Exploring the Science Behind Cutting-Edge Red Light Therapy Devices

650nm Red Light
850nm near-infrared light
Polarized Laser
Backed by 6000+ Science Papers

How Red Light Therapy Became the Latest Trend

Light therapy has been around for decades in select communities, but just recently started making its way mainstream with the advent

of medical-grade, at-home light therapy devices. Red light has been widely studied in clinical studies around the world over the last 20 years, including research at NASA in the 1980s. Throughout all the peer-reviewed clinical research, red light is observed to be safe and effective at promoting a wide range of health benefits with very little side effects or adverse reactions.

Sunlight includes a component of red light; it is this light wavelength that contributes to the enhanced sense of well-being we experience after a few hours outdoors. LED light therapy devices, such as those offered by PRUNGO, harness the regenerative healing red light wavelengths, without the more problematic UVA and UVB light rays that can cause skin cancer and premature aging. LED light therapy, therefore, is the therapeutic science of utilizing red and infrared light wavelengths to assist with the treatment of health conditions, and promote general well-being.

What is Polarized Laser Therapy?

Polarized Laser Therapy（PLT） is a specialized form of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) that uses lasers with specific polarization characteristics to enhance therapeutic outcomes. Unlike traditional laser therapies that use non-polarized light, PLT adjusts the laser beam to a precise polarized state, allowing for more focused and efficient tissue penetration.

PRUNGO® is the only brand that combines high-safety 3R-grade lasers with polarized filters and highly concentrated LED arrays for red light therapy. Through clinical trials, PRUNGO has successfully developed polarized filters, commonly used in large medical devices, to be compatible with at-home red light devices. The combination of lasers and polarized filters maximizes the penetration of near-infrared light while significantly reducing light scattering. Polarized laser therapy is especially effective for treating deep tissue damage, musculoskeletal pain, and inflammation. The overall clinical benefits include unmatched accelerated healing, as well as relief from pain, inflammation, swelling, and related symptoms. It offers a non-invasive, highly targeted treatment approach.

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Light Spectrum in Red Light Therapy

The effectiveness of wavelengths of light with respect to photobiomodulation therapy can be characterized by the action spectra of the target photoacceptors (e.g. cytochrome c oxidase), that determine the positive biological responses such as increased metabolism, cellular regeneration and immunomodulation. The most clinically effective wavelength ranges are in the red (630-680 nm) and near infrared spectra (810-850 nm). Wavelength is one critical parameter of light among other factors such as dosage or energy density (J/cm2), treatment time and light delivery in pulses (cycles per second or Hz) in determining the efficiency of absorption, depth of penetration and ultimately the clinical outcomes. The effects of photobiomodulation are cumulative and can be clinically evident immediately after treatment or over a period of days.

Red Light

Since the introduction of the He-Ne laser (632.8 nm) in the 1960s, the positive effects of red light wavelengths (λ = 630-680 nm) have been established both in vitro and human clinical trials. These wavelengths are highly absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase, one of the terminal enzymes in the electron transport chain responsible for the creation of ATP. Cells and tissues under metabolic stress due to injury or disease will repair and recover much faster when exposed to these red wavelengths as a direct result of increased ATP production and increased cellular metabolism.

Red wavelengths are also absorbed to some degree by other photoacceptors in the skin including hemoglobin and melanin which limits the effective depth of penetration to the subcutaneous regions of the body (approximately 5-10 mm).

Red wavelengths principally in the 630-680 nm range are very beneficial for treating conditions that are relatively superficial such as subcutaneous bursitis, skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, hair loss and eczema as well as wounds and chronic ulcers. The large network of capillaries located in the subcutaneous region will also absorb red wavelengths resulting in a powerful immunomodulating effect by the activated white blood cells, stem cells and platelets. This is called a systemic or remote effect and it produces an anti-inflammatory and healing effect that is circulated by the activated white blood cells to injured and diseased tissues deep to the treated area.

Near-infrared light

Near Infrared wavelengths are also known to be absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase and other photoreceptors that result in positive effects on cellular physiology. Tiina Karu was the one of the key researchers to establish the photoabsorption spectra of these photoacceptors as well as the ranges of wavelengths that result in optimal photobiomodulation. She observed near infrared wavelengths in the ranges of 810-850 nm were most active, making them more effective for deeper lying injuries and conditions associated with musculoskeletal conditions.

These near infrared wavelengths are much less absorbed by hemoglobin and other photoacceptors that prevent light from penetrating more deeply. As a result, light in the range of 810-850 nm are considered to be the most transparent of the wavelengths used in photobiomodulation therapy allowing for much deeper effective penetration of several cm. The actual clinical effective depth of penetration varies as a result of factors like skin colour, tissue density, power, treatment time and using contact technique.

Tissues like bone, tendon, muscle, adipose and ligament vary with respect how much light can effectively penetrate and accumulate to a dosage high enough to result in a photobiomodulation effect. When trying to elicit a direct photobiomodulation effect on these types of tissues, near infrared wavelengths (810-850 nm) are the most effective and are the “go to” wavelength range to heal these deeper tissues. Using greater power is one way to increase the dosage more quickly in these deeper tissues.

Clinical Effects of Red Light Therapy

What Red Light Therapy Can Do

Pain Management

Red light helps alleviate pain by promoting circulation and reducing inflammation in affected areas.

Joint & Inflammation Treatment

It reduces joint pain and inflammation by enhancing cellular repair and reducing swelling.

Improve Muscle Recovery

Red light speeds up muscle recovery by increasing ATP production and reducing muscle soreness.

Faster Wound Healing & Post-Surgery Recovery

It accelerates healing by stimulating cell regeneration and improving tissue repair.

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Nervous System Support

It supports the nervous system by improving blood flow and reducing oxidative stress, aiding in nerve function.

Immune System Boost

Red light enhances immune response by stimulating the production of white blood cells and improving circulation.

Beauty & Skin Care

Red light promotes collagen production, helping to reduce wrinkles and improve skin tone and texture.

Mental Health & Mood Support

It helps improve mood and mental clarity by regulating stress hormones and promoting relaxation.

Science Papers

Infrared Radiation in the Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions and Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review

PMID: 35323210

2022 Mar 14

Therapeutic applications of polarized light: Tissue healing and immunomodulatory effects

PMID: 30244771

2018 Oct 01

Influence of low-level laser therapy on vertical jump in sedentary individuals

PMID: 25993067

2015 Jan-Mar

Evaluation of the Therapeutic Effect of Low Level Laser in Controlling Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 32273951

2020 Mar 15

Polarized Light Therapy in the Treatment of Wounds: A Review

PMID: 35833323

2022 Jul 14

Effect of near-infrared light-emitting diodes on nerve regeneration

PMID: 20358337

2010 Mar

Effect of Polarized Light Therapy (Bioptron) on Wound Healing and Microbiota in Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 36315226

2022 Oct 28

Evaluation of Efficacy of Low-Level Laser Therapy

PMID: 33425286

2020 Oct 3

I guess we are becoming steady users of Prungo in this house

Neill normally doesn't talk about, or recommend specific products, and he also explicitly states in the video, that this is an exception. He then goes through the biochemical reasons for why and how the Prungo works - that really caught my attention.

I was thinking about my wife - she is a painter - and lately she has struggled with problems in her right hand. Inflammation, pain and a trigger finger in her thumb. My train of thoughts was, that this might be helpful and could reduce some of the inflammation and maybe even remove some of the causes that lead to the trigger syndrome.

Anyway, I decided to get the Prungo - and it ended up being on Valentine's Day, which made it an even better offer.

We got the Prungo, and after the first day, my wife said with a mixed hope/doubt that she felt like it actually did something good. Next morning she said that it definitely had helped, and on day 3 (using it every day) she was painting for 4-5 hours 😉

I tried it yesterday on my knee - the reason I started cycling and thus heard of Neill Stanbury, was that I have a meniscus damage in my left knee, and the knee specialist told me that I probably wouldn't gain anything from surgery, but that I should start cycling. I can feel that it brings relief to my knee, and it already feels lighter.

So I guess we are becoming steady users of Prungo in this house, and it will get a fixed place on a shelf nearby the electrical socket to always have an operational Prungo.

Game changer in recovery

I have used the prungo devices for the last 5 months after I fractured my ring finger and sprained most of my hand.
The combination of red-light and reeducation made it faster for me to be back to 95 % in mobility
It is a great tool for any case of sprained and muscle recovery.
I recommend greatly prungo.

I don't regret it one day at all!

It's been just over a month now since I started my journey with Prungo. I don't regret it one day at all! I used to own another piece of red light, but it was inferior to Prungo in so many ways. I'm a retired Army soldier of 23 years, and I put my body through some pretty rigorous training over that period of time. After 23 years, I don't recover quite as well as I used to. My joints are stiff and take longer to heal after strenuous work. I've used prescribed medicated creams, TENS units, and massage guns, but only got mixed results. In the first 30 days of using my Prungo units, let me tell you, there is a big difference in my recovery time, the lower level of stiffness and soreness, and best of all, the steadiness that I feel within the use of my joints. thank you so much from this Army vet, you've given me my joint mobility back, and I am indebted to you folks.

My experience with Prungo

Prungo is perfectly designed and built for my exact needs. The straps, connectors, portable charger and charging travel case are all so well thought out and also feel very high quality. The compact travel case was especially amazing on a week-long trip and didn't require re-charging once. The device sits comfortably on the skin, allows me to treat both injuries at once and allows you to set and forget a time. Best of all, it doesn't hinder my ability to move around or hang out with others while I do the treatment. As for the effectiveness, all I can say is that I used another brand RLT panel religiously for over a month and saw little to no improvement in my injury. Two week after using the Prungo my pain was significantly better. Granted, I was also doing exercises to help recovery so while I wouldn't rely on RLT alone to solve all of your problems, it does seem to help speed up recovery. Also, since consistency is key with RLT, having a device that is comfortable, sits on the skin and runs on a timer will make you much more likely to use it consistently AND ensure consistent dosage. If you are looking to speed up joint pain/injury/recovery... I don't believe there is a better device on the market.

I got the answer I needed.

I got the answer I needed.
Excellent customer service.

Still early but somewhat positive

Just received my device a few days ago after an apparently long shipping process. Applied it immediately to my chronically sore shoulder (which will likely eventually warrant replacement) but can't say I felt any immediate relief. I next applied the device to a severely strained glute/ham tie-in and can report immediate relief in the pain and tightness. I purchased my Prungo during their Valentine's Day promo and was supposed to also receive some other free stuff with it but that has yet to arrive. I will continue to apply to my very painful left shoulder joint and hope for relief.

Perfect for my knees, toes and wrist

Great product only wish there were middle of the road straps.

Arrived well packed and kept informed

A Game-Changer for Therapeutic Red Light Treatment

My mom, who has dementia and is recovering from a hemorrhagic stroke, has been using the PRUNGO red light therapy module. Since starting the treatments, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in her activity levels and alertness. Before using the PRUNGO module, she had experienced a decline in speech and movement due to her condition. However, after using the device, she’s been more engaged, showing increased movement during the sessions, and becoming more verbal, which has greatly improved.

What I appreciate about PRUNGO is how time-efficient it is compared to other red light therapies we’ve tried. In the past, we had to use separate devices for different areas of the head, which took about 2 hours. With PRUNGO, we can treat multiple areas at once, cutting the total treatment time down to just 40 minutes.

Overall, I’m extremely happy with the PRUNGO red light therapy module. It’s made a noticeable difference in my mom’s engagement, speech, and movement while also saving us valuable time. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an effective and efficient therapy option.

In my experience of using this device it was great!

I’ve used the Prungo Red Light Therapy Module for several weeks now, and this device is my now go to device when I need to recover a part of my body that has been injured or sore from a exercise session.

In my experience of using this device it was great! I switched to barefoot shoes and I knew it was going to take some time for me to adapt to it. I was getting so soreness on my ankles from me walking, jumping, and running. I would get pain trying to adapt. When I used the red light therapy module I was able to treat the pain and didn’t even notice it was there. There are three settings: mild, mid, and strong. I only used the mild setting and I was able to get full benefit from the device. If I was able to get benefit using the lowest setting the mid and strong setting should be able to give quite a lot more benefits!

With that being said it is not fix the root problem of the pain. I was adapting and constantly trying to fix my form to understand the reason why I was getting pains in the first place. Though this doesn’t fix the problem it will ease the pain! Problems like soreness from working out too hard or accidents, the device will take care of that!

I had a nephew try out the device after a workout. His shoulder was bothering him, so I let him try my device. He was amazed with the results because he didn’t experience something that a device like this could do. Shoulder pain and discomfort gone after one session.

We treated our injuries as soon as we started feeling them, so it might not always be a one and done fix. It is recommended to do two sessions a day for several days for more serious cases.

Overall it is a great device like the portability of the device! It comes with a carrying case, easily keeping the devices charged. Looks very sleek and low profile! I do have trouble trying to adjust the straps the right size at first, but it just takes time trying to get used to it. If you need an easy accessible device to ease the pains from your workouts this is the device to get. Totally recommend this to anybody on a fitness journey!