How people get it: In clinics, or with home devices such as masks and panels.
The basics
What it is
Low-level laser or LED therapy, called LLLT, has been described as a treatment option for hair loss (alopecia).
What the research has found so far
- The same review said more studies are needed to understand how well it works for other types of hair loss.
- A review of trials found that low-level laser therapy reduced pain and disability in lower leg tendon problems and plantar fasciitis (heel pain) in the short and medium term.
- That review said long-term data were not available and some uncertainty about the size of the effect remains.
Sources: PubMed abstract: Low-Level Laser and LED Therapy in Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. ↗ · PubMed abstract: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
Small trials for skin, of mixed quality.
On Red light therapy and aging, PubMed lists 104 trials in people, 112 studies that watched people over time, 38 animal and lab studies. See the counts and searches
Stage 3 because 10 large randomized trials in people for aging or skin and hair have been published.
A stage shows how far research has got, not whether it will work for you. How stages work
Side effects and risks
A review of trials in tendon and foot pain reported no adverse events.
What studies and labels describe
What studies or labels describe, not a recommendation.
A review of hair loss studies looked at treatment lasting 4 to 26 weeks. A review of tendon and foot pain trials grouped studies by doses based on World Association for Laser Therapy recommendations.
Sources: PubMed abstract: Low-Level Laser and LED Therapy in Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. ↗ · PubMed abstract: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
Roughly what it costs
The one product we list that contains Red light therapy costs $395, as read from the makers' pages. See the products
Questions to ask your doctor
- Is Red light therapy a sensible option for me, given my health and the medicines I take?
- Could Red light therapy interact with any medicine or supplement I already take?
- What side effects should I watch for, and when should I stop or call you?
- How would we tell whether it is helping, and when should we review it?
This is general information gathered from the sources listed, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting anything new.
Devices you can buy
Read from each maker's page. The research stage is for this kind of device, not proof that a particular model works.
What experts say
No expert views collected yet. Each one we add names the person and links to where they said it.
What others are writing
Recent articles about Red light therapy from health journalists, hospitals and universities. We link to them; we don't write or endorse them.
Red light therapy: What the science says ↗
“Photobiomodulation, the use of light waves to change human biology, has boomed in recent years for all kinds of purposes, at medical clinics and at home.”
Stanford Medicine experts review the research on red light therapy, finding support for hair growth and skin uses but little for many other claims.
The science behind red light therapy for skin and hair : NPR ↗
“Red light therapy has become the latest ray of hope in the wellness industry. If you listen to wellness influencers, you might think there's nothing that red light therapy can't treat.”
NPR reviews the scientific evidence behind red light therapy claims for skin, hair, and other health uses, finding some support and much hype.
Does red-light therapy work? Here's what the science says ↗
“Modern photobiomodulation — the use of red and near-infrared light comprising wavelengths, from about 600 nanometers to 1,100 nanometers, to influence cellular processes — emerged in the 1960s after Hungarian scientists accidentally discovered that low-level red light stimulated hair growth in rodents.”
The article reviews the research on red-light therapy, finding some clinical benefits but many commercial devices falling short of their claims.
Recent research
Red light therapy and aging: what a review of past studies found
This review looks at past studies of red and near-infrared light on aging-linked conditions.
Laura Minquini discusses founding AthenaDAO and AthenaBio to fund female reproductive aging research
Laura Minquini, a non-scientist, describes how she moved from consumer tech into longevity after volunteering at retirement homes.
Light mask and cream study on skin aging in women
Skin samples and 50 women used a light mask and cream for weeks, and skin looked better.
Trials
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 421 registered trials that mention Red light therapy, for any condition (the count in The science below). Here we show the ones about aging. See them all ↗
The science
Counted from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov on Oct 30, 2026, using one search for Red light therapy in relation to aging. Each link opens the exact search.
- Randomized trials in people
- 64 search ↗
- Large trials (multicenter or phase 3)
- 5 search ↗
- Phase 3 trials
- 0 search ↗
- Trials in people
- 104 search ↗
- Studies that watched people over time
- 112 search ↗
- Animal and lab studies
- 38 search ↗
- Registered trials
- 421 search ↗
PubMed search used
(photobiomodulation[tiab] OR "red light"[tiab] OR "low-level light therapy"[tiab] OR "low-level laser therapy"[tiab] OR "Low-Level Light Therapy"[mh]) AND (photoaging[tiab] OR "skin aging"[tiab] OR "skin ageing"[tiab] OR photodamage[tiab] OR "Skin Aging"[mh] OR wrinkle*[tiab] OR rejuvenation[tiab])
Counts are search results, so they include some records that only mention Red light therapy. How we count
Cite or share this page
Longevity Progress. (n.d.). Red light therapy: Research stage and evidence. Retrieved October 30, 2026, from https://longevityprogress.com/treatments/red-light-therapy
<iframe src="https://longevityprogress.com/embed/stage/red-light-therapy" title="Red light therapy: research stage on Longevity Progress" width="340" height="72" style="border:0" loading="lazy"></iframe>
The badge shows this treatment's current research stage and links back here. It updates by itself when the stage changes.