Infrared Light is medicine

This article is about the science and health benefits of infrared light for your body.

If you've heard about red light therapy or infrared saunas and felt overwhelmed by the science, you're not alone. This guide breaks down exactly what these different types of light do, how they work in your body, and why they matter for your health—in plain English.

The Three Types of Infrared Light: What Makes Them Different?

Not all infrared light is created equal. Each type has a different wavelength, penetrates your body to different depths, and triggers different healing responses.

Red Light (620–700 nanometers)

Red light sits at the edge of visible light—the deepest red you can see with your eyes. Most therapeutic red light devices use wavelengths between 630–670 nm because this range is optimal for skin and surface tissue healing. At Placerville Sauna our device uses 650nm.

How deep it goes: Roughly 2–5 millimeters (1/4 inch) into your skin (about the thickness of a few credit cards stacked together).

Primary benefits:

• Stimulates collagen production for healthier, younger-looking skin.

• Reduces wrinkles, improves skin texture, and helps with acne and scars.

• Supports hair regrowth when applied to the scalp.

• Improves retinal function and eye health with specific protocols.

• Reduces pain and inflammation in superficial tissues.

Near-Infrared Light (700–1,400 nanometers)

Near-infrared (NIR) is just beyond what your eyes can see. Therapeutic devices typically use 760 nm, 810 nm, or 850 nm because these wavelengths penetrate deeper into your body. At Placerville Sauna we use 850nm.

How deep it goes: Several millimeters to 2–3 centimeters (nearly an inch), reaching muscles, joints, tendons, and even brain tissue through the skull.

Primary benefits:

• Penetrates deep into muscles, joints, and tendons to reduce pain and support recovery.

• Helps heal tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue.

• Reaches brain tissue to support cognitive function, mood, and mental clarity.

• Assists with nerve repair and neuropathic pain.

• Supports bone healing and regeneration.

Far-Infrared Light (3,000–100,000 nanometers)

Far-infrared (FIR) is the type of heat you feel from the sun or an infrared sauna. It's much longer wavelength and works completely differently than red and NIR light.

How deep it goes: Contrary to what you may be thinking, FIR light is absorbed at the surface (less than 1 millimeter) by the water molecules in your cells. Those water molecules start to vibrate, producing heat that spreads deeper through your tissues.

Primary benefits:

• Creates deep, comfortable heat that warms your body from the inside.

• Improves cardiovascular function and circulation.

• Promotes sweating and detoxification.

• Relieves muscle and joint pain through heat therapy.

• Supports relaxation and stress reduction.

• Works at lower air temperatures than traditional saunas.

How it all works

Imagine every cell has tiny power plants—mitochondria—that run your cells energy production. Red and NIR light help charge those cells, like stepping on the throttle for those power plants.

When red or NIR light hits your skin, it penetrates to your cells and is absorbed by special light-sensitive molecules called chromophores. The most important chromophore is an enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), which sits inside your mitochondria and plays a crucial role in energy production.

Here's where it gets interesting. Under normal conditions, a molecule called nitric oxide (NO) can bind to CCO and slow down your cells' energy production—like putting a foot on the brake pedal.

When red or NIR light is absorbed by CCO, it knocks that nitric oxide off the enzyme, releasing the brake. This allows your mitochondria to:

• Speed up electron transport (the process that creates energy)

• Increase ATP production (ATP is your cells' fuel)

• Optimize the signals that control inflammation and repair

With more energy and better cellular signaling, your cells can:

• Repair damage more effectively

• Reduce inflammation throughout your body

• Produce growth factors that trigger healing

• Function more efficiently overall

  
  

In simple terms: red and NIR light give your mitochondria a boost, which helps your cells repair, calm inflammation, and work better.

Far Infrared light is different: it doesn’t “talk” to CCO in the same way. Instead, it vibrates water molecules, converts to heat, opens blood vessels, and gets your heart and sweat glands working. That still helps tissues—by bringing in nutrients and clearing waste—but through warmth and circulation rather than direct mitochondrial signaling.

Why Your cells Might Need a Boost

When a cell’s mitochondria are underpowered, that cell is basically tired. It can’t repair itself as efficiently, manage inflammation and oxidative stress as well, or perform its job (muscle contraction, nerve signaling, collagen production, etc.) at full capacity.

If red and NIR light "charge up" your mitochondria, why aren't they working at full capacity already?

Several factors can reduce your baseline energy production.

Aging and Oxidative Damage

As you age, accumulated damage to mitochondrial DNA and enzymes reduces their efficiency at producing energy.

Metabolic and Inflammatory Conditions

Obesity, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and chronic inflammation all impair mitochondrial function and ATP production.

Toxins and Medications

Some environmental toxins and drugs can directly inhibit your mitochondria's ability to generate energy.

Poor Nutrition and Circulation

Without adequate fuel (nutrients) and oxygen delivery, mitochondria can't produce optimal ATP even if they're healthy.

Genetic Factors

Some people have inherited mitochondrial diseases or variations that reduce their baseline energy capacity.

The bottom line: Most people's mitochondria are operating below their potential due to age, lifestyle, inflammation, or health conditions—which is exactly why light therapy can make such a noticeable difference.

Can You Overdo Red Light or NIR Therapy?

Yes, and it's important to understand why. Red and near-infrared light follow what scientists call a "biphasic dose response"—a little is good, more can be better, but too much reverses the benefits.

What Happens With Too Much Exposure

When you use excessive intensity, duration, or frequency, you may experience:

• Reduced benefits: Instead of boosting energy, very high doses can temporarily stress mitochondria and actually reduce ATP production.

• Oxidative stress: Excessive light creates too much reactive oxygen species (ROS), shifting from beneficial signaling to actual cellular damage.

• Skin irritation: Redness, dryness, or increased sensitivity in treated areas

• Disrupted sleep or feeling "wired": Some people report restlessness or headaches when they overdo session.

• Temporary increased soreness: Paradoxically, too much light can amplify inflammation temporarily.

  
  

Finding Your Sweet Spot

For most people using commercial red/NIR panels:

• Distance: 6–18 inches from the device

• Duration: 5–20 minutes per session

• Frequency: 3–7 times per week

• Intensity matters: Start conservatively and increase gradually

The goal is consistent, moderate stimulation—not marathon sessions. More is only better up to a point.

Wrapping up: which light do you want?

All in all infrared light therapy targets your cellular components to boost energy production which then leads to better functioning cells and a healthier body. Funny enough, doing regular sauna also boosts your cellular energy, but, by different mechanisms. Red Light Therapy does have the added benefit of boosting collagen production but should be used in small doses.

Red light, near-infrared, and far-infrared therapies are backed by hundreds of peer-reviewed studies showing real, measurable benefits. They work through fundamentally different mechanisms—cellular "charging" versus therapeutic heat—but both tap into your body's natural healing processes.

All three are just different ways of working with the same idea: using light as a gentle tool to help your body do what it’s already designed to do—repair, balance, and thrive.

The real question lingering at the end is: When you picture your next session, do you see a glowing red panel, a deep‑warming infrared cabin, or a combo of both—and what’s the first thing you’d want that light to help you change?

Quick guide to Infrared light therapy

Use Red Light (630–670 nm) For:

• Skin health, anti-aging, and collagen production

• Wound healing and scar reduction

• Hair regrowth

• Eye health (with proper protocols and distance)

• Surface-level pain and inflammation

  
  

Use Near-Infrared (810–850 nm) For:

• Deep muscle, joint, and tendon pain

• Sports recovery and injury healing

• Cognitive support and brain health

• Nerve pain and neuropathy

• Conditions requiring deeper tissue penetration

  
  

Use Far-Infrared (Sauna) For:

• Full-body relaxation and stress relief

• Cardiovascular conditioning

• Detoxification through sweating

• Chronic muscle and joint pain (heat therapy)

• General wellness and recovery

  
  

Combine Them For Maximum Benefit:

Many people use red + NIR panels for targeted photobiomodulation (3–5 times per week) alongside regular FIR sauna sessions (2–4 times per week) for complementary therapeutic effects.