5 Best Lotions for Red Light Therapy

 

While there are certainly more serious health problems, skin conditions are uniquely difficult to fight. Issues like eczema, psoriasis, and acne breakouts are uncomfortable and painful, and the visible effects can be challenging to hide.

Thankfully, red light therapy is one way to treat a wide variety of skin problems. Red light therapy expedites your skin’s natural healing process by increasing blood flow, stimulating collagen production, and reducing inflammation. 

Once you decide red light therapy is the right treatment option for your skin, you can choose the best red light therapy lotion to use alongside it.

What Is Red Light Therapy Lotion?

So, what is red light therapy lotion?

“Red light therapy lotion” is an umbrella term for most types of topical skincare products used in combination with light therapy.

Some companies manufacture lotions specifically designed to be applied before or after red light therapy treatments. These lotions often tout skin-nourishing benefits like hydration, sun protection, and balancing your pH. 

Keep in mind that this is a new and emerging field, meaning more research is needed before we can make conclusive statements about each product’s efficacy. Like most aspects of your skincare routine, it may take some trial and error to discover the best red light therapy lotion for you.

Serums

One type of product considered a red light therapy lotion is the serum. A serum containing one or more of the following specific ingredients may be the best red light therapy lotion for you:

• Hyaluronic acid: Boosts hydration, increases moisture retention, strengthens the skin’s barrier, and speeds up healing.
• Vitamin C: Encourages collagen production, hydrates, brightens, speeds up healing, and reduces signs of aging, redness, and hyperpigmentation.
• Green tea: Prevents and delays cell damage, reactivates dying cells, shrinks pores, and reduces acne breakouts. In clinical studies, researchers found that green tea enhances the healing benefits of red light therapy.

If you prefer not to use serums in your skincare routine, or you already use a serum and want to try another red light therapy lotion, don’t sweat it — the best red light therapy lotion for you could still be out there. Read on!

Argan Oil

Applying topical argan oil after a red light therapy treatment session is an excellent way to nourish and hydrate your skin.

Abundant in vitamin E, argan oil is an antioxidant that can protect your skin from environmental damage. Because it reduces inflammation and expedites healing, argan oil products make excellent companions for red light therapy.

Peptides

Alternatively, a skincare product that contains peptides could be the best red light therapy lotion for you.

Peptides are amino acids, essential building blocks of your body’s proteins. When used in skincare products, peptides have a wide range of healing benefits, including:

• Producing collagen
• Promoting elasticity
• Reducing hyperpigmentation
• Decreasing inflammation
• Fighting acne-causing bacteria
• Unclogging pores

These skincare benefits become especially useful if you’re using red light therapy to reduce signs of aging or to treat acne breakouts.

Tanning Products

Some tanning lotions on the market claim to boost the benefits of red light therapy. As long as you choose high-quality products void of harmful ingredients like artificial fragrances and parabens, you shouldn’t experience any adverse side effects when combining tanning lotions with red light therapy.

Many people believe their skin looks healthier and younger when it’s tan and that tanning products contribute to a healthy glow. This is all about personal preference, so if your favorite tanning product boosts your confidence, go ahead and try it with red light therapy. Just be sure to pay close attention to how your skin feels before and after a treatment session.

If you happen to notice any adverse reactions to a tanning lotion or any other product, it’s best to discontinue use and try something else.

Makeup and Cosmetic Products

Speaking of boosting your confidence, there are countless makeup and cosmetic products you might be interested in trying alongside red light therapy.

It’s perfectly safe to wear makeup during your red light therapy sessions, though you may see better results without it. For example, a thick foundation or a cosmetic product containing UV protection might hinder light therapy’s effectiveness (though red light therapy should not contain UV light).

For this reason, we recommend makeup-free skin during treatment sessions so the red light has full access to your skin.

The Best Red Light Therapy Lotion: Final Thoughts

If you’re hunting for the best red light therapy lotion, try to be patient. As mentioned earlier, you might need to try a few different products before you find the best red light therapy lotion for you.

Generally, the stronger your skincare routine, the better results you can expect from red light therapy. It’s always a good idea to look for high-quality lotions free of harmful ingredients that might further irritate your skin, including parabens, mineral oils, petroleum byproducts, and artificial fragrances.

To find the best red light therapy lotion, pay close attention to all the ingredients, and if you spot one you don’t recognize, take a few minutes to look it up. Your skin will thank you.