Speaking of Women's Health
The Speaking of Women's Health Podcast is excited to bring you credible women's health information from host and Executive Director, Dr. Holly L. Thacker. Dr. Thacker will interview guest clinicians discussing relevant women's health topics and the latest news and tips.
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Speaking of Women's Health
Is Red Light Therapy Worth The Hype?
Want to know more about red light therapy? From skin rejuvenation and hair regrowth to easing joint pain and mitigating psoriasis, Dr. Thacker breaks down the facts of this phototherapy trend that's turning heads in spas and gyms. Discover how this non-invasive treatment could be the key to unlocking alternative health solutions while understanding the necessity of caution due to its experimental nature.
Host Dr. Holly Thacker also discusses the critical role of consulting trained professionals for any laser or phototherapy treatments, warning against the perils of untrained providers. Tune in to hear more about maintaining a balanced, holistic approach to health and discover the subtle art of navigating alternative therapies with wisdom and care. Don't miss out on practical tips and expert insights to help you take charge of your wellness journey!
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Welcome to the Speaking of Women's Health podcast. I'm your host, dr Holly Thacker, and I am back in the Sunflower House for a new episode in the Speaking of Women's Health podcast and on this new episode I'm going to talk about red light therapy. Dr Sobia Khan, who completed our Specialized Women's Health Fellowship over a decade ago and then went on to get extra educational training and certified in functional medicine, who was also on our podcast in season one, wrote a very interesting column on a hot not exactly pun intended great column about red light therapy on speakingofwomenshealthcom Light Therapy on speakingofwomenshealthcom and she is a women's health functional medicine practitioner and she does offer consultations in functional medicine, including virtual appointments. Now, maybe you've heard of red light therapy, maybe you haven't, and it seems to be really quite the rage. It's at spas and workout facilities. I recently found out that one of my coworkers spent a lot of money getting a red light therapy blanket.
Speaker 1:Certainly, we've used light therapy for a while to regrow hair. It was first approved for male patterned hair thinning and later got approved for female pattern hair thinning, which is really the same physiologic process. It's just that males have a lot more testosterone, so they have a lot more androgenic hair thinning, and hair thinning remains a top concern amongst women. And if you didn't listen in season one or season two on hair thinning and hair loss, both of those episodes were in June June of 2023 and June of 2024. So I thought it would be good, since this season we're talking about a lot of things in the anti-aging realm, and since our motto is to be strong, be healthy and be in charge, and because we like to be holistic and look at complementary, alternative and integrative medicine strategies, of which our Wellness Center provides a lot of great content on speakinginwomenshealthcom, and we have topics ranging from yoga to Tai Chi, to acupuncture, to healthy eating, reiki therapy, dry needling, physical therapy lots of different topics as opposed to just standard allopathic medical therapy, which certainly is very important. I'm trained in that, I'm an MD but it's great to look at other healing arts.
Speaker 1:So it's been over a century, actually, since phototherapy has been identified as a treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus and there's been various scientific advances in the utilization of light, as well as laser therapy for skin and cancer treatments. Speaking of laser treatments in the cosmetic realm, if you missed the podcast that I did with cosmetic dermatologist and surgeon, skin surgeon, dr Murray, she went into the complexities and all the different laser therapies that are available, and lasers have also been used in cancer therapies. Gamma knife therapy is used for very precision excision of brain tumors, for example. Used for very precision excision of brain tumors. For example, ultraviolet radiation has been done in order to keep operating rooms and other places sterile, as well as ultraviolet light therapy of blood. Light is a spectrum of wavelengths, colors and intensities, so it's important for us to understand what light therapy might be used on one's body, because the specific wavelength and the intensity of light can treat cancer, or it could lead to skin cancer if the right protection and appropriate types of sunscreen are not used, just as one example, and we've had a great podcast on skin protection and different types of sunscreens. So, getting back to red light therapy, it is a type of phototherapy and it's a therapeutic technique that utilizes very low level wavelengths that are used to address different types of skin conditions, such as psoriasis, which can be very difficult to treat, although certainly stress reduction, boosting vitamin D, keeping a healthy liver are things that can help contribute to that. Now there's a lot of different other treatments, too, that red light therapy has been advocated, from stimulating the scalp and hair growth to actually treating wrinkles. But we really do need more research to further evaluate the efficacy, to further evaluate the efficacy.
Speaker 1:But in the new year and the new age, contemporary and alternative medicine certainly is promoting red light therapy devices to use for skincare, for joint pain, for exercise recovery, healing inflammation and pain. So, as simple and natural as this sounds, awareness about the promotion sites and who is supplying the devices is clearly needed. There are many red light therapy devices that are used both for home use that people can just simply purchase, as well as commercial use, and we don't completely have well-defined safety information. So, like with anything that you do, nothing is risk-free or completely safe. There's always risk, benefits, alternatives, potential side effects, other options. Now there have been some small-scale research studies and some ongoing studies that do highlight the significance of red light therapy, but it's still really in the experimental phase. It's certainly not covered by medical insurance, at least as the time of this taping in 2024.
Speaker 1:And we can't medically say how many treatments that you need or how much exposure is needed for what skin condition or what joint condition, because our cartilage does not have direct blood flow and we cannot regenerate our cartilage and tendons take a long time to heal, and so do muscles and the surrounding soft tissue of the joints. Besides good nutrition and the typical rice therapy, which is rest, ice compression and elevation above the level of the heart, athletes and weekend warriors and just regular people who have injuries, especially the older you get are always looking for faster recoveries. In the 1970s, you might remember, dmso was all the rage and there were athletes saying they applied it to injuries topically and it worked Certainly. Then the FDA got involved in all of that. It's very potent solvent, so if you had pesticides or something on your skin that you didn't want absorbed, you certainly wouldn't want to apply DMSO. And so things that don't require prescriptions or don't require a healthcare facility to monitor or deliver doesn't mean that it's just carte blanche and that you can just use it for whatever. And certainly pregnant women, children, frail people, elderly people. Just like with medications or supplements, you have to even take a higher level of care when recommending something that's not incredibly well studied.
Speaker 1:So the way it's thought that red light therapy works is that there's a specific wavelength and penetration ability that stimulates the energy producing units of our cells called mitochondria to improve the healing and the synthesis and the rejuvenation of collagen in the skin, and red light therapy appears to improve inflammation and allows the growth of fibroblast and protein synthesis. Certainly I've tried red light therapy on my shoulder. I also went for other alternative therapies for acupuncture, which we've got a lot of information and a podcast coming up on acupuncture for various musculoskeletal and other conditions. So I think anytime there's common problems that aren't life-threatening necessarily but are nagging or irritating, people are always looking for self-help and new options. So it's thought that red light therapy may help improve skin health through collagen production, which gives our skin that strength and elasticity. Now in the menopause field I certainly prescribe hormone therapy, which does improve collagen and skin and hair, even though it's not officially FDA approved for that.
Speaker 1:Years ago beauty makers would put estrogen in creams that people would rub on their face and I have women ask me oh, can I get estrogen to rub on my face? And you really need it inside of your bloodstream for your whole body. And certainly many times you can tell the difference in appearance in someone who has had premature menopause without benefit of hormone therapy, where they have lost a lot of collagen. And there's been interesting research studies done in advanced age, both males and females, putting an estrogen patch or a dummy patch and then doing skin biopsies to look at the collagen. But of course hormone therapy has potential side effects risk. It's a prescription medicine. It can stimulate the uterus Depending on how it's given. If it's given orally there can be increased risk of blood clot. And there's women who have enough estrogen, who are pre-menopausal, who still may want red light therapy to boost their collagen. And it's thought that the wavelength might stimulate fibroblast production, which is what is the part in the body that actually makes collagen.
Speaker 1:Anytime you apply any type of heat, it can improve blood flow. Usually with acute injuries, you always ice it in order to reduce the swelling, because the swelling can damage the tissue and cause more pain. But after the first 24 to 48 hours then usually you want heat to improve blood flow to help accelerate healing. To improve blood flow to help accelerate healing. It's also thought that the red light therapy might reduce inflammation. So some of the interesting history that Dr Kahn goes over in her column on Speaking of Women's Health about red light therapy is a little bit about the history. So apparently red light therapy was first used by NASA to grow plants and for healing astronauts' wounds on their hands, and so that's what caught on to the general public, wanting red light therapy to help with skin healing and skin rejuvenation. And obviously, with aging, healing is slower With poor nutrition, particularly not enough protein, not enough zinc, not enough vitamin C.
Speaker 1:And a lot of women will ask me oh, you know, should I put a lot of vitamin C on my skin to boost collagen? So I ask them what's your diet? Are you ingesting foods rich in vitamin C? Now, some people do need extra vitamin C if they're under oxidative stress, like with an infection or sepsis. It seems like liposomal vitamin C is absorbed the best. Now, too much vitamin C can increase the risk of kidney stones. If you haven't listened to our kidney stone podcast, that's a good one to go and listen to. So, really, what's inside your body and what you're ingesting generally is very, very important. And if you're getting exposed to lots of pollution, which includes cigarette smoke, directly or indirectly and we have lots of information on smoking cessation and if you have not given up smoking as part of your New Year's resolution, we have information that can help you.
Speaker 1:Now there was an NIH-funded trial specifically looking at this topic about helping skin rejuvenation and increasing collagen. And this study concluded that broadband polychromatic photom Modulation, pbm. Pbm also, by the way, stands for Pharmacy Benefit Managers, which control the market on medications. If you're interested in cost of medications, I have a great column written by our terrific nurses on reducing the cost of medicines and we talk about PBMs and why that's increased the cost of old, cheap medicines like estrogen, like insulin. But anyway, getting back to this study on this PBM, polychromatic photo bio modulation, which means different color wavelengths of light biologically modulating the tissue, that did not appear to have any advantage over just plain red light spectrum light. However, other light sources that have not been used before PBM have not been shown really to affect the skin rejuvenation and intradermal collagen increases when compared to controls. So you know, there's lots of different light sources and lots of different outcomes and apparently they haven't really been shown, compared to red light therapy, to be that much more, to be more effective at all. So what you might ask has been shown to improve with red light therapy?
Speaker 1:There's some evidence that rosacea, which is a very common red inflammatory condition of the skin, it can look like acne, it can affect the eyelids, it can affect the dryness level in the eyes, it can cause rhinophyma enlargement of the nose. It can cause painful cysts. We actually have a whole podcast on rosacea. So if you suffer from this condition or know someone who does, you can read our column or listen to that podcast. And I have an updated podcast on dry eyes. We have a second one updated podcast on dry eyes. We have a second one and there's a new eye drop that treats the demodex mite, which we think has pathology in causing rosacea. And certainly there's laser treatments for rosacea, but red light therapy is something that someone if you're going for laser therapy specifically to treat rosacea, but red light therapy is something that someone if you're going for laser therapy specifically to treat rosacea or skin conditions you have to see an experienced dermatologist and that's one thing that we got into a little bit on the podcast with Dr Murray, the cosmetic dermatologist. Laser expert is there are places like spas and physicians that aren't necessarily trained specifically in the use of lasers that are offering this kind of cash pay service. So you really have to beware and I think that's part of the reason why red light therapy in gyms and spas and just for home use has become so popular, because people don't have to seek out necessarily scars. It can reduce inflammation or edema.
Speaker 1:And then, of course, women midlife and beyond are always looking for things to help reduce wrinkles and fine lines or age spots. Improving the texture of the skin and evening the skin tone is another popular pursuit, and we've had a couple of great podcasts on skin with our skincare estheticians and if you haven't listened to those, go back and listen to those podcasts. When I was talking with Lori Skarsgård, our lead skincare esthetician, she convinced me during that podcast to get the perfect peel again to improve skin texture and fine lines, and I finally did it. I was happy I did so. There's lots of different ways to improve the skin, to improve the skin, starting, of course, with the basics, with good skin care routine and good nutrition and avoiding smoking, harsh lights, pollution, even the light off of screens I mean increasingly people work remotely, their faces in front of a screen all day.
Speaker 1:Stretch marks are another common problem amongst women, many postpartum women and we're all on that holy grail to promote healthy aging and repair any type of muscle or tissue injury. So it might improve skin conditions, but the therapy medically is still considered somewhat controversial, and you have been listening to the Speaking of Women's Health podcast. I'm your host, dr Holly Thacker. We're in season three. I've certainly talked about a lot of other podcasts that we've previously done, and we're today talking about the benefits of other podcasts that we've previously done, and we're today talking about the benefits of red light therapy. It may help reduce soreness after exercise. I think that's why a lot of exercise facilities have put them in. It might promote wound healing and tissue repair, although, again, good nutrition, good blood flow and treating micronutrient deficiencies really rank very high.
Speaker 1:Joint pain, which is so common 80% of people get some osteoarthritis. I did a podcast on joint supplements, joint pain and joint replacements, and joint replacements are a lot more common in women, and so that's really one to go back to listen to if you or a loved one is at all contemplating any kind of upcoming orthopedic surgery or joint replacement. Rheumatoid arthritis, which is more common in women. Red light therapy has been used in this inflammatory condition as well as others. It's sometimes used to relieve pain and inflammation in people who have Achilles tendon pain and Achilles tendon injuries are very hard to treat and take a long time. Any kind of tendon injury does Improving hair growth, as I mentioned with androgenic alopecia Several years ago for Christmas, I bought my husband a red light cap for his scalp.
Speaker 1:He was not happy about it at all. He was not happy about it at all. He did not appreciate that Christmas gift, oh my. And when I talk to patients who are considering buying one because they're relatively expensive, I always say get one with a money back guarantee, and they usually require you to take a picture of the area on your scalp that you want the hair to grow, and then, six or seven months later, another picture. Now also thoughts about improving nerve function and memory with dementia. I do think that's a little bit of a stretch just based on the skull, protecting the gray and white matter of the brain.
Speaker 1:But what you can see is that there is this quest that for common or very perplexing or hard to treat conditions that allopathic medicine may have some trouble getting cures for, people are going to seek out other alternatives, and so, even though we don't have the research that we would like, I still think it's important for us to put out the information that we do have. Now you might be thinking well, who should not use red light therapy? People with cancer or a history of cancer might decide to avoid red light therapy. A 2019 study Trusted Source suggested that red light therapy could. A 2019 study trusted source suggested that red light therapy could make some cancer cells more aggressive. But more research is needed and there are some possible benefits.
Speaker 1:Can I buy red light therapy products online and are they safe is another question that physicians and healthcare team members may get. There's a lot of different products available online lots of different prices, many different styles, and the over-the-counter ones are probably safe to use, but they're probably also not nearly as strong as the devices that are used in a dermatologist's office. And, of course, anytime you're using anything electronic, follow all safety instructions before using any new device and always be cautious of what you're buying. And if you're going to a beauty spa, do your research on the spa and also the person handling the red light therapy and medically, I would not not that this is medical advice. This is just information to empower you to be strong and be healthy and be in charge. But when I'm talking to my patients, I tell them um taking shortcuts to save money, like leaving the country to get plastic surgery on the cheap in Mexico or going to some practitioner who's not trained as a trained dermatologist using laser or injecting fillers and Botox. It does not seem to be like a wise decision just to save some money when you might be in the hands of someone who is not nearly as skilled. And we do have information on our website on.
Speaker 1:You know things really gone bad, and certainly on the internet you can find a lot of examples. So if you've got any chronic medical conditions you're not sure, talk to your health care team about your individual situation before starting any kind of new treatment, and that includes supplements. That may also include something as simple as, say, an inversion table to lengthen out your spine, your neck and your back. If your abdominal muscles aren't strong enough, you could be stuck there and not able to actually get back up from that inverted position. So a lot of devices that are promoted to help chronic problems. You have to look at them as critically as you would any biological agent, injection, medication, anything that you expect to potentially have a biological effect.
Speaker 1:So a word of caution for skin conditions definitely work and talk with your dermatologist. Have a skin exam before any kind of light therapy is applied so that you know all the different treatment options. Most studies so far on red light therapy show that there's some potential for improving certain conditions, but, as we have mentioned and emphasized, it is nice to have more evidence and more research. And also, excessive use of it can lead to skin damage and it's not known through randomized, controlled trials what intensity or length of exposure is best for healing different skin conditions versus joint aches and pains which are deeper, and there has been reports of burns and lesions and even blistering, which can lead to infection, as well as the potential for eye damage. So more research is needed and and again, we want to have you consult your physician before starting therapy and for any condition that might be nagging you, whether it's hair thinning, whether it's rosacea, whether it's acne, whether it's joint pain, whether it's uh, I'd like to lose some weight, uh like.
Speaker 1:What wavelength should you be exposed to during the day?
Speaker 1:Generally speaking, earlier in the day, bright natural sunlight is best for helping to reset your circadian rhythm, and sleep is the foundation for healing, and sleep is the foundation for healing when you're asleep.
Speaker 1:That's when your body is regenerating and your brain is refreshing, and so optimizing your sleep and nutrition should generally be first on your list of things to do when you're dealing with something that is bothering you or whether you're just on that holy grail of anti-aging, but beware of anything that sounds too good to be true is usually. I think that's kind of a good rule of thumb, and as more information comes in, we will post it on our website or social media. If you don't follow us on social media, we're on all the different channels, all the different apps called Speaking of Women's Health, and so thank you for listening to the Speaking of Women's Health podcast. Don't miss any future episodes. Subscribe or follow wherever you listen to podcasts on Apple, itunes, spotify, tunein and if you've enjoyed this episode and you want to help support us, please give us a five-star rating and you can go on the website and hit donate, because we are a non-profit and we look forward to seeing you next time in the Sunflower House. Remember, be strong, be healthy and be in charge.
