Long ago, the availability of red light therapy was limited to just clinics and spas. However, the treatment has now become cheaper and easier for customers because of the production of personal red light therapy devices. This has created an unprecedented influx of people using red light therapy at home.
A huge advantage that red light therapy has over other various health treatments is the fact that it is not invasive, can be used safely every day and has little or no side effects and health risks.
What this implies is that in order to administer the treatment, you do not necessarily need a qualified coach. You have total control. You are however prone to making some errors when you are using the red light therapy at home.
These mistakes are usually not dangerous, (You should pay more attention to number 7). But they still have the ability to prevent you from enjoying the full benefits of the treatment. Listed below are 13 mistakes you are prone to when you're making use of the red light therapy in the comfort of your house, and ways of fixing them easily.
1. Making Use Of Wrongly Sized Home Device
Various sizes of red light therapy panels are offered by various companies and manufacturers. Some of the more familiar ones are Joovv, Nushape and Platinum just to mention a few, to serve your budget and needs. To be honest, we are of the opinion that a red light therapy home device should be possessed by everybody in their homes, this is because it is capable of solving both small and big issues simultaneously.
Nevertheless, we are aware that this is not possible for everyone and it is not important in some cases such as relieving yourself of arthritis induced pains in your hands or making your facial look and complexion better.
It should however still be noted that for some issues affecting the whole body such as situations that involve big body parts, for instance, acute pain in the back or Fibromyalgia, better care will be provided by a larger panel, this will prevent you from spending much time in front of your gadget and also enable you to view results quickly.
2. Maintaining Wrong Distance From Your Home Device
The correct instructions on how to properly place yourself from your device have not been finalized so you might need to do some guessing. For issues regarding deep skin, it is advised that you should be around 6 – 12 inches away from your gadget and for issues revolving around the surface skin, 12 – 36 inches should suffice.
3. Not Drinking Enough Water
Regardless of whether you are using red light therapy at home or not, it is always recommended that you stay hydrated and make sure that you drink lots of water throughout the whole day. However, with recent evidence that hydrated cells are preferred as they have more energy in them, staying hydrated will help the red light therapy work better. Although more findings still need to be done to ascertain if this truly affects treatment, drinking a glass of water regularly is not a bad idea.
4. Inconsistency In Treatment
One of the huge benefits of making use of the red therapy at home is the fact that it can be used daily without you sustaining the other prices that come with using a qualified and licenced coach. It is however highly recommended that the therapy should be used 3 to 5 times a week, else you will not fully maximize its usefulness.
5. Not Using The Correct Nir Or Red Light Setting
Most people wrongly assume that NIR (Near-infrared) and red lights perform the same function. While NIR can be used to treat conditions like cognitive health, pain relief and healing and due to its ability to probe deeply into the skin, red light is more effective in treating conditions relating to skin issues, healing of wounds and growth of hair.
Different devices will have different settings, from NIR light, Red light, and the dual setting which is a combination of both lights. It is possible to switch from these 3 modes by making use of the ‘mode' button. Also, ensure that the setting is on the right side before you commence your treatment. Using the dual light has no negative effect, in fact, it might prove to be more beneficial as it could help you deal with some problems you weren't even aware of.
If you're worried about why it seems like half of the lights are not working, don't be. The NIR light is not part of the visible light that can be seen by the makes eye, thus, it can not be seen with normal naked human eyes and that is the reason it seems like some of the lights are not working properly.
6. Putting On Sunblock Or Clothes
It is common knowledge that one of the main reasons we wear clothes is to help prevent UV light from probing into our skin. Clothes also have the same effect on Infrared and red lights too. Sunscreens are mostly used to stop UV lights, it, however, will still have the same effect as red and Near-infrared lights. Those who put on makeup should be aware that many foundations have SPF in them, if you are using one that does, it is advisable that you use the red light therapy after washing your face at night or before you apply makeup in the morning.
7. Failure To Discuss Your Red Light Therapy Medication With Your Health Care Professional Or Doctor
Although red light therapy at home is famous for its safety, non-invasiveness and painless features, talking to your doctor or any other health care professional are highly recommended before you commence with any treatment plan.
If you are already undergoing certain treatments or you are pregnant, you should particularly take note of this. Some drugs have been known to enhance how sensitive one is to light, this can, in turn, lead to skin tightness and redness after using the red light therapy.
Your strongest friend when it comes to your health is your doctor or health practitioner and they should always be kept in the loop of all the aspects and details of your life that can affect your health. The more aware they are, the better for you because it means they can do their jobs better.
8. Not Timing Your Sessions Properly
Usually, it is expected that your red light therapy at home sessions should fall within the range of 10 – 20 minutes per session, however, this is flexible and relative. People are different and each person has their own unique body system, thus, the way the treatment will have an effect on various people would be different. It is not recommended that you use as little as 5 minutes for each session, however, if that is how much time you can spare the therapy every day, then please adhere strictly to it, after all, half a therapy is better than none.
If you would prefer to have longer therapy sessions, it is possible that you might be tempted to exceed the 10 – 20 minutes time frame or jampack all the sessions you're supposed to have that week into one session. Even though this practice is not particularly dangerous and harmful to the user, it should be noted that red light therapy doesn't operate in that manner. Skipping sessions and trying to pack all the missed ones into one session will actually make the therapy less effective, so this should be avoided.
9. Anticipating Fast Result
A common mistake many people make is to raise their expectations too high regarding red light therapy at home. Red light therapy is arguably one of the most optimistic and positive methods for providing cure and treatment to the various number of health problems, however, it is not and can never be a miracle cure. It is not a one-time thing or treatment, this is why it is highly recommended that it should be frequently and consistently used. This is because it is very possible for the issue it was used to treat to return after stoppage.
It should also be noted that the therapy is a continuous activity, just like many good and worthwhile things, it also takes tolerance, perseverance and patience. You might be tempted to freak out or start getting worried if it seems like you're not getting any results even after like a month after you've started treatment, but you should resist the urge.
A lot of things are probably going on inside your skin and growth and healing is taking place from the roots.
10. Not Taking Note Of Growth Or Progress
If you're not observant, you might fail to notice the changes in your body as the therapy starts displaying results. It is also very possible that it might take a third party to point out the changes that you have undergone as we tend to be oblivious about our bodies sometimes.
We recommend that you start a diary or something to help you measure your progress as you use the therapy. You could take progress pictures, keep a journal on improvements and so on. These will help you to adjust your session in order to find out the perfect regimen for you. They will also help in inspiring and motivating you to keep up with your treatment whenever you feel like slacking off.
11. Using The Device Like A Normal Lamp
Another common mistake you might be prone to as a red light therapy user is using the device as a normal lamp. Usually, it is advised by eye doctors and professionals that you should avoid sitting too close to your lamp and that you should not allow the light emitted by the lamp to reach or enter your eyes at all. However, red light therapy doesn't work like that.
The proper way to use red light therapy is to be sitting in front of the device in such a way that the light from it hits your eye level at a particular angle. This allows the therapy to be more effective and reach the needed cells. You should note that we advised that the light should reach your eye level and not directly. It is not advisable to face the full glare of the red light as it might cause some uncomfortable by generally harmless symptoms like slight headaches.
12. Not Using The Googles Provided With The Device
Usually, a google would come with the red light therapy device and it is highly recommended that these goggles be used anytime you want to use the device. They will adequately protect your eyes and prevent any visual discomforts.
13. Applying Serum To The Face Before Using The Therapy
Some people believe that you need to apply some sort of facial serums before you use the red light therapy. This is not recommended as most serums contain ingredients that can effectively block the Red or NIR lights thereby reducing their efficacy. However, there are some light-enhancing serums that have been specially designed to work with these devices, you could still work with those ones. The therapy is perfectly safe for all types of skin and ages.
Using Red Light Therapy At Home, The Conclusion
With red therapy, you can not go wrong. But there are simple and subtle mistakes that you can make that can reduce how effective your treatment is. What is important is that you recognize these errors and adjust as soon as possible.
It is also imperative that you pay rapt attention to your body and adjust your session regimen until you find one that works for you. Red light therapy can help you achieve this while giving you total control of your body and well being.
