Does Red Light Therapy Tan You？

No, a red light therapy machine will not give you a tan. Unlike the UV rays used in tanning beds, red light therapy uses wavelengths that rejuvenate the skin without causing any color changes.

This therapy improves collagen production and reduces inflammation, giving your skin a radiant glow that doesn't come from sun exposure.

Let's read on.

What Is Red Light Therapy? How Does It Work?

A red light therapy machine is a treatment that uses specific wavelengths of red light to promote the body's natural healing process. This light therapy utilizes low-power infrared light to penetrate the skin and help boost cellular vitality, which promotes skin health, reduces inflammation, and stimulates collagen production.

This technology accelerates cellular repair and regeneration through a red light that acts directly on the mitochondria of cells to increase cellular energy production (ATP). This enhanced cellular function helps to relieve pain, improve skin quality, and even helps to improve symptoms of muscle fatigue and other chronic conditions.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy

The FDA-approved red light therapy offers many benefits that make it ideal for treating a wide range of ailments and painful conditions. The main ones include the following:

• Improved blood flow: red light therapy increases blood flow, which can help relieve chronic pain, speed up wound recovery, and improve joint health.
• Pain Relief: For a wide range of painful conditions such as reactive arthritis, rheumatic pain, tendonitis of the hands, and arthritis of the neck, red light therapy shows significant pain relief. Particularly during recovery from surgery, such as knee replacements and foot surgeries, red light can significantly reduce pain and speed recovery.
• Promotes Muscle and Bone Health: Red light helps strengthen muscles and bones by boosting collagen production and increasing blood supply to muscle tissue.
• Natural treatment with no side effects: Compared to traditional medication, red light therapy offers a non-invasive, side effect-free treatment option that is particularly suitable for patients who are sensitive to medication or are seeking a natural treatment.
• Flexible treatment options: PRUNGO medical-grade red light therapy devices are often designed to be portable and can be used to treat multiple areas of the body, including joints, muscles, and skin, making them ideal for athletes and active individuals.

Red light therapy is a versatile treatment modality that promotes healing and wellness by affecting the body's cellular activity with natural light for a wide range of health issues. Despite the multiple benefits of red light therapy, there are still many people who do not know if red light therapy affects our skin color issues. Let's find out more.

Can Red Light Therapy Give You a Tan?

Red light therapy devices will not give you a tan. This treatment uses red light in the visible spectrum, not ultraviolet (UV) light, which is used for tanning.

Red light therapy is primarily used to promote cellular repair and increase blood flow and does not affect skin color. So, if you use red light therapy, you don't need to worry about altering your skin color or the effects of tanning.

Should You Have Red Light Therapy Before or After Tanning?

Red light therapy devices can be done before or after tanning, depending on your individual needs and goals. Here are considerations for both scenarios:

Red Light Therapy Before Tanning

• Preventive maintenance: FDA-approved red light therapy can enhance the health of your skin and improve its resistance to UV light. Performing red light therapy may help reduce the risk of post-tan redness and inflammation.
• Promotes Repair: If your skin already has damage or inflammation due to other factors, red light therapy can help your skin return to a healthier state to better cope with possible damage during the tanning process.

Using Red Light Therapy After Tanning

• Recovery and Repair: Skin may be dry and red after tanning and red light therapy devices can promote cellular repair, speeding up the recovery process and minimizing post-tanning discomfort.
• Enhance skin texture: Using red light therapy after sun exposure can help enhance the overall quality of the skin, including increasing elasticity and radiance for a more even, healthy-looking tan.

Red light therapy is a flexible treatment that can be used before or after tanning, depending on your situation and needs. If your skin is particularly sensitive to tanning, or if you want to maximize the protective and restorative effects, red light therapy can be performed at both points in time.

Precautions Before and After Tanning

When using FDA-approved red light therapy before and after tanning, consider the following precautions to ensure safety and effectiveness:

1. Using Red Light Therapy Before Tanning

• Maintain Proper Skin Moisturization: Ensure that your skin is adequately moisturized before receiving red light therapy, as this will help to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment and prepare it for tanning.
• Regularly assess skin condition: When using red light therapy before tanning, regularly check your skin's response so that you can adjust your treatment plan or tanning method.
• Avoid immediate tanning: After red light therapy, it is recommended to wait for some time before tanning to allow the skin's condition to stabilize.

2. Using Red Light Therapy After Tanning

• Observe skin reaction: Skin may be more sensitive after sunbathing and you should make sure there is no serious sunburn or damage before starting red light therapy.
• Start gently: Use of FDA-approved red light therapy after tanning should start with shorter sessions and gradually increase the time to avoid overstimulating already damaged skin.
• Keep skin clean and cool: Make sure your skin is clean before and after treatment, and you may need to use a cold compress to relieve the heat and redness of the sun.

Over-treatment of either tanning or red light therapy should be avoided as it may cause skin irritation or other side effects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, FDA-approved red light therapy does not cause tanning because it does not involve ultraviolet (UV) rays, which change skin color. Instead, red light therapy focuses on providing therapeutic benefits such as enhancing skin health, reducing inflammation, and promoting healing, all without the risks associated with UV exposure.

Those looking to improve the appearance and overall health of their skin may choose red light therapy for treatment. It offers a safe and effective alternative to traditional tanning methods and has many benefits without the risk of sun damage.

The PRUNGO Red Light Therapy Module is designed to be user-friendly and safe to use without the need for specialized knowledge. Its portability allows you to perform treatments whenever you need them, whether at home or while traveling.

FAQ

Is Red Light Therapy Better Than Tanning?

Yes, if you seek a risk-free way to improve your skin and physical health, red light therapy may be a better option. Red light therapy uses red and near-infrared light and focuses on cellular repair, increasing circulation, relieving inflammation and pain, and increasing collagen production in the skin. It does not lead to sunburn or the risks associated with UV light on the skin, so it is considered a safe and effective treatment.

In contrast, sunbathing helps the body produce vitamin D primarily through exposure to natural sunlight while providing a sense of psychological relaxation and pleasure. However, the UV portion of tanning may increase the risk of skin cancer and early aging. The exact choice depends on your personal needs.

How Long Will You Need to Undergo Red Light Therapy?

The length of an FDA-approved red light therapy session can vary depending on the individual's specific needs and treatment goals. In general, a single session of red light therapy usually lasts between 10 and 20 minutes. For best results, two to three treatments per week are recommended.

The exact length and frequency of treatments should be adjusted by a professional healthcare provider based on the individual's health status and response to treatment. Long-term and ongoing treatments are usually more effective, especially for chronic conditions and long-term skin problems. Before starting any red light therapy, it is best to consult with a doctor or treatment specialist to ensure safety and to get personalized treatment recommendations.

Related reading: How long to use red light therapy