trigger for most diseases and degenerative conditions. It is also a component in the inflammatory phase of acute and chronic injuries. Extensive research during the last two decades has revealed oxidative stress can lead to chronic inflammation, which in turn contributes to chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders and pulmonary diseases.

Photobiomodulation Therapy has been effectively used as a non-medical intervention for reducing recovery time resulting in athletes:

• Running faster and longer with less fatigue
• Lifting heavier weights
• Achieving higher benchmarks sooner
• Recovering more quickly from injuries

As a non-medical intervention for musculoskeletal conditions such as:

• Arthritis
• Muscle soreness
• Joint pain and stiffness

As a non-medical intervention for inflammatory conditions such as:

• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic fatigue
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis

As a non-medical intervention for other painful conditions such as:

• Neuropathy
• Shingles
• Poor circulation

As a non-medical intervention for accelerating visceral fat loss.

PBMT works at a cellular level to enable your body to regulate, repair and enhance.

Unlike drugs and surgery, PBM Therapy is safe and effective.

• Activates cell regeneration
• Is pivotal in the reduction of inflammation and pain

PBM Therapy

• is non-toxic
• is non-invasive
• has no side effects

Because Red and Near-Infra red light is cool light it doesn’t heat the tissue, you may experience a warming sensation due to increased circulation.

Reported subjective feedback:

• “Temporary euphoric feeling”
• “Increased energy levels“
• “Improved sleep patterns“
• “Improved mood“
• “Improved skin clarity and tone”
• “Improved bowel function“
• “Decreased swelling of extremities“
• “Increased energy”
• “Increased mental clarity”
• “Increased general sense of well being”

These results will vary from person to person and are not intended as a guarantee.

It has been noted that occasionally you may notice slight discomfort, mild fatigue or aches after the treatment, these should reduce within 24 - 48 hours. If they last longer please notify your therapist at your next appointment.

We offer a state of the Art FULL BODY DELIVERY SYSTEM called TheraLight 360 which can target inflammation and stimulates repair in only 10 minutes.

Average of two to three 10 to 20-minute sessions per week. We recommend 5 sessions every second day for initial treatment to get your body accustomed. Every person’s condition is unique, therefore their treatment course is as well. However, there are some general rules of thumb that apply to PBM Therapy.

• Acute injuries and inflammation from muscle strains and sprains, cuts, bruises, burns, etc typically show very rapid improvement and can resolve in one to two weeks.
• Long-term, chronic conditions can take two to three weeks to get significant benefits, weeks to months for maximum benefits, then weekly or bi-weekly sessions may be necessary to maintain benefits.

Not at all. The LED lights are cooled by a cooling system.

 An average of 40 new papers are being published each month, to add to the 550 plus, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). There are over 4000 published laboratory studies.

This therapy is currenlty being used in thousands of hospitals, elite sports institutions, clinics in over 70 countries.

The primary evidence is in musculoskeletal system (bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons and connective tissues) in the aeas of pain and dysfunction. It is not limited to there, a wide variety of conditions are being studied. To source published studies, go to PubMed.gov and search, Photobiomodulation, LLLT or Low-Level Light Therapy.

This is a General Wellness Device and exempt from (510k) premarket notification and not requiring approval. It does however need to be registered under defined and intended uses. It is manufactured under Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) and is compliant with the applicable standards required by FDA.

 CLASS I defined and intended uses are:

• Relief from muscles spasms and relaxation of muscles
• Temporary relief of  joint aches, stiffness, joint and minor muscle aches
• Temporary relief from arthritis with associated minor pain and stiffness

CLASS II intended uses are: 

• Relief from muscles spasms and relaxation of muscles
• Temporary relief of joint aches, stiffness, joint and minor muscle aches
• Temporary relief from arthritis with associated minor pain and stiffness
• To temporarily boost to blood circulation

Pregnancy and some cancers including vascular and clients that have had organ transplants. More research is necessary to detect any potential adverse effects on patients with these conditions before PBM Therapy can be utilised by these clients. Please consult with your doctor.

With informed parental consent.

All persons present during device operation must wear approved TheraLight protective eyewear. Prescription contacts or glasses can be worn under TheraLight goggles. Tests are underway around this are. Please look out for updates.