Sessions of 10–20 min, several days per week, depending on the treated area and device (LED or low-power laser).
RCT with 136 participants: improves roughness, texture, wrinkles, and elasticity.
View the study (RCT) →Effective for lower-limb tendinopathies, plantar fasciitis, and shoulder syndrome, especially together with exercise.
View the study (systematic review) →Improves motor markers (UPDRS), tremor, tone, and balance; with transcranial treatments, also cognitive benefit.
View the study (RCT) →Transcranial NIR photobiomodulation reduces symptoms in major depression and PTSD; improves mood and attention in healthy people in the short term.
View the study (RCT) →*⏱ 2 min read
Light has profound and diverse effects on the human body, influencing sleep-wake cycles, circadian rhythmicity, mood, and immune function; in recent decades, scientists have begun to exploit the body's responses to light through photobiomodulation, a noninvasive therapeutic technique that uses specific wavelengths of light, measured in nanometers, to stimulate biological processes within cells and tissues, triggering a cascade of physiological responses with potential applications in medicine, dentistry, and cosmetic procedures.
The main mechanisms of photobiomodulation involve the absorption of photons by cellular photoacceptors, mainly cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria, which increases ATP production, modulates reactive oxygen species, activates transcription factors and cytokines, and improves gene expression; the therapeutic window of photobiomodulation lies between 600 and 1100 nm, with visible-range red light at 600-700 nm and near-infrared (NIR) light at 700-1100 nm being the most studied and having the greatest tissue penetration.
For skin health, a randomized controlled trial with 136 participants showed that photobiomodulation significantly improved skin roughness, texture, wrinkles, and elasticity compared with control; for the joints, systematic reviews of the literature establish that low-level laser therapy effectively reduces pain and improves disability in lower-limb tendinopathies, plantar fasciitis, and shoulder syndrome, and is especially effective when used together with exercise, stretching, and corrective insoles.
For neurodegenerative diseases, a systematic review found that photobiomodulation improves outcomes in Parkinson's disease, including motor markers measured with the UPDRS scale, tremor, muscle tone, and balance, with transcranial or intracranial treatments showing improvements in cognitive symptoms; for depression, transcranial photobiomodulation with NIR wavelengths reduced depressive symptoms in individuals with major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, with improvements in mood, attention, and short-term visual processing in healthy volunteers.
Information, not medical advice. Scientific evidence reflects the quality of the studies.