Best Red Light Therapy Devices for Hair Loss, Workout Recovery, and More

For at least a decade, doctors, physiotherapists, and chiropractors have used red light therapy devices to heal injured muscles and treat conditions like Parkinson disease, depression, and even cancer. 

Now, the benefits are not just for the lettered. You can buy at-home infrared light devices to help manage everything from injuries to blood pressure, hair loss to wrinkles. 

Question is, while infrared light devices promise to be a medical panacea, they cost thousands of dollars. Are they worth it?

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What Are Red Light Therapy Devices?

Red light therapy devices vary in size, shape, and function, but all use infrared LED lights, either invisible near infrared (NIR) or visible red infrared (RI). No one is entirely sure what these lights do in the human body, but scientists believe they penetrate our cells, activating the mitochondria, our cells' power plant. Energizing these mitochondrion make cells healthier, encouraging repair processes.

NASA started studying artificial light therapy in the 1980s and research has increased in recent years with improvements in LED light technology. Anecdotal and scientifically gathered data links NIR and RI to all kinds of health and healing benefits, but the research is limited in scale, says Brent Bauer, research director for the Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

“We’re still waiting for reliable, large-scale studies to validate some of these claims,” he says. “Until we have some good-quality studies that evaluate both the efficacy and safety of these new devices, caution is prudent.”

He does acknowledge NIR and RI light are different than the kind of skin-damaging energy used in tanning beds or solar UV rays. Used moderately, there are few side effects or risks associated with infrared light devices.

Weighed against the growing list of benefits, it’s worth taking a closer look at some of the options available. Here are the top options to consider.

Best for Fine Lines and Age Spots: Omnilux Men

What it targets: fine lines, wrinkles, under-eye bags, dark circles, inflammation, redness, razor burn, age spots, uneven skin tone, texture

Specs: 633nm red, 830nm near-infrared, 1072nm near-infrared wavelengths; 10-minute cycle

How it works: Because men have thicker skin than women (due to testosterone), Omnilux Men utilizes a 1072nm wavelength (in addition to 633nm and 830nm) to penetrate deeper to maximize anti-aging benefits. The FDA-approved device is meant to be used three to five days a week for four to six weeks, after which you can continue to use for maintenance. Each session spans 10 minutes with an auto-off feature.

Unlike a fixed mask, it's more flexible in nature to better hug contours. Our tester found the red light therapy device to be snug and secure on the face, thanks to the two-strap design (above the ear and at the nape of the neck). Rather than undoing both straps, keep the top one loosely velcroed, then slide the mask over your face and tighten both straps. Omnilux Men has a cord attached to the controller, so you aren't entirely untethered, though it's easy enough to slip in a pocket if you want to move around while the session is ongoing.

The red and near-infrared lights (132 LEDs housed in 66 bulbs) are clinically proven to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, lessen redness and irritation, and improve dark circles and under-eye bags. 

Best for Acne: DRx SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro

What it targets: Acne, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles

Specs: 630nm red, 880nm infrared, 605nm amber, 415nm blue wavelengths; 3-minute cycle 

How it works: Struggling with acne at any age is miserable, but especially so as an adult. DRx SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro is cleared by the FDA to improve the overall appearance of your complexion. After cleansing and drying your skin, adjust the mask's silicone strap for a snug fit on your face. Simply touch and hold the button on the forehead once for red-light therapy, which addresses anti-aging. 

There are 100 LED lights in red mode that penetrate deep into the dermis to stimulate the mitochondria within the cells to produce collagen. With consistent daily use, this can improve skin's density and smooth over wrinkles, as well as help fade hyperpigmentation. 

Related Post: The Best LED Face Masks

Touch the button two times to enter blue mode. The mask's 62 LED lights target and eliminate P. acnes bacteria to help clear acne and prevent future breakouts.

And press the button three times for a combination of blue and red light, which benefits blemishes and signs of aging. Best of all, it only takes three minutes a day, and you don't even have to set a timer. The mask automatically turns off after the treatment. 

Best for Overall Health: Medical Sauna Medical 5

What it targets: high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, dementia

Specs: 3-person capacity, Insulated Airflow System™, 3D Heat Therapy™, Detox Routine™, Natural Hemlock Wooden Construction, Bluetooth Functionality, Rapid Internal Heating System™

How it works: The benefits of saunas are the most studied of all infrared devices, says Bauer. The theory is high temperature and humidity cause beneficial changes in the cardiovascular system—improving blood vessel function, exercise capacity, and lowering blood pressure in those suffering from hypertension. 

Some research even suggests daily sauna sweats can lessen the likelihood of death from heart attack, stroke, and other heart-related conditions. Unlike their wood-fired brethren, infrared saunas use light to warm the body. With no smoke or flames (they're often called “dry saunas,” as there’s no ladling water on rocks), they’re indoor safe and come in a range of sizes, fitting anywhere from one to four people. 

While infrared saunas don’t get as hot, users still claim improvements in blood pressure, arthritis symptoms, and general better health, says Bauer. Medical Sauna Medical 5 utilizes 3D Heat Therapy™ to penetrate the body's tissue and cells as temperature rises to provide holistic benefits.

Best for Hair Regrowth: Revian Red Hair Growth System

What it targets: hair loss

Specs: 660nm red and 620nm orange LED wavelengths; 10-minute cycle

How it works: When men and women with adrogenetic alopecia, a fancy way of saying normal hair loss, used a red light therapy helmet for 24 weeks, they grew thicker hair, while those using a placebo did not, according to a randomized, double-blind, device-controlled trial. 

Revian purports wearing its Red Hair Growth System, a helmet-like cap for 10 minutes a day, encourages blood flow to the scalp, reducing inflammation and bringing more nutrients to hair follicles. All that leads to thicker hair. An app helps keep track of treatments and the change in hair growth over time. The FDA has cleared the device as effective for treating some forms of hair loss, and there are plenty of personal testimonials (but rigorous studies remain limited).

Best for Injury Recovery: Joovv The Solo 3.0

What it targets: inflammation, injuries, better sleep

Specs: 660nm red and 850nm near-infrared, bluetooth-enabled, protective eyewear included, ambient mode, multiple mounting methods

How it works: U.S. Open tennis champ Sloane Stephens and the 49ers football team are among the many high-profile fans of Joovv’s devices. They use red and near infrared lights, which penetrate skin with varying intensi­ties, stimulating cell activity. 

Red light stimu­lates cell regeneration because it gets absorbed by the superficial layer of the skin (big in dermatology), while near infrared light goes deeper, penetrating the muscles to stimulate recovery. 

Joovv offers portable and modular/full-body devices, which can boost cellular function, energy production, reduce inflammation, and improve blood flow. That means you can kickstart workout recovery, heal injuries faster, and see greater performance improvements. Getting too much blue light exposure? 

A separate ambient mode might encourage better sleep by reseting out-of-whack circadian rhythms. Founded by a couple of scientists, Joovv has plenty of studies to back up its health claims, though few of them control all the potential variables enough to satisfy Bauer.

Best for Tighter Skin: Avologi Eneo Advanced

What it targets: wrinkles, blemishes, skin health

Specs: 633nm red, 830nm near-infrared, and blue LED; micro pulse therapy; 24-karat gold applicator tip

How it works: Hold this shower-head like wand up to your face and red and near infrared light penetrates the skin. Work in sections, applying mild pressure while moving in circular motions for up to four minutes per area. It encourages cellular regeneration and blood flow, which in turn may reduce wrinkles, blemishes, and scars by energizing mitochondrion in skin cells. Avologi says an additional vibration function tightens puffy skin while blue light kills the bacteria that often leads to acne. 

Use it three times a week for the first month, then use once per week for maintenance.

It’s one of the few devices both certified by the FDA and recommended by dermatologists—but there are few robust scientific studies showing more than a correlation to smoother, healthier skin.