Red Light Therapy Science: How Does It Actually Work?
Red light therapy has hundreds of published studies supporting its benefits. But how does shining light on your body actually produce healing effects? The Basic Mechanism Step 1: Photon Absorption When red (660nm) or near-infrared (850nm) light hits your skin, photons penetrate 1-5cm into tissue. These specific wavelengths are in the “optical window” — they pass through skin and are absorbed by cells. Step 2: Mitochondrial Activation The photons are absorbed by a molecule called cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) in your mitochondria. This is the key step. ...