Summary
Dr. Haley Schaaf breaks down the differences between red light LED, near-infrared light, and incandescent red bulbs, explaining why they are not interchangeable and what each is actually good for. She covers the wavelength ranges, penetration depths, and biological effects of each type, noting that red LED (620-700 nm) penetrates only 5-10 mm for surface-level skin benefits, while near-infrared (700-1200 nm) penetrates 2-5 cm for deeper tissue healing. The episode provides practical guidance on using red and near-infrared light therapy for a wide range of applications beyond cosmetic use, including thyroid support, pelvic and ovarian health, liver and digestive support, sinus inflammation, wound healing, joint pain, and dental health. Dr. Schaaf recommends 6-10 minutes per area and emphasizes that you must be within six inches of the device for therapeutic benefit. She also discusses how near-infrared light from the sun is strongest at sunrise and sunset, and why supplemental devices are valuable for people who spend most of their time indoors.
Key Points
- Red light LED (620-700 nm) penetrates only 5-10 mm and is best for surface-level skin benefits like acne, wrinkles, and collagen production
- Near-infrared light (700-1200 nm) penetrates 2-5 cm and reaches deeper tissues including muscles, joints, tendons, and organs
- Near-infrared light is invisible, so you cannot see it working even though it penetrates much deeper than visible red light
- Cheap red light devices on Amazon are likely not providing therapeutic-grade near-infrared penetration
- You must be within six inches of the device for red light therapy to be effective
- Practical applications include thyroid support, pelvic health, liver and digestive support, sinus inflammation, wound healing, and joint pain
- Recommended duration is 6-10 minutes per targeted area
- The sun provides the strongest near-infrared light at sunrise and sunset, making supplemental devices valuable for indoor lifestyles
Key Moments
Red light LED vs near-infrared penetration depth
Dr. Schaaf explains the critical difference between red light LED at 620-700 nm penetrating only 5-10 mm versus near-infrared at 700-1200 nm penetrating 2-5 cm, showing why near-infrared reaches deeper tissues.
"red light LED, the wavelength is about 620 to 700 nanometers. And that's what's giving it kind of that visible glow. And the penetration of that light is only about 5 to 10 millimeters. So it's not very far. That's why it's more surface level. It's great for hair growth. It's great for wound healing. It's great for acne, wrinkles, anti-aging, etc."
Near-infrared for deep tissue and organ support
Near-infrared penetrates 2-5 cm into the body, making it effective for muscle recovery, joint pain, tendons, ligaments, and even thyroid support, unlike surface-level red light.
"because it penetrates so deep, it's going about two to five centimeters. So think about how different that is in the red light that only goes five to 10 millimeters. Very, very different. This is what's really good for muscle recovery, joint pain. This is what's hitting the tendons and ligaments. This is what's most supportive. When I talk about red light being supportive over the thyroid, this is the, this, the level of therapeutic intervention that you would need."
Near-infrared for digestive and liver support
Dr. Schaaf shares her experience using near-infrared light over the liver and colon for digestive health, noting immediate benefits when struggling with digestion.
"Because of the fact that near infrared is penetrating deeper. I also love utilizing it over the liver area. So the liver is great, especially if you're struggling with digestion and even just using on either the ascending or descending colon for digestive health. I've seen a lot of really great benefits for that. And again, you, it's not saying that you're not getting any benefits with just specific red light, but the near infrared is, it's hard to tell because it's hard for us to quantify because we can't see it."
Cheap red light devices are not real therapy
Many cheap red light products marketed on Amazon are not providing true red light therapy with therapeutic near-infrared penetration, offering only surface-level topical benefits.
"I will just say red light is so big right now. The reason I want to do this is because not, I don't think everyone's getting the red light therapy that they might think if something is, if a red light therapy is $50 on Amazon, that's not red light therapy. It might be giving you some types of benefits, more topical, more collagen production, more for the skin, but it's not giving that deep penetration and that deep healing. And so that's what we're going to talk about. So when I'm thinking of"
Must be within six inches for therapeutic benefit
Distance from the light source matters significantly for therapy effectiveness. Being three to four feet away provides no therapeutic skin benefit.
"six inches or less closer to that light for it to be beneficial. So there's a lot of people and we do this too. Like we have a red light little, it's like just an led, mat that is big and we have it actually in our downstairs gym and we use it as more light"
