Red light therapy bed: should you book sessions or buy one for home?
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- Opaque goggles you bring to every session. Best for: Anyone booking red light bed sessions at a gym or spa. See options on Amazon
- Full-length red and near-infrared LED mat. Best for: People who want a home option without a bed's footprint or wiring. See options on Amazon
- Large standing red light panel. Best for: Home users who want broad coverage in less floor space. See options on Amazon
What a red light bed is, and is not
A red light bed has a bottom panel you lie on and a top panel that lowers over you. Cleveland Clinic notes that red light therapy does not use ultraviolet light, unlike sunlight and tanning beds, so it is not a way to tan.
Cleveland Clinic lists spas, salons, saunas, tanning salons, gyms and wellness centers among the places offering red light therapy, and advises caution about who provides it and where. It also says there is not enough evidence yet to support most uses, and lists weight loss, cellulite removal and depression among uses with no scientific evidence.
For a fuller look at the research, see does red light therapy work.
Salon or gym sessions vs a bed at home
| Sessions at a gym, spa or salon | Bed at home | |
|---|---|---|
| Commitment | Pay per visit or by membership; easy to stop | A large one-time purchase |
| Space | None needed | One home bed's manual lists a bottom piece of 75 x 27 x 27 inches and a top piece that rises to 62 inches high |
| Weight and setup | Done for you | That bed's pieces weigh 200 and 220 pounds and need two people for parts of assembly |
| Power | Not your concern | That bed's pieces need separate 15 amp circuits or a single 20 amp circuit |
| Hygiene | Shared surfaces; ask how they clean between clients | Only your household uses it |
| Insurance | Cleveland Clinic says red light therapy typically is not covered, and repeated sessions add up | Expect to pay for it yourself |
Harvard Health notes that professional devices are likely to control the dose better than over-the-counter versions. That is one more reason to try a professional bed before buying.
Questions to ask a salon or gym
- What wavelengths and settings does the bed use? Staff should be able to name them.
- Is the bed cleared for a specific use, or sold as wellness? The FDA states that registering a company or listing a device does not mean the FDA approved it, so "FDA registered" tells you little.
- Do you provide eye protection? You should get goggles every session.
- How long is a session? One home bed's manual sets 10 minutes as standard and 20 as the maximum.
- How do you screen clients? A careful provider asks about pregnancy, light sensitivity and medicines.
If you do buy a home bed
- Check your wiring first. That bed's manual lists 120 V power, 900 W for the bottom and 1,400 W for the top, and recommends a GFCI outlet near water. An electrician can confirm your circuits.
- Measure floor and ceiling. Allow for the top piece at full height and room to get in and out.
- Start small. That manual suggests 2 to 3 minute first sessions, working up to 10 minutes, with at least 6 hours between sessions and at least one day off a week.
- Wear the goggles. It says eye protection should be worn when looking toward the lights, particularly when near-infrared, which is invisible, is on. See our eye protection guide.
- Keep it from children. The manual says not to let children use it except under adult supervision and after checking with a healthcare professional.
Who should not use a red light bed
The home bed manual lists absolute contraindications including recent burns, malignant cancers, pregnancy (for the abdomen), eye disease and light sensitivity. Its relative cautions include fever or infection, lupus, light-sensitizing medicines and tattoos. It also says not to use the bed during healing after LASIK. Harvard Health adds that people with light-sensitive conditions or on light-sensitizing medicines should avoid red light therapy.
If you want a smaller start, a red light mat or a single-area device lets you try light at home without a bed's size and wiring.
What to look for when you buy
Opaque goggles you bring to every session
Best for: Anyone booking red light bed sessions at a gym or spa
One bed maker says eye protection should be worn when looking toward the lights, and bringing your own pair means a clean, snug fit each time.
Watch out: Tinted glasses are not the same; choose goggles you cannot see through.
See options on AmazonFull-length red and near-infrared LED mat
Best for: People who want a home option without a bed's footprint or wiring
A mat lets you lie on red and near-infrared LEDs at home and plugs into a normal outlet, unlike a bed whose manual calls for dedicated circuits.
Watch out: Light reaches only one side at a time, and many mats are sold as wellness products.
See options on AmazonLarge standing red light panel
Best for: Home users who want broad coverage in less floor space
A tall panel treats one side of the body at a time while standing, and takes up a fraction of a bed's floor space.
Watch out: Large panels still draw a lot of power and need mounting or a stand; follow the maker's distance and timing.
See options on AmazonQuestions people ask
- Is a red light therapy bed the same as a tanning bed?
- No. Red light therapy does not use ultraviolet light, so it does not tan the skin.
- How long should you stay in a red light therapy bed?
- Follow the provider or manual. One home bed's manual sets 10 minutes as standard and 20 minutes as the maximum, starting new users at 2 to 3 minutes.
- How often can you use a red light bed?
- One bed maker allows 4 to 10 sessions a week with at least 6 hours between sessions and one day off. Cleveland Clinic describes treatment one to three times a week.
- Is a home red light therapy bed worth it?
- Only if you have already tried sessions, have the space and wiring, and accept that the evidence for full-body benefits is limited. Harvard Health notes professional devices likely control the dose better.
- Do you wear clothes in a red light therapy bed?
- Follow the provider's or the manual's guidance on what to wear, and always wear eye protection when facing the lights.
Sources
- Red Light Therapy: Benefits, Side Effects & Uses (my.clevelandclinic.org), Cleveland Clinic
- MitoRECHARGE Bed User Manual (cdn.shopify.com), Mito Red Light
- Is It Really 'FDA Approved'? (fda.gov), U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Red light therapy for skin care (health.harvard.edu), Harvard Health Publishing