Light plays a complicated role in health — and if you’re living with lupus, navigating its effects can feel especially confusing. You may have heard about red light therapy, infrared light, near-infrared, blue light, and more.

If you have systemic lupus erythematosus, the most common type of lupus, you’re likely familiar with how light exposure can affect your symptoms. Some types of light may trigger flares in people with photosensitivity, while others are being studied for their potential to relieve symptoms and enhance quality of life.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at red light therapy for lupus — what it is, how it works, and whether there’s any scientific evidence supporting its use. As always, be sure to consult your doctor before starting any new treatment.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a noninvasive treatment that uses low levels of red light to boost cellular energy. It’s thought that the red light stimulates the mitochondria — often called the “powerhouse” of the cell — which may help them function more efficiently.

Other names for red light therapy include photobiomodulation, phototherapy, and low-level laser therapy. Unlike infrared light, which is invisible and can penetrate deeper into the body, red light is visible and works best on the skin’s surface.

It’s best to receive red light therapy at a medical office by a trained dermatology professional. However, other locations like beauty spas and salons, wellness centers, and gyms also offer red light therapy; it just may not be as effective since the wavelength of the light can vary between devices. You can also administer it yourself using an at-home light therapy device. However, if you have lupus or another autoimmune disease, it’s best to check with your doctor before trying therapies like these.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Researchers are still exploring the health benefits of red light therapy because the studies that have been done so far are not high-quality. Some experts believe red light provides anti-inflammatory effects, stimulates production of collagen (a protein that supports skin structure), increases blood flow and circulation, and more.

Some providers use red light therapy to help:

• Promote wound healing
• Minimize fine lines, wrinkles, scars, and age spots
• Treat chronic pain
• Stimulate hair growth in people with alopecia (hair loss)
• Address psoriasis, eczema, and other skin conditions
• Repair skin damaged by sunburns and sun exposure

Some small studies have shown that red light therapy has the potential to help with specific health concerns. But more research is needed, especially research done on humans that includes a clinical trial where one group receives a placebo (inactive treatment) to avoid biased results. No scientific evidence shows that red light therapy helps with weight loss, cellulite reduction, depression, or seasonal affective disorder.

Red Light Therapy and Lupus

Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs. Since red light therapy has anti-inflammatory effects, it should help with lupus, right? Maybe. Lupus experts disagree on whether this is a promising treatment or not because more research is needed to evaluate its effect on lupus. No randomized controlled trials (the highest level of research) have been done on red light therapy in people with lupus.

A few MyLupusTeam members have shared their personal experiences with red light therapy:

• “It did not stop my hair from falling out or make the discoid rash on my scalp go away, but it did help with body aches, joint pain, and stiffness.”
• “I just started using it. I’m hoping it might help my hair loss to stop and maybe initiate some regrowth.”
• “I asked my rheumatologist about red light therapy, and he said absolutely not to try it because it may throw me into a flare.”

Can You Use Red Light if You Have Lupus?

For the general population, red light therapy is generally safe for short-term use and shouldn’t cause side effects when used as directed and administered with a device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The safety of long-term use has yet to be evaluated.

People with lupus are often sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, which is different from the type of light used in red light therapy. However, even though red light therapy doesn’t use ultraviolet light, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe for people with lupus. It’s possible that red light therapy may worsen your condition or trigger symptoms. If you have questions about the risks and benefits of red light therapy for lupus, talk to your healthcare provider.

Since the benefits of red light therapy haven’t been fully researched and it’s likely this type of treatment could irritate your skin and condition, it may not be worth the risk. Your healthcare provider can help you understand if red light therapy will worsen or improve your condition.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you want to try red light therapy, talk to your rheumatology provider or a doctor specializing in dermatology. Until you know how your body will react, it’s best to avoid pursuing red light treatment in nonmedical settings like gyms and salons. Be sure to seek out a licensed, certified facility if your doctor gives you the green light to receive red light therapy.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On MyLupusTeam, people share their experiences with lupus, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you tried red light therapy for lupus? Let others know in the comments below.