Is red light therapy real or a scam?

Can shining a red light on your face really improve acne, wrinkles, inflammation, or wound healing, or is red light therapy just an expensive skincare scam involving a slightly alarming mask? How could ordinary visible light affect cells beneath your skin, and should you trust the products filling your social media feed? Melissa and Jam investigate photobiomodulation, mitochondria, collagen, blue light, FDA clearance, and the research behind this increasingly popular wellness trend. The answer is more scientifically interesting, and more complicated, than either of them expected. Support this podcast on Patreon Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com Watch our episodes on YouTube Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife Timestamps 00:00 — Is red light therapy real or a scam? 03:41 — How light transfers energy to molecules 06:24 — Is red light therapy actually infrared? 08:03 — How deeply can visible light penetrate your skin? 09:34 — What red light may do inside your mitochondria 12:00 — Oxygen transport and other possible mechanisms 13:39 — Could red light trigger collagen production and healing? 16:26 — What scientists know—and still don’t understand 20:45 — Red light, blue light, inflammation, and acne 30:03 — The major problems with current red light research 33:20 — What FDA clearance does—and doesn’t—mean 35:20 — How to evaluate a red light therapy device 40:04 — So, should you buy a red light mask? 44:06 — A new series idea: Is it a scam or is it chemistry? References from the Episode: Thanks to our monthly supporters Sara Hull Dog Day Dan Bri . Summer Alden Amanda Raymond Kyle McCray Justine Ash Vince W Julie S. Heather Ragusa Autoclave Dorien VD Scott Beyer Jessie Reder J0HNTR0Y Cullyn R Erica Bee Elizabeth P Rachel Reina Letila Katrina Barnum-Huckins Suzanne Phillips Venus Rebholz Jacob Taber Brian Kimball Kristina Gotfredsen Timothy Parker Steven Boyles Chris Skupien Chelsea B Avishai Barnoy Hunter Reardon Support this podcast on Patreon Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com Watch our episodes on YouTube Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.