In Her Campus’s series The College Try, our writers test out viral wellness, dating, fashion, productivity, and pop culture trends firsthand. This month, Gracie Tran gives red light therapy the ol’ college try.
When I found out that my gym was adding a red light therapy sauna, polar plunging, and massage chairs, I was excited. Though I’m not a huge “wellness girlie,” I’ve always been super interested in the different wellness trends that have grown popular over time and wanted to try them. For the most part, I’ve never really had a chance to try them out — until now.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of the cold, so the idea of trying cold plunging for a week seemed like a nightmare to me. But I have always been a fan of cool lights and a good sweat, so why not try it out?
But what’s the deal with red light therapy anyway? According to Micaela Bartash, NCCPA Board Certified Physician Assistant and Co-Founder at Contour Aesthetics and Wellness, “Red light therapy uses low-level red or near-infrared light to influence cellular function.” Essentially, it works by increasing cellular energy production and helping to regulate inflammation and tissue repair pathways. And when it comes to the effects it has on skin, Bartash says there’s a lot of scientific evidence that red light therapy affects skin. “Clinical studies suggest that red light therapy may support fibroblast activity and collagen production, reduce inflammatory signaling, and improve overall dermal structure,” she says.
There are both short-term and long-term effects of this treatment. “Short-term effects reported in clinical studies include reduced redness and inflammation, improvement in inflammatory acne, and visible improvements in skin tone and texture,” Bartash says. “With consistent use over time, studies show increases in collagen density, improved skin elasticity, and a reduction in fine lines.”
Along with the effects this treatment has on skin, red light therapy also has effects on mental health — well, for the most part. “Right now, only small clinical studies have shown a moderate improvement in mood among some patients with depression,” Erik Larson, Owner and PMHNP-BC at Larson Mental Health, tells Her Campus. “But these findings are not as reliable as those for antidepressants or cognitive-behavioral therapy because the existing research is insufficient.”
Red light therapy doesn’t directly have any effects on one’s well-being, but it can still impact one’s emotional state. “Red light does not directly affect emotional regulation the way psychotherapy or medication does. But if you think about emotional dysregulation as a consequence of chronic stress, poor sleep, or inflammation, then improved sleep, reduced cortisol levels, and lower levels of inflammation give the nervous system more capacity to regulate itself,” Larson says. “In that case, and without directly targeting emotions, red light may help.”
So, is this wellness trend really worth the hype? I tried red light therapy for a week, and here’s how it went for me.
Day 1
I was pretty excited to try red light therapy for the first time. But, in full transparency, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I knew I’d be surrounded by red light, but I didn’t know what else would happen.
Turns out, the red light therapy machine also doubled as a sauna, and I was pleasantly surprised. I have always been a sucker for a sauna and a good sweat. I got in and messed around with the settings and learned a hard lesson: Do not use the full body setting unless you’re wearing protective eyewear.
I popped in my earbuds and put on “Good Days” by SZA, and in a way, found myself in a meditative headspace. The heat and red light on my skin really helped soothe me and melt away any negative feelings I had. (I was already frustrated because I caught a stray from my mom earlier in the day.)
Overall, Day 1 was a fun experience, and I found that it really helped me unwind.
Day 2
I went for a run around my favorite lake that day, and decided to try red light therapy afterward to see if it would have any effect on me post-workout. I focused the red light setting on my lower body and legs, and found that it helped me relax and feel a lot less tense overall. This was the perfect way to recover after my run.
Day 3
It wasn’t until Day 3 that I realized that my gym provided sunglasses to use in the sauna — this meant I could finally use the full body red light option. I used this setting and found that the whole body experience was really relaxing.
Day 4
On Day 4, I started to wonder whether red light therapy was having any effects on my skin. When I got home, I checked. I wish I could say that the sauna and red light therapy combined had good effects on me and made my skin a lot softer and smoother, but I can’t.
TBH, it made my skin a lot drier and flakier. Though the positive effects red light therapy had on my mental health were well worth it, unfortunately, it came with a cost.
Day 5
On my last day of trying red light therapy, I had a longer session. Instead of seven minutes, I stayed in the sauna for 15. I found that the longer sessions definitely hit differently than the shorter ones — I was able to really relax and unwind even more.
Getting to try out red light therapy was a first for me, and honestly? I definitely see the reason it’s gained popularity. The experiences I had were definitely positive, and I found that red light therapy helped me unwind and relax, both mentally and physically, and that it’s a great way to recover from workouts.
Though I can’t really say anything about the long-term effects, I can definitely say that I saw the short-term ones. I’d definitely recommend this if you’re active and or chronically stressed. And, if you need me, you can find me chillin’ out in red lights for the foreseeable future.
