Evan Bernstein

Yeah, a treatment that uses specific wavelengths of red and near infrared light directed at the body.

It's unlike ultraviolet light, which can damage skin.

These longer wavelengths penetrate the surface and are absorbed by cells, particularly within the mitochondria, the structures responsible for producing cellular energy.

The idea is that this light exposure, red light therapy exposure, can boost energy production at the cellular level, potentially enhancing repair processes, reducing inflammation, and improving overall tissue function.

Now in practice, red light therapy shows up in a wide range of settings and places you'll find it.

For example, dermatologists will use it in clinical environments to help with skin conditions like acne, wound healing, and signs of aging like wrinkles.

But it's also used in treatments for hair loss, where they apply light to the scalp to stimulate hair follicles.

Now, outside of medicine, it's been embraced by the wellness and fitness world, where it's marketed for things like muscle recovery.

reduced soreness after exercise, and even improved athletic performance.

And more recently, it's been promoted for things like chronic pain and improving your mood and brain health.

So a pretty wide range of things there.

Red light therapy can be called a non-drug and non-invasive solution, so you can see why it would have an appeal to many people who, for whatever reasons, have a distrust of modern medicines and treatments.

And red light therapy is very much in fashion right now.

It's being touted for all sorts of things, some of them within the scope of reasonableness and things really outside on the fringes.

But is it some kind of panacea?

Hardly.

I don't think so.

But what do physicians who understand science-based medicine have to say about red light therapy?

Steve, you directed me to an article that Scott Gavura wrote for science-based medicine recently about red light therapy.

I'll give you a couple lines from his article there.