Turn on the Red Light
A message from Dr. David Meredith, D.Ac.:
(It was inevitable that I was going to use that subject line sooner or later.)
I started using a small red light device in my practice several years ago, after I trained in acupuncture for facial rejuvenation. The teacher, famous for keeping runway models looking young, mentioned that much of the effectiveness of his work was due to adding a red light treatment on top of the acupuncture needles.
I never really did enjoy doing facial rejuvenation acupuncture, but the professional red light device I’d invested in went to other purposes: localized pain reduction and some very notable successes with Bell’s palsy relief come to mind.
Over the years, I heard more and more about red light therapy, and you probably have, too. The internet is awash in weird little red-light masks for your face, and even red-light caps that supposedly stimulate hair growth. As I contemplated expanding Very Well, I looked more into larger, more powerful panels. Whether or not the small, low-powered devices have any effect, there is plenty of research into benefits of full-body treatment that have nothing to do with improving appearance.
A few examples:
Reduced pain and inflammation
Wound healing
Migraine relief
Regulating bood sugar
Reducing hypertension
Improved sleep
Improved fertility
Improved mood
Reduced autoimmune symptoms
Increased metabolism
Improved cognition
Improved vision
Much, much, much more (including, yes, reduced signs of aging and hair restoration!)
With these potential benefits, and no known side effects, it’s no wonder that interest is high.
The problem with red light therapy becoming a hot new trend is that, as everyone jumps on the bandwagon, it’s difficult to find reliable sources. Red light therapy doesn’t come from a regular old red-colored light bulb; it’s supposed to feature distinct, evidence-based wavelengths of visible and infrared light, not the bells and whistles added to these products to make them stand out from he crowd, or reliance on obscure theories that are not borne out by practical results.
As I researched adding the many benefits of red light therapy into the expanded Very Well, I became frustrated by some of the marketing and delivery systems I was encountering. Many professional units are large, flat panels that the client has to spin around in front of for full-body treatment. One is like a heavy, rubber blanket that covers only one side of the body at a time, but makes it look like the client is being consumed by a giant amoeba. It wasn’t until I met Robert, a plainspoken veteran from Pennsylvania, that I became excited. Robert wanted to create a unit powerful enough to handle the complicated physical and mental traumas returning service members can be diagnosed with, but with maximum efficacy and minimal fussiness.
He isolated the most evidence-based wavelengths, calculated the light intensity for maximum body penetration, and created the form factor that could treat the whole body at once, from head to toe. These innovations reduced the treatment time from an average of 40 minutes using other equipment to an easy 16 minutes on ours. Once I signed the check, I had the most powerful red light therapy bed in Baltimore.
Of course, making that kind of investment is a little anxiety producing. Would I be able to get the promised results for my clients? Luckily, the reactions that started coming in were more than reassuring. Here are some of the first impressions I’ve heard recently after just one session:
“My pain is gone.”
“Everyone says my skin is clear and glowing!”
“My psoriasis is much better.”
“I just felt all this calm energy. It helped me get through a stressful week.”
“Someone said I looked younger and asked if I’d had a chemical peel.”
“I feel like it helped my eyesight.”
“My blood pressure dropped ten points.”
“The scar on my leg faded.”
Red light therapy makes the perfect complement to acupuncture and can generate powerful results on its own. Our session is 16 minutes. Our bed is comfortable and relaxing. (I’ve heard people mention that they have claustrophobia and would react badly to a full-body, 360 bed. I’m claustrophobic, myself. Let me assure you that you can see out perfectly well and not feel even slightly confined.) We recommend at least one session per week until you start seeing your desired results (two or three for the fastest and most effective results), then you may come less often to maintain them.
Sessions are $45. (Reduced to $36 with our Optimal Living Community and VERY WELL: QoL memberships, and included as a feature of our QoL(+) membership.)