In this red light therapy dosing chart, I just supply you with the raw data on this topic. In a blog post I'll soon publish, I'll make much more extensive commentary about these findings. You can also read about some of my conclusions on the dosing on each topic, however!
I've selected these dosing guidelines from scientific reviews only - to keep the project somewhat manageable. If not, I'd have to dig through 10,000 studies, and it would have taken a year, maybe! Medical reviews aggregate and analyze previous studies, making it easier to get an overview of a topic.
Please keep in mind that this is a red light therapy dosing chart - so it's the raw data. My full commentary on this data will be published very soon!
This is part 1 of an at least 2-part red light therapy dosing series. You can bookmark this page - as I'll add the links in the introduction here once they're published!
So, let's start:
Red Light Therapy Dosing For Different Goals:
I've used Vladimir Heiskanen's excellent Excel sheet for identifying the reviews on most of these topics. Some topics I've passed, such as pure in vitro research (foundational petri dish researh in the lab).
Most of the topics will speak for themselves though:
Bone Health
Bone, Bone and stromal cells:
"PBM is a highly promising strategy, but its effectiveness on the proliferation and differentiation of bone and stromal cells is still controversial and even [Systematic Reviews (SRs)] disagree in their conclusions. A high degree of heterogeneity was observed between the primary studies being combined in SRs together with the absence of quantitative analyses; these aspects make it impossible to conduct a meta-analysis. Compliance with the quality assessment of the currently available SRs is poor, with no compelling evidence on the cellular mechanisms of action or treatment parameters of PBM for clinical practice" (1; 2) - 2020
Bone, Bone repair:
Here are the very diverging parameters for red light therapy for bone healing (3; 4):
So, there's no universally valid protocol for bone healing! Please keep in mind that there are about 190 preclinical studies - mostly animal studies - investigating this goal!
In the in vitro studies, 660nm and 810nm are most prominently presented. In animals, 660nm, 810nm, 830nm and 1,064nm are used (4). The review doesn't seem to include all studies on this topic though!
I've only included the 2023 review, not 2021 and 2020 versions or earlier.
Bone, Fractures:
Here's a quote from the latest review from 2020:
"Based on positive outcomes in animal trials, parameter optimization of PBM for human fractures still requires extensive research on factors such as dosage, wavelength, penetration depth, treatment frequency, and the use of pulsed waves." (7; 8)
The full study shows many different wavelengths, including 630nm, 780nm, 790nm, 808nm, 830nm, 890nm, 904nm, and power outputs from 1 mW/cm2 to 300 mW/cm2. The total dose ranges between 1 J/cm2 to 45 J/cm2. So there's no universally valid dosing protocol to be established for bone fractures yet!
Bone, Implants:
Here too, no easy conclusion can be drawn, as researchers state:
"It is still difficult for one to compare studies about the action of LLLT on the osseointegration of biomaterials because the experimental models and duration of treatments are very distinct. However, it could be concluded that LLLT may offer advantages in terms of periodontal and bone functional recovery and biomaterial osseointegration." (9).
Once more, many different studies have many different protocols.
Brain Health Dosing
Brain, Alzheimer's Disease:
Once more, finding a universal dosing protocol is very hard. Researchers write:
"Cumulative irradiation time was a moderator between the PBM and cognitive function improvement. Photobiomodulation have the potential to improve cognitive function in aging adults. Cumulative irradiation duration, light source, device type, penetration modality, and intervention site can affect the effectiveness of PBM intervention." (11) - 2023
So, a different device or different treatment location or different cumulative irradiation time will have different effects.
Transcranial doses go from 45 mW/cm2 to 285 mW/cm2 (12; 13). Total doses range from 20-60 J/cm2, generally. Many different wavelengths are used, but mostly the 810 and 1,064nm wavelengths, but also 830nm, 1,080nm. Pulsing is also sometimes used.
So there's no universal power output, treatment location and/or area, and total dose again. Generally though, near-infrared is recommended (14).
Now, there are literally 90+ studies on Alzheimer's Disease in total (6). This topic also shows why it's so hard to achieve a universal dosing protocol, because all of these studies use different devices, device placement, wavelengths, power outputs, and so forth. I cover this topic and the complexity of simple dosing guidelines more in the next section.
Brain, Autism:
One recent review explored the effects of red light therapy for autism, from 2022 (15; 16). The good thing is, here, that the therapy works. Researchers write that:
"There are several clinical reports using transcranial photobiomodulation in people with autism. Transcranial photobiomodulation treatment over an eight-week period has been reported to improve a range of behavioural measures, including social awareness, communication and motivation, and a reduction in restricted and repetitive behaviours [55]. In addition, transcranial photobiomodulation treatment for children with autism over a four week period reduced irritability and other symptoms [56]. These positive outcomes, quite remarkably, appear to be maintained for up to 12 months thereafter [57,58]. A placebo-controlled clinical trial using verum laser acupuncture indicates improvements in speech and social interactions in people with autism [59]." (16)
Blue light at 405nm light also has benefits in some studies (16). Researchers mostly recommend the 660nm and 810nm here though, as these have been shown to have worked in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The review doesn't give out any dosing guidelines, except for following existing research on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and recommending more research into Autism (16).
So that's what I'll recommend too, without taking a deep dive into these studies.
Brain, (Traumatic) Brain injury:
The first review I'm considering–which is based on animal studies–states the following about dosing parameters:
"Favorable parameters were identified as: wavelengths in the region of 665 nm and 810 nm; time to first administration of PBM ≤4 h; total number of daily treatments ≤3. No differences were identified between pulsed and continuous wave modes or energy delivery." (17).
No exact power output guidelines are given though.
Then there's another review mostly focusing on humans (18; 19). Here's what the review states:
"Optimal therapeutic intervention was characterized by wavelengths within the far-red to NIR range (630–1064 nm) along with a minimal energy density of 4 J/cm" (19).
The researchers also state that an estimated 5% of light penetrates through the skull. Animal studies show power outputs of 22 mW/cm2 to 150 mW/cm2.
After continuing to write this blog post a few weeks later, I saw one 2024 study published that I didn't see before (20; 21). Here too, the dosing question gets difficult, as researchers quote the following studies:
"870 nm and 633 nm light emitting diodes (LEDs), 22.2 mW/cm2" "
Then, a study with:
"785 nm, continuous wave, and 10 mW/cm2 power density"
And then a study with the following setup:
"with an array of 402 LEDs combining wavelengths of 629 nm and 850 nm, an average power density of 6.7 mW/cm2, and pulsing at rates of 73, 587, and 1175 Hz over 6 weeks"
Then a study using:
"68 (35 treatment and 33 sham control) randomized, double-blind subjects with moderate TBI using a closed helmet with LEDs emitting NIR light at 810 nm, continuous wave with a power density of 36 mW/cm2"
Next up, another study:
"used a low level at 1064 nm, continuous wave, with irradiance of 250 mW/cm2 for 10 min each session over 8 weeks on 11 patients diagnosed with TBI"
And then a study that used a:
"home-use device using LEDs with 810 nm wavelength, pulsing at 40 Hz and delivering power density of up to 100 mW/cm2. "
Lastly:
" In the non-randomized study, the participants received active PBM with 810 wavelengths, pulsing at 40 Hz with up to 100 mW/cm2 power density, over 8 weeks." (21).
So it's extremely difficult to determine one optimal dosing parameter here, unless all of these study setups are compared against each other. However, despite uncertrainty, reseachers do write that:
"The more recent studies appear to favor higher power densities; devices that pulse produce improved clinical outcomes.
This indicates that parameters used in some studies were suboptimal and compromised outcomes." (21).
So, a device such as the Vielight may be best here!
Brain, Cognitive Impairment
Then there's a 2020 review on red light therapy for (mild) cognitive impairment (22; 23). Here's what researchers state about red light therapy dosing for mild cognitive impairment (MCI):
"Getting it just right may take many trials to arrive at the optimal settings whether using coherent laser light or scattered light emitted diodes (LEDs). It is likely that many pilot and expansive clinical trials of PBM will be needed before optimal laser parameters resulting in definitive and consistent benefits are obtained in pre- and MCI patients" (23).
Here too, the studies have a wide variety of setups so there's not one protocol that works (at least, there's no testing for which one works best!). For instance, one study used the following parameters:
"1064 nm, power density at 250 mW/cm2 , energy dose (fluence) at 60 Joules/cm2" (23).
That light was used "transcranially", so through the skull. Other studies, such as animal studies, use very different setups. Recent human studies from 2021 to 2023 also use the 810nm wavelength, with different power outputs and J/cm2 levels.
Brain, Cognitive Performance
Here we're looking at cognitive performance in healthy adults (24; 25). We're extremely lucky here, as the studies all seem to use 250 - 285 mW/cm2, with lots of 1,060nm light. Some studies use 630, 660, 810, and 850nm light.
Most of the dosing occurs to parts of the head, such as with a laser applied to parts of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is most often targeted.
Brain, Depression
The most recent reviews on red light therapy for depression stem from 2023 (26; 27; 28; 29; 30). Here too, there's no easy answer:
"Study results demonstrate consensus that t-PBM is a safe and potentially effective treatment; however, varying treatment parameters among studies complicate definitive conclusions about efficacy." (27)
Red light therapy for depression is very promising though. I can't access the full texts of these studies yet though, so I can't take a deep dive in this case, sorry!
Brain, EEG
No reviews available currently. A quick rundown of the studies shows different wavelengths again, in the red and NIR range, with a special emphasis on 1,064nm. Power outputs are high, from circa 160 mW/cm2 to 285 mW/cm2.
Brain, Epilepsy
Only animal studies are available here currently (31; 32). The animal studies use NIR wavelengths. The researchers don't include the power outputs of all the studies (32).
If you've got epilepsy though, I wouldn't recommend just using red light therapy without seeing a medical professional to supervise you - this holds true for red light therapy for the brain in general but here for epilepsy specifically as you can make things far worse!
Brain, Functional Connectivity
Next up, let's consider functional connectivity, which is the interplay and communication between different brain regions (33; 34). Red light therapy can alter the pattern of activation of different brain regions.
Mostly the 1,060nm wavelength has proven benefit here, but other wavelengths aren't studied.
Brain, Multiple Sclerosis
Here I've got one review from 2022 about Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - an autoimmune disease (35; 36). That review perfectly shows what the problem with dosing guidelines is, though (36):
Once again, different power outputs, different wavelengths, different devices and different areas where the light is applied. The outcomes are generally decent though!
A 2021 review also shows positive results (37; 38). Table 1 of this study shows about the same outcome as the previous review (38):
So what would you choose, 650nm, 660nm, 808nm, or a combination? And if you made a choice, what power output would you choose for MS treatment? We don't have the answer here because the comparison between these wavelengths hasn't been studies, nor different power outputs, and in different patient populations, with different application locations, etc!
(What is perhaps very important is that red light therapy works!)
Generally, though, you can say that multiple wavelengths work, such as 650nm and 808nm.
Brain, Neuroinflammation
Neuroinflammation - or brain inflammation - is tightly intertwined with many brain conditions. And, lowering excessive neuroinflammation helps your brain function better.
Two 2022 reviews study this topic (39; 40). One of the reviews included 27 different studies in total. The researchers wrote the following about the parameters of these studies (41).
So, there's a wide range of wavelengths and a power output that differs 200-fold (measuring the mW/cm2). And, the total dosage applied to the brain ranges from 1 J/cm2 to 537 J/cm2 (which may arguably be good because it's hard to penetrate the brain). The number of treatments also differed from one treatment to 207, in the study (41).
Brain, Parkinson's Disease
Next up, there's Parkinson's Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects the dopamine system in the brain. One 2024 recent review is published on this topic (42; 43). 14 different human studies are included, using transcranial (through the skull) applications.
Wavelengths include 635nm, 670nm, 810nm, 904nm, 940nm, and 1,068nm. Power outputs range from 2.6 mW/cm2 to 100 mW/cm. Again, there's no indication that there's a standardized best protocol, as studies differ a lot from each other.
Then, there's a 2022 review (44). The review concludes with the following:
"Regarding the effect of a laser on treatment, studies prove that radiation at a specific dose with the right wavelength and time has an important effect on improving the symptoms of PD." (45).
But, then there's no followup that states these parameters, because in the paragraphs before that there's a long layout with studies with different characteristics.
Brain, PTSD
Unfortunately, only animal studies are found here. I recommend trial and error with general red light therapy for the brain parameters. And, again, before you apply any red light therapy in this situation - or any serious brain condition, consult a medical professional.
Brain, Stroke (Clinical)
The most recent review states that red light therapy for stroke is not beneficial (after a stroke, to be precise, so in the clinical phase) (46). However, some recent studies after this 2023 review do show positive effects. You can find these studies yourself in Heiskanen's Excel sheet - as well as anything published after my article (6).
Another 2022 review does state that lower doses may work best in this case (47; 48). The topic is extremely complex though and I'm not willing to give advice here, as there are statements such as this:
"After scanning the [Infrared Light] spectrum from 700 to 1,000 nm, wavelengths near 750 and 950 nm were identified as being inhibitory, while 810 nm was confirmed as being stimulatory" (48).
Carpal Tunnel Dosing
Carpal Tunnel, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Red light therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome works, although the effect may not be super strong (49; 50). Two reviews from 2019 and 2020 investigate this subject (49; 50).
One review includes six earlier studies in total and concludes that red light therapy isn't worth it due to the small effect of the treatment (51). That review also doesn't include treatment parameters. The other review does, though (52). That review shows that 830nm and 904nm are used. Treatment is 3-5 times weekly. The power output is 2.4-30 mW, but it's not sure whether that's mW/cm2.
In Heiskanen's document too, the treatment parameters aren't always clear of the carpal tunnel syndrome studies.
Circulation Dosing
With circulation, here, I mean blood circulation. Examples of topics here are blood flow, red blood cell health, atherosclerosis (part of heart disease), angiogenesis (the creation of new blood vessels).
However, while many circulation topics exist, almost none of them had reviews covering the topic. So, as stated before, I've only included topics that include reviews as otherwise I'd have to dig through 10,000 studies:
Circulation, Endothelium
The endothelium is the elastic part of your blood vessels. The endothelium is important for blood flow and for forming a wall between blood (or lymph) vessels and other tissues.
With regard the review on the endothelium, the researchers state the following:
"The PBM can modulate endothelial dysfunction, improving inflammation, angiogenesis, and vasodilatation. Among the studies, 808 nm and 18 J (0.2 W, 2.05 cm2) intracoronary irradiation can prevent restenosis as well as 645 nm and 20 J (0.25 W, 2 cm2) can stimulate angiogenesis. PBM can also support hypertension cure" (53).
The full text shows more information and includes 9 studies in total (54). The problem here is that the studies aren't translatable to the consumer market, because lasers are used and these lasers are often used inside the brain or in arteries. The stuff works but you can't apply it at home (54). For clinical professionals, read section 4.3 in the full-text for dosing guidelines (54).
Hopefully we see more research on circulation with LED panels in the future!
Circulation, Nitric Oxide
Nitrix oxide helps expand your blood vessels, interacting with the edothelium I talked about before. One review from 2019 investigates this effect (55). The researchers state the following:
"While the required light power needs to be verified for human cardiac use, by comparing animal studies through various species and investigational settings, an irradiance of 10–100 mW/cm2 for 2–10 min seems a reasonable starting point to achieve beneficial effects of NIR to unlock tissue NO" (55).
So, that's pretty easy! But again, a very wide range for treatment. With one option, you'd end up with 1.2 J/cm2 and at the other extreme it's 120 J/cm2.
Dermatology Dosing
Dermatology, Acne Vulgaris
For acne vulgaris, or plain "acne", doses of 12-72 J/cm2 are used (56; 57). The study states, however, that:
"There was no statistically significant difference between red light therapy and traditional therapies in terms of efficacy. However, due to the heterogeneity of the researches and the lack of large sample size, the result of this study needs to be interpreted with caution." (57).
I will say that the dosages here seem very high for skin treatment. The review includes 13 studies in total (57).
Dermatology, Herpes Labialis
Here's what a 2022 review writes:
"Since there are no clinical trials regarding the association of PDT and PBM in the treatment of herpes labialis, we only included case reports in our review. All studies used methylene blue solution as the photosensitizer and the laser (diode laser or low-power laser) with a wavelength of 660 nm as the light source. Power output, power density, number of irradiation points, number of PBM sessions, and irradiation duration varied between the included studies. Despite the diversity in parameters between studies, all case reports showed good results regarding relieving symptoms, accelerating healing, as well as reducing the incidence of recurrence without side effects" (58).
Dermatology, Psoriasis
In the first review, mostly ultraviolet light is considered here, especially UVB (59). For regular red light therapy, the dose is quite high, though (60):
"Here are some examples from the literature in which all the parameters were given and can therefore be used as a basis for thinking about the ideal dose. In the study mentioned above by Lee et al. which compared 633 and 830 nm LEDLLLT for skin rejuvenation, and showed efficacy of these wavelengths at a histological and ultrastructural level, the dose for the 633 nm component was 96 J/cm 2 with an intensity of 80 mW/cm 2 over 20 min. For the 830 nm component, the dose was 60 J/cm 2 comprising an intensity of 50 mW/cm 2 over 20 min. The same dose of 96 J/cm 2 for 633 nm energy was also advocated by Lee and colleagues in their article already cited above on the combination of 415 nm visible blue and 633 nm for the successful light-only treatment of active acne [ 11 ], with a dose of 48 J/cm 2 for the 415 nm component (40 mW/cm 2 for 20 min). The article cited above showing the systemic effect of 830 nm LED-LLLT on wound healing also used 60 J/cm 2 (100 mW/cm 2 for 10 min). The literature would suggest for 830 nm LED-LLLT that the effective range lies between 40 and 80 J/cm 2 , with a fair body of evidence pointing to 60 J/cm 2 (61)
I'm quoting this in full here because if I write the entire dose down, people online will be commenting "the dose can't be that high" on the internet again.
Dermatology, Radiation Dermatitis
A dose of between 3 and 4 J/cm2, split between red and near-infrared is used (62; 63). Radiation dermatitis is a side effect of cancer treatment - radiation - as the name implies!
Dermatology, Scars (Preclinical)
The topic here is the prevention of scars, not healing them. A 2014 review includes 33 earlier studies (64; 65). Studies have a dose as low as 3-4 J/cm2 and as high as 70 J/cm2 (65).
Dermatology, Skin Rejuvenation
Check my guide on red light therapy for skin health and beauty if you want detailed info.
Two reviews have been published that you may want to check out if you want to take a deep dive (66; 67). Contrary to expectation here, maybe, one review posits quite high dosing levels of in the 20-30 J/cm2 range (68).
Diabetes Mellitus
One review can be found here that included a whopping 87 earlier studies (69). Figure 2 of this review once more shows why there isn't an easy answer (69):
As you can see, many different studies use many different wavelengths. The studies are also on different topics, such as diabetic retinopathy (kidneys), diabetic neuropathy (nervous system issues that start in the feet, lowering sensitivity there), or blood glucose or exercise recovery for diabetics. All of these topics are included in the review (69).
Dosages vary wildly. Dosages differ from 3 J/cm2 to 200+ J/cm2 for diabetic neuropathy (69). For diabetic retinopathy, the maximum dose is 6 J/cm2 - read my blog about eye health if you want to learn more. For glucose metabolism, dosages range from 2-43 J/cm. For exercise performance, dosages range from 2-30 J/cm.
Again, there's no easy answer here...
Eyes
I already took a much closer look into this topic and would refer you to my blog on red light therapy for eye health. I've worked out the dosages there after spending weeks on the topic to a reasonable precision, but even there, the same problem exists: known unknowns and unknown unknowns. We know that there's a lot we don't know about the topic, so there could be wavelengths or dosing protocols that work better, and, we simply don't know what we don't know yet...
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology, Microbiome
Next up, an article about red light therapy and the microbiome (70). The authors do note that too high of a dose isn't good but don't discuss dosing in detail (71).
Gene Expression
Researchers write here:
"Results demonstrated that laser irradiation at green, red, or infrared wavelengths at a range of dosage parameters can cause significant changes in the cellular gene expression and release of these mediators, and that such effects depend upon wavelength and radiant exposure." (72).
In vitro studies use 1-78.5 J/cm2, while staying mostly under 20 (72). Wavelengths from the 500 - 1,000+ range are used.
Hair
For a great in-depth guide, check my red light therapy for hair loss blog post.
Hair, Alopecia Areata
There's low levels of evidence here, but LEDs and lasers combined with minoxidil do seem to yield results (73). No dosages are given in the review's abstract (73). Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition
Hair, Androgenetic Alopecia
In male androgenetic alopecia - the traditional male hair loss pattern - red light therapy has an effect but doesn't outperform prescription medication (74). No dosages were given though. Other reviews don't give clear dosage guide either as they're preoccupied comparing different treatments (75; 76; 77).
From my own research on red light therapy for hair loss, however, a dose of 10-20 J/cm2 at 660nm especially and 630nm secondarily, probably works best.
Hair, Hair Growth
The only interesting thing here is, is that adding blue light may be beneficial for hair growth (78).
Hearing
Hearing, Hearing Loss
Here, 680–850 nm light is often used (79). Researchers write:
"PBM therapy is critically dependent on the power of the laser that reaches the cochlea; a detailed understanding of ear anatomy from the external ear to the cochlea is indispensable." (79).
Animal studies use quite high irradiance, for long treatment times - again, I'm including this data because otherwise people won't believe the dosing parameters again:
For human studies, mostly 630, 660, and 904 nm are used (79). Treatment is about 10 minutes on average, going as low as 5 and as high as 20 minutes. All human studies except for one focuses on tinnitus. But, there are no dosing guidelines - so absent of those guidelines, it's probably best to use a conservative treatment time such as 40 or 50 mW/cm2.
Another recent review has the same problem (80). The power of the lasers in mW or W is mentioned, but not the dose in mW/cm2. I also know that red light therapy for tinnitus is kind of hit or miss (81; 82).
Heart
Heart, Myocardial Infarction
A recent review writes, about the evidence of using red light therapy after a myocardial infarction:
"As early as 1988, researchers confirmed the positive effect of low-energy laser on the primary pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction. It mainly relieves pain, stabilizes the cardiac electrophysiology, reduces the area of myocardial ischemia injury, and thereby promotes scar formation" (83).
And then write:
"Mousquès and Chairay found that the “optimal” range for laser on the ischemic heart is 5-15 mW/cm2; the laser-induced angiogenesis effect is also the best in this power range [38]. This is consistent with studies regarding the power range of laser suppression of infarct size [39]. Furthermore, another research showed that 25 mW/cm2 laser had the minimal effect on reducing infarct size [40]. However, the biphasic adjustment effect of PBM on the body has been verified in another way. Bibikova et al. stated that too much frequency of laser irradiation at a specific power density is not beneficial to body tissues. Multiple irradiations of skeletal muscle cells, either daily or every other day irradiation, at doses that did not show obvious proliferation-promoting effect" (83).
This therapy cannot be used at home though, as the light is direclty irradiating the heart, as the language implies. Also, without medical supervision, I can't recommend any red light therapy treatment after a myocardial infarction - so consult your physician first!
Another review writes:
"The assessed low-level laser parameters were wavelength (635-804 nm), power density (6-50 mW/cm2), duration (20-150 s), energy density (0.96-1 J/cm2), delivery time (20 min-3 weeks after myocardial infarction), and the type of irradiated target (bone marrow or in vitro-cultured bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells)." (84).
So here, other tissues are irradiated with light, which then affect the heart. I'll need to do deep-dive research on this topic to learn more! Nevertheless, don't try this at home!
Immunity
Immunity, Lymphoid Organs
Red light therapy can protect and even reverse aging of the thymus, which helps create immune cells such as T-cells (85). Extracellular melatonin is also stimulated, which acts as an antioxidant and promotes sleep (and therefore an immune response).
Researchers write:
"A review of the literature suggests that not only retinal [83], but also whole body [84] and intranasal [85] irradiation with red light leads to a notable increase in serum melatonin levels in humans." (85).
Also, regarding the direct stimulation of the thymus, researchers note that a sufficient dose is necessary and a dose that's too high is counterproductive, but don't supply any numbers (85). If you're interested in treating the thymus, check Alex's YouTube video on the Vielight products.
Infections
Infections, COVID-19
A few reviews consider the topic of COVID-19 and red light therapy (86; 87; 88). Study protocols vary widely, such as irradiation of human blood, a yellow laser up the nose, red light therapy to the chest, and animal studies with even different setups. No easy and universally applicable protocol can be created here.
1,068 nm light may have unique benefits against COVID-19 (87). Heiskanen's document has tons of great COVID-19 reviews though, from the last few years (89).
Infections, Tuberculosis
For tuberculosis, there's no evidence right now that red light therapy helps - although the reviews are almost 2 decades old (90; 91).
Intravascular LLLT (Low-Level Laser Therapy)
I've tried intravenous or intravascular "Low-Level Laser Therapy" (more commonly known as red light therapy) myself. Here, a nurse will hook you up with an IV that emits light directly into the bloodstream.
There are two reviews on intravascular LLLT (92; 93). If you're curious about a similar product, that doesn't require perforating your skin to get to the blood, check the Endolight.
Regarding intravascular LLLT, researchers write:
"Despite the varied parameters and protocols for using this kind of therapy, all studies have shown satisfactory results in the patients' clinical condition. ILIB proved to be effective in all organic systems, showing some positive result." (92).
The second review claims 630 - 640 nm is most effective for this treatment (93).
Joints
Joints, Arthritis
One recent review has been written on red light therapy for arthritis (94). Animal studies use varying wavelengths and both low and super-high power output levels (95).
Regarding the power output and dose, researchers write:
"Several studies in animal models have indeed compared the effects of PBM at different power densities and doses, consistently indicating that lower power densities tend to be more effective in reducing inflammation and inducing apoptosis in proinflammatory cells [72,76]. However, the definition of “low dose” may vary among studies due to differences in equipment and experimental conditions, leading to potential inconsistency in the interpretation of results. To address this issue, it is recommended for researchers to conduct gradient experiments with varying power densities and doses during their investigations" (95).
Many different human studies exist on arthritis as well (95). The wavelengths vary here, but lean towards near-infrared. The power density is 40-70 mW/cm2, on average, but varies.
To learn more, check my blog on red light therapy for arthritis. You may also want to check red light therapy for the knee if you're affected there.
Red light therapy can work wonders in this case, something not only seen in studies but also in my personal life. A woman I know with Rheumatoid Arthritis reduced her hand symptoms by 70-80%, in one month. After that month she thought she was cured, stopped the therapy, and the symptoms returned within a few weeks.
Joints, Cartilage
Mostly animal studies are available here, unfortunately (96).
Joints, Osteoarthritis
Both pain and disability improve with red light therapy for osteoarthritis in a 2024 review (97). More research is needed here.
Two other reviews have similar outcomes (98; 99). The review on knee osteoarthritis shows maximum dosages of 90 J/cm2 that are used, but generally much lower (99). The average dose is found around 15-20 J/cm2, though. The wavelengths are almost all near-infrared. The super-high doses also have a painkilling effect but that's because of overdosing, likely (90 J/cm2) ( 99).
If you've got osteoarthritis, I highly recommend checking out the Kineon Move+ as a specialized device for many joints.
Joints, Rheumatoid Arthritis
The most recent reviews here have conflicting evidence (100; 101). The first study concludes:
"We found low-quality evidence suggesting there may be no difference between using infrared laser and sham in terms of pain, morning stiffness, grip strength, functional capacity, inflammation, ROM, disease activity and adverse events. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects of red laser compared to sham in pain, morning stiffness. The evidence is also very uncertain about the effects of laser acupuncture compared to placebo in functional capacity, quality of life, range of motion and inflammation" (100).
But, the second one claims:
"It was concluded that LLLT could improve RA patients' quality of life, reduce pain, and enhance physical movement." (101).
The total dose stays at the low end, under 15 J/cm2. Near infrared generally worked best (101). From personal experience, I think red light therapy is very much worth trying if you've got rheumatoid arthritis.
Kidney
Kidney, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD=
Chronic kidney disease is a huge health problem, that doesn't have an immediate cure except for prevention (102). Red light therapy can help here, as researchers state that:
"Photobiomodulation (PBM), a form of non-thermal light therapy, effectively mitigates mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis, all of which are inherent in CKD. Preliminary studies suggest the benefits of PBM in multiple diseases, including CKD." (102)
There are 10 studies in total on red light therapy for CKD (102). There's a balance between red and near infrared wavelengths and one blue light study. All are animal studies except for one.
Dosages are low and often rely on the systemic effects of red light therapy. Researchers write that:
"the administration of PBM (804 nm; 1 J/cm2) to areas remote from the kidney, specifically the tibia of rats, significantly improved pathological changes and kidney function. [The researchers] suggested that promoted stem cells in bone marrow to migrate to injured kidneys, thus providing an indirect mechanism to improve kidney function" (102).
So, just irradiating your bones and other tissues (perhaps the gut?) will help kidney function indirectly! Red light therapy has huge effects on inflammation and mitochondrial function and arguably a decent effect on the gut microbiome.
Hence, just treating your entire body systemically probably yields benefits. Much more human research is needed here though!
Another recent review writes that:
"Lasers can be effective in reducing or enhancing inflammatory responses, reducing fibrosis factors, and decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in kidney disease and glomerular cell proliferation." (103).
So, outcomes here are generally very promising!
Lymphatic System
Lymphatic System, Lymphedema
Lymphedema is a condition in which lymph fluid builds up in the body, because the lymphatic system can't properly move the fluid around. It does seem red light therapy has an effect here, as a recent review claims:
"The group treated "three times/week with a laser density of 1.5-2 J/cm2" had significantly better outcomes in terms of swelling reduction, both immediately post-treatment and at 1-3 months follow-ups. The group with > 15 treatment sessions had significantly better post-treatment outcomes regarding reduced swelling and improved grip strength." (104)
This is breast cancer-related lymphedema. A second review shows the following treatment parameters in human studies:
So, wavelengths in the 900s range are mostly used. Treatment time is 2-3 times per week on average. Areas affected by lymphedema are directly treated with light.
Muscle
Muscle, Exercise: Running
Then there's a review about running - which has a surprising negative outcome (105). No dose-response effect was found and it doesn't matter whether you combine red light therapy with a training program or not.
Muscle, Exercise: (General) Reviews
Here quite a few even recent reviews can be found (106; 107; 108; 109).
The first review shows improvement in muscle endurance, helps recovery of muscle strength and inflammation. Pre-application of red light therapy here worked best for those who are untrained (106).
The second review shows improvements in fatigue recovery (107). Fatigue recovery improved but strength didnt'. Wavelengths used were 655 - 905 nm. There's no way to reconstruct the J/cm2 dose for me, however. If you wish more info here, read my blog about red light therapy before or after workout. The last third and last studies have a similar problem, only mentioning a misleading dose in J but not J/cm2 (109; 110).
But, when I did the research myself in my workout blog, I concluded that 60 J/cm2 is probably best here.
Muscle, Muscle Injury
The topic here is diabetes-related muscle damage, not sports injuries (111). Red light therapy is helpful here.
Muscle, Spasticity
Here, red light therapy helps with the fatigue of spasticity but real effects have not yet been established (112).
Muscle, Sports Injuries
Six studies were included here (113). The outcome was as follows, with only benefits for pain but not performance:
" Overall, the use of [red light therapy] indicated a positive effect on pain reduction for PBM vs. control groups, standardized mean differences = 1.03, SE = 0.22, 95% confidence intervals = [0.43-1.63], p = 0.0089, but the 2 RCTs found evaluating the effect of PBM on time to return to play after injury in athletes do not support a benefit."
For sprain injuries of the ankle, results are similar (114).
Nervous System
Nervous System, Bell's Palsy
Red light therapy is effective here, but no dosage parameters are given, except for 830 nm (115).
Nervous System, Diabetic Neuropathy
Same result - red light therapy for neuropathic pain because of diabetes works but no dosing is given (116; 117).
Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
One study here shows that red light therapy for peripheral nervous system problems (so outside the brain and spine) works (118; 119). But, here I want to show once again how difficult it is to give universal dosing guidelines (120):
And then there are two more references on that list, with references 40 and 41. My point is though, and only some studies give their dosing parameters, such as 6 J/cm2 or 10 J/cm2. But, outcomes for all of the studies are almost different, and the point of application is different, and some studies are animal studies and others are human studies.
So it's very hard to give simple dosing paramters in one sentence that do justice to all these instances above. And from the review, you still don't know how the light was applied precisely, so the area.
Nervous System, Spinal Cord
In animal studies, red light therapy works for spinal cord injury recovery (121). Here are the dosing paramters one review gives:
"The results showed that regardless of laser type, laser beams with a wavelength between 600 and 850 nm significantly suppress inflammation and led inflammatory cells to M2 polarization and wound healing. Also, laser therapy using these wavelengths for more than 2 weeks significantly improved axon regeneration and remyelination. Improvement of locomotor recovery was more efficient using wavelengths less than 700 nm (SMD = 1.21; 95%CI: 0.09, 2.33; p = 0.03), lasers with energy densities less than 100 J/cm2 (SMD = 1.72; 95%CI: 0.84, 2.59; p = 0.0001) and treatment duration between 1 and 2 weeks (SMD = 2.21; 95%CI: 1.24, 3.19; p < 0.00001)" (122).
Dosages in the full text of the study vary wildly, going up even to a whopping 1,500 J/cm2. But dosages under 100 J/cm2 obviously work best (122). Nevertheless, dosing isn't simple once again as you've got different application sites (122):
Another review confirms these outcomes, more or less (123).
Oncology
Oncology, Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy
Three recent reviews have come out on this topic (124; 125; 126). Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is a side effect frequently occurring because of chemotherapy in cancer treatment.
There's limited evidence as of right now, but red light therapy is very promising here (124; 125; 126)! The problem here is that you can't make a simple statement about dosing.
For instance, one study uses 800 - 970 nm light, three times per week for 6 weeks (124). Another study uses 780 nm, for 48 J/cm2, three times per week for four weeks. And the last uses 780 nm, once per day, for 11 days. How do you take an average of those numbers? And complexity isn't even high here. And, then there's the complexity of cancer treatment that needs to be taken into account...
Oncology, Review
Here too, dosages and wavelengths vary wildly (127; 128). Read table 3 in the study if you're interested (128).
Oral
Oral, Analgesia
Red light therapy for painkilling (analgesia) for oral health works, but is complicated as:
"Meta-analysis was not undertaken due to the heterogenous nature of the studies and data." (129)
"The systematic review also discussed the potential implications of all variables to be considered for future trials, including pulsing mode, contact modes, and tooth characteristics." (129)
So, data is too different in the studies for correct statistical analysis. In the future, studies need to be more standardized on this topic. Four out of five studies show positive outcomes though (129)!
Oral, Anesthesia Injection Pain
Three recent reviews investigate the effects of injection pain because of pain killers that are applied (130; 131; 132). Two out of three reviews are positive about this effect.
The dosage is a local 4 to about 70 J/cm2, applied quickly, in a matter of 30 - 120 seconds (132). The reason is that you'll want to overdose here, for the best pain-killing effects. Wavelengths vary from 660, 790, 810, 830 and 960 nm.
Oral, Aphthous Stomatitis
Aphthous stomatitis are canker sores, which are oral uclers. Most studies here show benefit for increasing healing speed and lowering pain (133; 134). However:
"nevertheless, more randomized clinical trials should be conducted to compare different lasers parameters." (134)
Oral, Bleaching
Oral bleaching doesn't entail whitening your teeth, but dealing with the aftereffects. Often chemicals are used in oral bleaching that aren't healthy, and hence, you may end up with dental hypersensitivity.
Red light therapy does lower dental hypersensitivity after bleaching (135; 136). I can't read the dose from the abstract and don't have access to the full text, unfortunately.
Oral, Bone repair (Oral)
Red light therapy for bone healing is generally very positive (137; 138). Wavelengths used vary widely but are mostly found in the near-infrared range (138).
Power outputs are 4 - 180 J/cm2, but only a few studies use that upper range. Most studies use the 4 - 30 J/cm2 range. But, the light is applied for many different goals here, such as orthodontic movement (when you get braces), tooth extraction, periodontal defects, Maxillary expansion (the upper jaw), and more.
Light, in this case, is probably best applied through a medical professional.
Oral, Burning Mouth Syndrome
Quite a few recent reviews have investigated this topic (139; 140; 141; 142). Burning mouth syndrome is a chronic pain condition in the mouth. Pain, quality of life, and negative emotions all improve with red light therapy (139; 140; 141; 142). One study writes:
" Despite the inconsistency and diversity in PBM parameters (wavelength, power, light source, spot size, emission mode, energy per point, total energy) and treatment protocols (exposure time, number of sessions, time interval between sessions, treatment duration)-majority of the included studies showed positive PBM results." (141)
Wavelengths used range all the way from the low 600 to the high 900 (141; 142). Most studies use continuous waves but some use pulsing. Dosages range from 2 - 200 J/cm2, but are generally found between 2 and 20 or so J/cm2 (142). Exposure time to the light is often only 10-20 seconds, but up to a few rare cases of a few minutes.
Oral, COVID-19 / Oral Symptoms
Red light therapy works to counter the oral symptoms of COVID-19 (143; 144). Power outputs are a few J/cm2 to 66 J/cm2, but with the 10-33 J/cm being most frequent. As far as I can tell, all studies use 660 nm light so that one is easy!
Oral, Dental Implants: Stability
Dental implants are inserted into your jaw bone, and red light therapy may help the stability there (145; 146). Researchers write:
"Laser and LED wavelengths that reported significant results included 618, 626, 830, 940 (2 × ), and 1064 nm." (145).
Very small spot areas are treated, often smaller than one square centimeter (146). The researchers use the following wonderful graph to showcase their results:
I can't get the picture fully on the screen, somehow. The fluence (J/cm2) seems very much off though, and you'll probably need to use the "Energy Dose (J)" as a marker for J/cm2 - so 50 J/cm2 is likely decent here. But, of course, you'll want to have a medical professional apply the therapy here for dental implant stability!
Oral, Dentin Hypersensitivity
Dentin is the inner layer of your teeth, located beneath the enamel. Red light therapy for dentin hypersensitivity works (147; 148). Different red and near infrared light wavelengths are used. The dose in J/cm2 falls between 2 and 100, but only a few studies use the upper range of 60 - 100 J/cm2.
The results after treatment last for months, often. However, the study setup differs wildly, which may be a problem.
Oral, Dry mouth (Xerostomia / Hyposalivation)
Dry mouth is a big problem, not just because it's harder to break down food that way but also because the saliva is important for oral health. Dry mouth often occurs as a side effect of cancer treatment.
Fortunately, clear guidelines exist here (149; 150). Researchers state that:
"The most promising parameters comprise wavelengths between 630 and 830 nm, radiant exposure from 2 to 10 J/cm2, two-to-three times a week, before the radiotherapy damage, and homogeneously in the glands. " (149)
Sensations of dry mouth are impeded and quality of life of the patients improves (150).
Oral, Endodontics: Postoperative Symptoms
Three recent reviews exist on this topic (151; 152; 153). Here, red light therapy can reduce tooth pain, such as in the pulp of the tooth (endodontic pain) - the only exception is irreversible pulpitis (151)
The surgery here, is a root canal treatment, something I'm personally not a fan of (151). Dosages used in the studies are very high, up to an extreme 600 J/cm (152). Wavelengths are mostly found in the NIR range, up to 900. The dosage was applied differently in different studies - check the full text for the detail (152).
Oral, Lichen Planus
Lichen Planus is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease, that affects the mucous membrane among others. A recent review shows that red light therapy works equally as well as other treatments, such as medication (153). Another review is also positive (154). I can't see the dosing parameters though.
Oral, Nerves: Inferior Alveolar
The inferior aveolar runs from the jaw joint to the lower jaw (155; 156). That nerve can be damaged, and red light therapy can then be applied. Researchers state:
"Time lapse from nerve injury to the onset of [red light] therapy varied widely from 2 days to 4 years. The number of patients in each study ranged between 4 and 74. In the majority of the studies, PBM was done using a diode laser at wavelengths in the range of 808 to 830 nm with power of 5 to 500 mW and radiation dose of 3 to 244 J/cm2. Two out of three RCTs found significant neurosensory recovery in the patients who received PBM therapy compared to the controls"
So, once more, there's a mix between wavelength and some super low and super high dosing that's used. Study quality is low here, though. Treatment is best 48 hours after an aveolar nerve incident, not earlier (156).
Oral, Nerves: Trigeminal
The trigeminal nerve can give rise to extreme pain in some people. The nerve is responsible for jaw movements, such as biting and chewing, and directly stems from the brain.
A review shows benefit here, and gives the following dosing parameters (157):
"The 808-nm and 100 J/cm2 (0.07 W; 2.5 W/cm2; pulsed 50 Hz; 27 J per point; 80 s) on rats and 800-nm and 0.2 W/cm2 (0.2 W; 12 J/cm2; 12 J per point; 60 s, CW) on humans resulted as trustworthy therapies, which could be supported by extensive studies." (157)
As always, more research is necessary to fine tune dosing and conclusions. Also, once more, make sure a medical professional applies the dose in this case, as it's directly related to brain health.
Oral, Oral Mucositis
Oral mucositis is a cancer treatment side effect. Most recent reviews show that red light therapy for oral mucositis works (158; 159; 160; 161; 162; 163). 660nm is used, at 4-6 J/cm2 (164).
Oral Surgery: Connective Tissue Graft
Two reviews have recently been published here (165; 166). The power output here is 4 - 15 J/cm2 with wavelengths mainly around the 660 nm range (166). Keep in mind that this is in conjunction with surgery, where connective tissue is added for gingival recession.
The good news is that red light therapy works here as well. Nevertheless, we've got the caveat once again:
"However, due to the small number of included studies and high heterogeneity in the laser parameters, precautions must be exercised when interpreting the results of the present systematic review." (166).
More long-term studies are needed as well to monitor outcomes (165).
Oral, Oral Surgery: Free Gingival Graft
In this case, red light therapy also has a positive outcome (167). Wavelengths vary from 660, 810, an 940 nm. The dosage used is 4 - 60 J/cm2, in 4 different studies.
Oral, Oral Surgery: Gingivectomy / Gingivoplasty
Here, gingival tissue is removed and replaced which takes months of healing normally. There's a mix between red and NIR wavelengths, and dosage used succesfully is around 4 J/cm2 (168).
Oral, Oral Surgery: Orthognathic Surgery
Orthognathic surgery is a correction of the jaw, so that its position improves. Many reviews have been published on this topic recently (169; 170; 171; 172). Researchers write:
"A total of 91 control patients and 114 LLLT patients were included. The wavelengths ranged from 660 to 940 nm, and the applied energy density was between 5 and 100 J/cm2 at mostly extraoral distributed points." (169).
Red light therapy worked really well in these studies, but only do so with a medical professional as surgery is involved!
Oral, Orofacial Pain
Orofacial pain is pain of the jaw, or mouth, or face. Red light therapy for orofacial pain works but has widely different dosages, ranging form 1.5 J/cm2 to 176 J/cm2 (173). Wavelengths used are mostly in the NIR range.
Oral, Orthodontics: Implants / Miniscrews
The topic here is helping your body accept a screw in the jaw, that can then house a dental implant. Reviews disagree as one states there's no effect of red light therapy for implant screws, and the other one does say there's an effect (174; 175). Again, consult your dentist and/or physician on this topic first!
Oral, Orthodontics: Pain
Pain from orthodontics can be reduced with red light therapy (176). Dosages range from 2 to 95 J/cm (176). Wavelengths are mostly found in the 800s range (176). Treatment time is generally very short, from 30-240 seconds, with lasers.
Other reviews confirm these results (177).
Oral, Orthodontics: RME / Maxillary Expansion
Here, red light therapy affects bone formation and can help adjust the jaw (178; 179; 180). Doses can be super high, of up to 140 - 238 J/cm2 (179). Some reviews are less positive here (181).
Oral, Orthodontics: Root Resorption
With root resorption, part of a tooth becomes bone, which grows from the jawbone that holds the tooth. One recent review helps describe this process better than I can:
"One of the commonly associated iatrogenic effects of fixed orthodontic treatment is the occurrence of orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption (OIIRR).1 It is described as the loss of root structure manifesting as root length reduction or outward defects which decrease root volume.2 A prospective study showed that 94% of the patients undertaking orthodontic treatment displayed root resorption of more than 1 mm.3 Root resorption may jeopardize the functional ability of teeth by introducing mobility, especially when superimposed with periodontal disease.4,5 Consequently, countering iatrogenic root resorption has become one of the prime objectives of researchers around the globe." (183)
Red light therapy can help prevent root resorption (182; 183). Extremely low doses up to 25 J/cm2 are used.
Oral, Orthodontics: Tooth Movement
Wavelengths between 730 and 830nm work best to speed up orthodontic movement of teeth (184). Many different reviews confirm positive benefits on this topic lately (185; 186; 187). Power outputs and dosages in J/cm2 aren't summarized well though, but seem to be very low generally.
Oral, TMD
TMD, or temporomandibular disorders, are disorders in the joint in your jaw, near your wisdom teeth. Red light therapy is very promising here (188; 189). Dosages fluctuate between 3 and 90 J/cm2, even as high as 300, but are located nearer to the 50-60 range on average (190).
Oral, Tooth Extraction
After a dentist extracts a tooth, red light therapy can help to reduce pain and oedema (191; 192; 193). Wound healing also improves. Dosages vary between 2 and 212 J/cm2 (194). Again, these numbers are great for demonstration but not really workable for the average person.
Oral, Wound Healing: Gingival Wounds (Secondary Intention)
Dosages here are between 4 and 8 J/cm2 (195; 196).
Pain
Pain, Fibromyalgia
Dosages seem low, from 2 - 8 J/cm2 - although not really well described (197; 198). I know for a fact that recent research with the NovoTHOR uses much higher dosages, up to 60 J/cm2.
Pain, Headache & Migraine
Here dosages of up to 120 J/cm2 are used, although I think that's a typo or incorrect (199). The dose seems extremely high for headaches and the review also describes dosing in "mV" instead of "mW" - milliVolt instead of milliWatt.
Pain, Heel Pain
Dosages here range from 2 - 8 J/cm2 (200; 201; 202). Power output ranges from 30 - 200 mW/cm2. Plantar fasciitis is the most common type of heel pain here. Red light therarpy is helpful for heel pain though!
Pain, Musculoskeletal
Generally, red light therapy works for musculoskeletal pain (203; 204; 205). However, one review states that:
"Although many articles were found on LLLT for neuromusculoskeletal conditions, the studies had amorphous parameters. A heterogeneity of reported doses precluded the synthesis of sufficient evidence to correlate dosage variables with improved or unimproved outcomes. Therefore, based on the current literature, dosage variables for the efficacy of LLLT for neuromusculoskeletal conditions are uncertain at this time." (204).
That's sad but true. If you'd like to learn more, one of the reviews goes into great detail on this topic (206).
Pain, Parameters
Generally, for pain, you'll want to have a high dose in your tissues (207). One 2018 review shows the best effects around 70-80 J/cm2 for pain.
Pain, Postoperative
Post-surgery, for tonsilitis, 4 J/cm2 can be applied to the area directly (208). Generally, dosages remain low at under 10/cm2 for wounds (209).
Reproductive System
Reproductive System, Infertility
In mostly animal and in vitro studies, varying dosages as in J/cm2 affect (male) fertility (210; 211). Dosages run into the 600 J/cm even in one study.
Reproductive System, Vaginal Mucosa
Red light therapy can - apparantly - have great effects on the viginal microbiome (212; 213). The following table shows interesting mechanisms, although no specific dosages are listed:
I hope new studies emerge on this topic!
Respiratory System, Allergic Rhinitis
Researchers are not 100% sure whether the red light therapy effects on allergic rhinitis outperform placebo (214). Dosages used are generally very low, around the 1-3 J/cm2 range per nostril, although some studies go up to 25 (215). Generally though, red light therapy for allergic rhinitis seems to work, but it does need to be compared to other treatment modalities such as prescription medication.
Respiratory System, COPD
For "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" (COPD), dosages of up to 20 J/cm2 are used - but sometimes applied directly to the airways, so not on the chest (216; 217). Treating the muscles also has a positive effect on musculoskeletal performance (217).
Respiratory System, Intravascular PBM
Here, power outputs of up to 5 J/cm2 are used - but that light is applied directly to the bloodstream (218). If you want my intravascular red light therapy experience, check my Health Optimisation Summit blog of 2024!
Tendons
Tendons, Achilles Tendon
A 2020 study claims that there's no evidence for red light therapy for achilles tendon problems (219). Another 2020 study does show benefit though (220). Doses are very low though, at 4-7 J/cm2 (220).
Tendons, Tendinopathy
Here, also low doses of 2-5 J/cm2 are used - and succcesfully (221). Generally reviews on this topic are positive (222).
Thyroid
Thyroid, Hypothyroidism
Red light therapy works here, but dosages aren't really described well (223; 224).
Wound Healing
Wound Healing, Diabetic Foot Ulcer
Three recent reviews investigate this topic (225; 226; 227). Low doses such as 1 to 6 J/cm2 are used (228; 229).
Wound Healing, Pressure Ulcer
Red light works best here, at very low dosages such as 4 J/cm2 (230; 231).
Conclusion: The Red Light Therapy Dosing Chart Is Complicated - Wait For Part II Soon For My Commentary!
Apologies for the enormous complexity of this endeavour. As you can see, there's no universal "superficial" or "deep tissue" dosing guideline possible that's correct in all universal circumstances, in my opinion.
Of course, the traditional heuristics such as up to 12 J/cm2 or so for superficial tissue dosing, and up to 60 J/cm2 for deep tissue treatment, are generally fine. But people reading my blogs, who have health issues, usually aren't happy with a "generally fine" answer and prefer the best answer.
This is a post by Bart Wolbers. Bart finished degrees in Physical Therapy (B), Philosophy (BA and MA), Philosophy of Science and Technology (MS - with distinction), and Clinical Health Science (MS), has had training in functional medicine, and is currently chief science writer at Lighttherapyinsiders.com
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