The Fascinating History of Red Light Therapy

5/5 - (2 votes)

The History of Red Light Therapy

Contents

The History Of Red Light Therapy

A Quick History of Red Light Therapy

Early Use of Light for Wellness

Accidental Discoveries of Red Light Therapy Benefits

Development of Laser Therapy

LED is Discovered

Red Light Therapy

NASAs Role in the Discovery of Red Light Therapy

Frequently Asked Questions

When Did the History of Red Light Therapy Start?

How Does Red Light Therapy Work?

Red light therapy, a treatment using low-wavelength red light, originated with the early use of light for wellness by Niels Ryberg Finsen. It works by stimulating cell mitochondria, leading to rejuvenated cells capable of repairing skin, boosting new cell growth, and enhancing the skin’s appearance. This therapy, evolving through various scientific discoveries, now offers benefits in wound healing, weight loss, cognitive enhancement, and more.

The History Of Red Light Therapy

A Quick History of Red Light Therapy 

While humans have always been influenced by different forms of light (the sun, fire, gas, and oil lamps), it wasn’t until the invention of the lightbulb that we began studying the effects of light’s power on our health. While light therapy may appear to be one of the newest, most innovative technologies, it’s actually been around for more than a hundred years. Here’s a brief history of red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, and how we’ve used photobiomodulation to benefit our health and wellness throughout time.

Early Use of Light for Wellness

Thomas Edison plays an important part in the history of red light therapy. In 1879, Edison registered the first patent for the incandescent lightbulb. Since then, we have been revolutionizing the way we use light.

drnielsrybergnobelprizewinner
drnielsrybergnobelprizewinner

Dr. Niels Ryberg Finsen, Danish Physician & Nobel Prize Winner, 1903

The first use of light as therapy was developed by a Danish physician, Dr. Niels Ryberg Finsen. Originally, Dr. Finsen started studying the effects of light on natural, living organisms. By the year 1893, he’d started using light as a therapy to treat smallpox, and by 1896, he was using light therapy to treat a particular type of tuberculosis called lupus vulgaris.

To treat his lupus patients, Dr. Finsen exposed skin lesions to concentrated electric light every day. While his light therapy sessions lasted around two hours, they successfully cleared the affected lesions from the disease, winning Dr. Finsen a Nobel Prize in 1903.

Accidental Discoveries of Red Light Therapy Benefits

Phototherapy was discovered at Rochford General Hospital in Essex, England, in 1956, when two events occurred. The first happened when one of the nurses found that a jaundiced infant experienced less yellowing of the skin in areas where the skin was exposed to sunlight. The second happened a few weeks later, when a blood sample from a patient who had high levels of bilirubin showed much lower levels than expected. When the cause of this significant decrease was investigated by Dr. RH Dobbs, it was discovered that the sample had been exposed to direct sunlight for several hours before it was tested.

Together, these events led Dr. Dobbs to hypothesize that high levels of bilirubin in infants and others could be treated with light. When researching further, Dr. Dobbs discovered that even a certain wavelength of artificial light had an impact on lowering bilirubin levels. Today, this type of light therapy is routinely used for infants born with high levels of bilirubin. 

Development of Laser Therapy

A laser is a device that emits light at a consistent wavelength through an optical amplification process, allowing the light to be focused into a tight beam. While Albert Einstein was theorizing about the foundation of the laser in 1917, his ideas were not fully developed until 1960 by engineer and physicist Theodore Maiman. We use lasers in all sorts of applications today, including laser therapy. Laser therapy uses concentrated types of light, like red and near-infrared light, to target areas of the body that can benefit from this therapeutic approach.

In 1967, shortly after laser technology was developed, a Hungarian physician, Dr. Endre Mester, started testing its effects on patients with skin cancer. Dr. Mester later studied the beneficial relationship between light therapy with lasers and healing wounds. Decades later, in 2002, the Food and Drug Administration approved the very first low-level laser therapy device. 

LED is Discovered

Along with giving you a description of the history of red light therapy, we would also like to introduce you to the history of LED. The first LED was invented in 1961 by Robert Biard and Gary Pittman. However, their version of the technology was microscopic and didn’t offer much in the way of use. In 1962, however, Nick Holonyak invented a more practical version of the technology by developing the first visible-spectrum LED. His LED emitted red light, and this breakthrough paved the way for the development of LEDs in various colors and applications. Holonyak is now known as the “Father of the light-emitting diode.”

While they were invented in the 1960s, it wasn’t until the 1990’s that LEDs became more widely used. Because they became more affordable, using them became more practical. They eventually began to be used for a broader range of reasons, including medical treatments. People also started replacing their incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs, which are now becoming more and more common in the home. 

Red Light Therapy 

The year 1993 played a big role in the history of red light therapy. Also known as RLT, red light therapy is a type of light therapy treatment that uses low-wavelength red light to help improve certain medical conditions, like the appearance of acne, redness, and chronic signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles. It is also reported to significantly improve the look of cellulite and has even been used to help enhance weight loss. But the history of red light therapy does not end there.

NASA’s Role in the Discovery of Red Light Therapy

The history of red light therapy becomes even more nuanced when we learn that the discovery of red light therapy occurred when NASA used it in an experiment to stimulate plant growth. The experiment worked well for the plants and for the researchers; one of the byproducts of this experiment is that the researchers who participated in it were often exposed to red light and found that this exposure had a visibly significant effect on their skin, improving the appearance of skin lesions and acne, to name a few. 

Since then, many studies have been conducted on the benefits of red light therapy, finding that it benefits various things, including wound healing, weight loss, cognitive function, sleep quality, inflammation, and more. 

The history of red light therapy has a lot more to say … but so does the future.

Avanti Body offers a wide range of red light therapies. Visit us or call us today to discover how red light therapy from Avanti Body can benefit your health. Thank you for visiting us and learning a little bit about the history of red light therapy. If you are interested in visiting one of our clinics, you can find an Avanti Body location near you here.

Additional Blogs

5 Reasons to Try Red Light Therapy

5 Health Benefits of Red Light Therapy

How Red Light Therapy Changed My Life

Red Light Relieves Inflammation

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the history of red light therapy start?

The roots of red light therapy date back to ancient Egypt, but significant advancements were made by Niels Ryberg Finsen in 1903. His pioneering work marked the beginning of modern red light therapy.

How does red light therapy work?

Red light therapy stimulates the mitochondria within cells, enhancing their energy production. This rejuvenation aids in skin repair, promotes new cell growth, and improves overall skin appearance.

What are the benefits of red light therapy?

Red light therapy offers numerous benefits, including wound healing, weight loss support, enhanced cognitive function, improved sleep quality, and reduced inflammation.

Share this post

INTERESTED IN OPENING AN AVANTI BODY?

Contact us to learn more!

FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU

RECENT POSTS

BLOGS BY MONTH

Premium Addons

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.