Red Light Therapy
Simple, Natural Light with Real Cellular Impact
Your body runs on light more than most people realize. Specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light interact with your cells in ways that can support energy production, reduce inflammation, improve skin quality, and speed up recovery. No needles, no medication, no downtime.
At Olos Medicine, we use red light therapy as one more tool to help your body do what it already knows how to do: heal. It’s gentle, it’s well-researched, and when it’s paired with the rest of your care plan, it can make a real difference.
What is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy (also called photobiomodulation) uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to stimulate activity at the cellular level. Unlike UV light, which can damage tissue, red and near-infrared wavelengths penetrate the skin safely and are absorbed by structures inside your cells, particularly the mitochondria, which are responsible for producing the energy your body needs to function and repair.
Red light (typically around 630 to 660 nanometers) works closer to the skin’s surface, which is why it’s often used for skin health, collagen production, and wound healing. Near-infrared light (typically around 810 to 850 nanometers) reaches deeper into muscle, joint, and nerve tissue, which is why it’s used for pain, recovery, and inflammation support.
At Olos, we use clinical-grade red light therapy equipment that delivers both wavelengths in therapeutic doses, not the weak, scattered light you’d get from a consumer-level device.
How Red Light Therapy Works
When red and near-infrared light reach your cells, they’re absorbed by the mitochondria, the parts of the cell responsible for producing energy. That absorption kicks off a cascade of effects: your cells produce more ATP, inflammation decreases, circulation improves, and tissue repair signaling gets a boost.
During a session, you’ll sit, stand, or lie in front of a panel while the light does its work. Sessions are typically 10 to 20 minutes. You’ll feel a gentle warmth, nothing more intense, with no pain and no recovery time. Most people need a series of sessions to see the full benefit, especially for something specific like an injury, a skin concern, or chronic inflammation.
Cellular energy. Red light therapy stimulates your mitochondria to produce more ATP, the fuel your cells use for everything from healing to thinking to moving.
Reduced inflammation. The light helps quiet inflammatory signaling at the cellular level, which can ease pain, swelling, and chronic conditions over time.
Better circulation. Sessions improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues, supporting faster recovery and healthier-looking skin.
Non-invasive and easy. No needles, no downtime, no side effects to worry about. Just sit back, relax, and let the light do its job.
How Red Light Therapy Fits
Into Functional Medicine
Functional medicine is about supporting the root systems that keep your body well. Mitochondrial health is one of those foundational systems. When your mitochondria are struggling, everything struggles: energy, cognition, immune function, repair, mood. Red light therapy gives us a non-invasive way to support mitochondrial function directly.
That’s a big deal for patients dealing with fatigue, inflammation, slow recovery, or the kind of low-grade “I just don’t feel right” symptoms that don’t always show up on standard labs.
We also use red light therapy as a companion to other treatments. If you’re in a detox protocol, recovering from an illness, working through chronic pain, or trying to repair skin and tissue, red light can often accelerate and amplify the work we’re already doing. It’s not the whole plan. It’s one of the tools we pull from depending on what your body needs.
Red Light Therapy May help people experiencing:
Chronic pain and inflammation
Nerve pain or neuropathy
Joint stiffness and muscle soreness
Poor sleep and low energy
Scars, stretch marks, or sun damage
Tendonitis or repetitive strain
Don’t see your condition listed? That doesn’t mean we can’t help. Reach out and let’s talk.
What You May Feel During and After a Session
The session itself is simple. You’ll feel a soft, warm glow on your skin, and that’s about it. No discomfort, no sensation beyond gentle warmth. Many patients find it genuinely relaxing, a quiet pause in their day.
After a session, most people report:
Some effects, like the relaxation and the bump in energy, you may notice right away. Others, like skin changes, collagen support, and healing of a specific injury, build gradually over multiple sessions. That’s how this therapy works. It’s cumulative.
Everyone’s body responds a little differently. We’ll check in with you between sessions and adjust the frequency or protocol if needed.
How Red Light Therapy
Fits Into a Healing Plan
Red light therapy is one of the easier therapies to incorporate into a broader plan because it’s gentle, it pairs well with nearly everything, and it doesn’t require recovery time. That said, we don’t use it randomly. We use it intentionally.
Depending on what you’re working on, we may recommend red light therapy alongside hyperbaric oxygen therapy, PEMF, infrared sauna, IV therapy, nutrition support, or targeted supplementation. Each of these tools does something different. When we layer them correctly, they support each other and help your body move forward faster than any single therapy could on its own.
If you’re a current patient, your provider will talk with you about whether red light therapy makes sense for where you are in your care. If you’re new to Olos, we’ll start with a comprehensive visit so we understand what your body actually needs before we recommend anything.
What our patients are saying
“I’ve gotten more help and answers in one visit than years with other doctors, including the Mayo Clinic. Her knowledge and intuition have lead to the right tests and set me on a healing path. I am so grateful.”
– Jennifer V.
“Dr. Kat and her whole crew are compassionate, knowledgeable, and immensely supportive. I highly recommend her and her Olos Integrative team. Thank you so much!”
– Aaron R.
Ready to add Red Light therapy to your routine?
Whether you’re working on a specific issue or you’re just looking for one more way to support your body’s natural repair processes, our team can help you figure out whether red light therapy is a good fit. Reach out and let’s talk about what you’re working on.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a patient at Olos Medicine to use red light therapy?
For most of our red light protocols, yes. We want to make sure we understand your health picture before we build red light therapy into your care. Getting started as a patient is straightforward, and our team can walk you through it.
How long is a typical session?
Most red light therapy sessions at Olos run 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the protocol and what we’re targeting. Plan for about 30 minutes from arrival to departure.
Is it safe?
Red light therapy is one of the safest therapies available. There’s no UV exposure, no heat damage, and no known significant side effects when used properly. Our clinical team will walk you through any considerations specific to your situation before your first session.
Can I do red light therapy at home instead?
Consumer-grade devices can offer some benefit, but most don’t deliver the intensity or wavelength precision that clinical equipment does. For targeted therapeutic effects, in-clinic sessions produce more consistent, measurable results. That said, we’re happy to talk with you about whether an at-home device could complement your in-clinic care.
How often should I come in?
That depends on what we’re working on. For a specific injury or skin concern, we often recommend two to three sessions per week for a few weeks, then taper. For general support, one session a week or biweekly can be enough. Your provider will recommend a schedule based on your goals.
What can red light therapy help with?
We use red light therapy to support skin health and collagen production, wound and tissue healing, joint pain and stiffness, muscle recovery, inflammation, mitochondrial support, mood, and general resilience. It’s also commonly used alongside treatments for fatigue and chronic conditions where mitochondrial function plays a role.
Will I feel results right away?
Some people feel more relaxed or slightly more energetic after their very first session. Other benefits, particularly anything tissue-level like skin changes or injury repair, build over a series of sessions. Consistency is what makes the difference.
Is red light therapy available at both locations?
Red light therapy will be part of what we offer at our new Hudson clinic. Availability at the River Falls farm location may vary, so please check with our team when booking.
How do I get started?
Current patients can talk with their provider at their next visit or reach out to the team. If you’re new to Olos, contact us to schedule a consultation and we’ll take it from there.