Losing weight, burning fat, and getting rid of cellulite are among the most common New Year’s resolutions and health goals. This can be for medical or beauty reasons, but the overall opinion is that being fit means being healthier. Therefore, you always struggle to find an easier way to body contouring without sweating for two hours in the gym.
But does red light therapy work for weight loss? We will explain what red light therapy is, its possible health benefits to the body as well as the skin, and whether it may help people burn fat.
Red light therapy is also known as low-level laser therapy or near-infrared and far-infrared light. It is a new and emerging fat removal treatment that is catching the attention of every individual struggling with a few extra pounds.
If you are skeptical about red light and whether it may help remove the “stubborn” fat, keep reading the article.
What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red light or low-level laser therapy LLLT is a non-invasive procedure. This type of therapy may bring several health benefits, such as acne, scars, eczematous skin condition, chronic skin disorders, hair loss, vision improvement, and body sculpting.
One of the most popular procedures that red light therapy is used for is body sculpting, which may remove fat cells without any surgery or painful operations.
The process uses a low-irradiance laser that discharges wavelengths of blue and red together with infrared light. This light goes approximately 1 to 2 inches into your skin and targets the layer of fat stored just below the surface of your skin.
After many studies on this procedure, the procedure and its effects are still unclear. Nonetheless, the most common theory is that low-level laser therapy temporarily breaks down a small part of the cell membrane. This allows the stored fat cells to shrink and be removed from your body.
Source: redlightman.com
The procedure
If you decide to attend a laser session, you will work with a trained professional like a certified dermatologist or a plastic surgeon. They will place the laser on each treatment area for about 10 to 40 minutes. To see visible results, the recommended amount is at least six sessions.
There is no downtime afterward; you can resume your busy schedule and normal activities right after the session. Remember that even if the red light therapy is effective and you start to notice a difference in your legs, waist, chest, and arms, you should not stop exercising and following a healthy diet.
Don’t expect to eat Big Macs regularly, hoping the laser therapy will eliminate the extra pounds.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work for Weight Loss?
More and more people are using low-level laser therapy to potentially treat fat removal. It may sound too good to be true, but the research on this type of therapy suggests that it may remove stubborn fat when diet and exercise have failed. However, many individuals are skeptical of its benefits.
If you have read our article “Does red light therapy work for weight loss?”, you are probably familiar with it since we gave a good overview of it and how it works.
A LED device delivers safe and concentrated wavelengths of natural and therapeutic light to skin and cells regarding weight loss. This type of lighting may reduce oxidative stress and stimulate cellular energy production.
This allows your body to power itself more effectively and affects adipocytes, which store fat. Using red light therapy on the fat cells may be effective because it causes the lipids to disappear. In other words, it removes away the fat cells.
You Might Be Interested: Best Red Light Therapy Devices for Weight Loss
Benefits
Red light therapy has different ways that may affect weight loss. A study done in recent years has shown that this type of light therapy may affect hunger levels.
Having a big appetite is the main reason most people gain weight from the beginning, so light therapy may reduce hunger levels is a huge plus. Light therapy may help control ghrelin, which is a hunger-related hormone. Also, wearing a red light therapy belt may speed up your journey.
The study also shows that red light therapy may affect cellulite loss and obesity control positively. You can try RLT devices for cellulite to see how these devices may help your body.
This type of therapy may safely provide cosmetic enhancement to your body without surgery or a painful procedure.
Source: barbiesbeautybits.com
Downsides and risks
Now that you know what red light therapy does and how it works, we must mention the downsides and risks of the process.
The biggest downside to red light therapy is its price. Some people think that no matter how beneficial the treatment may be, going out on a jog can do the same and doesn’t require any expenses.
The price of the red light therapy session depends on where you live, but a package of six sessions, on average, can cost from $2,000 to $4,000. This makes light therapy financially unviable for most people.
In addition to the price, all studies on whether red light therapy works for weight loss are performed on individuals with a BMI of 25 to 30. BMI is the body mass index and gives an individual’s approximate body fat number.
Since studies have been done on people that fall into the obese category, the effectiveness of red light therapy for individuals who are already in shape and want to slim down just a little is unknown.
You Might Be Interested: How Often Should You Do Red Light Therapy for Weight Loss?
Conclusion
Does red light therapy work for weight loss? Almost all the studies show that LLLT may remove some fat from your waist and arms; the results can be described as modest at best.
In addition to that, it is very costly, and it is unknown how long the results will actually last. If you are looking for an easy way to lose weight, stop looking, there is no easy way. Just adopt a healthy lifestyle and try to exercise a couple of times a week.
Hello! I’m Nicky Rodgers.
Almost a decade ago, I got excited about the idea of employing alternative methods like red light therapy to create a healthier life.
To learn more about it, I did my Certified Light Therapist course from Photonic Therapy Institute and started looking into the intricacies of how light therapy influences several bodily processes. Before I knew it, my interest had become an obsession which resulted in this extensive blog.
Here, I offer countless well-researched articles to help you understand the benefits and uses of light therapy. I hope this information gives you a head start in your wellness journey.