There are two major types of users of red and infrared light therapy devices that commonly contact TLA. People looking to use their devices for skin, and people looking for light that can penetrate deep into muscles, tissue, organs and potentially bone.

So let’s split them up.

A user guide for red & infrared light therapy for Deep useage

What settings should I use on my red and infrared LED light therapy panel?

• Use your light with both settings on, red and near-infrared (NIR), there is little to no point in using these settings separately.
• Use your device once in the morning and once at night for 3-5 mins. You can use your device for up to 10 mins per area but you don’t have to start there! A big thing you are going to see is items like our adjustable red light therapy pod, which can do “..a whole body in 10 minutes.” Yes, it can, but using it for 3-5 minutes to start out would be completely acceptable also!

How far away should I be from a red light therapy panel?

You should be at a range of roughly:

14-19 cm for LTE Series Models 

30-35 cms from LTE Pro & Black models *

& 15- 20 cm for Pro Series models

*For information about exactly how far you should be away from your specific red and infrared light set up, read this complimentary blog, red light therapy irradiance graphs explained.

• If the light feels hot or uncomfortable, shorten this time and move further away from the light.
• Build your way up to 5-10 mins/ session / area over days/weeks, as it becomes more comfortable. 
• Try to make sure the total session time does not exceed 10 mins per area when using the lights in this way. There is a lot of talk about 20 minute sessions/ area, and this is completely up to you to explore. So far at TLA we have not seen a reason to recommend this except of course with our 45w red and infrared light panels, which are quite weak in terms of power.
• Make sure there is a clear 6-hour period between morning and evening usage.
• So, to begin: 3 minute sessions, X cm’s away (depending on your setup), morning and night use at a maximum, 5 times a week at a minimum.

A user guide for red light therapy for shallow usage

• Use your light with both settings on (NIR & Red light) exactly as above!

And that’s basically it.

BONUS NOTES

• For anyone under the age of 12, we recommend halving those sessions and doubling those distances.
• For pets, 3 minute sessions appear to be what most vets recommend and what most animals are comfortable with. 
• Always aim for comfort, this should not feel intrusive! Chances are if you are feeling flushed, you are a little too close or spending too much time!

From here, it is up to you and your medical professional to experiment and track results. Do keep in mind these machines provide no extra benefit when overused. In fact, some studies have suggested that overusing these devices may lead to them being ineffective. Think of it like drinking water; a few litres a day is awesome; but trying to drink a swimming pool worth would be detrimental to say the least.

I hope you have gained an answer to your question and have now acquired somewhat of a general user guide to red light therapy.

Thanks as always for reading! 

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This blog was updated 13/02/2022 to show my evolved opinion on the matter, remember as always, I am not a doctor, and this is just my opinion!
Jonathon