The 411 on Red Light Therapy

Neelam B.
Mar 24
3 min read

I know I am showing my age, when I wrote 411 haha . Who remembers calling that number for information ? Maybe I should have "spilled the tea on red light therapy"!

Anyway, I digress! Let’s talk about red light therapy—aka the thing that sounds like sci-fi but is actually used by athletes, dermatologists, and biohackers alike!

A quick fun history.

Red light therapy didn’t start in a spa—it started in space.

Back in the 1990s, NASA was experimenting with red and near-infrared light to help plants grow in space. Then scientists noticed something interesting… It also seemed to help human cells repair themselves faster.

From there, the tech made its way into:

Medical research labs
Physical therapy clinics
Skincare offices
And eventually… your local wellness spa (and even at-home devices like Kala Therapy - more on that later!)

So yeah—space tech glow me up Scotty!

What Even Is Red Light Therapy?

In simple terms: It’s a treatment where you sit (or stand… or lie down) near a panel or device that shines low-level red and near-infrared light onto your skin.

No, it doesn’t burn you.No, it’s not tanning.Yes, you kinda look like a human tomato while doing it ! The light penetrates your skin and gets absorbed by your cells—specifically the mitochondria (your cells’ “power plants”). This helps them produce more energy, which can kickstart repair and recovery processes.

Think of it like giving your cells a tiny energy drink

Why I Love It

1. Skin Glow & Anti-Aging

Red light therapy is famous for:

Boosting collagen
Reducing wrinkles and fine lines
Improving skin tone and texture

Basically: smoother, glowier skin without needles.

2. Muscle Recovery & Performance

Athletes use it to:

Reduce soreness
Speed up recovery after workouts
Improve circulation

It’s like a recovery cheat code after leg day.

3. Healing & Inflammation Reduction

It may help:

Reduce inflammation
Speed up wound healing
Ease joint pain

That’s why it’s often used in physical therapy clinics.

4. Pain Relief

People with chronic pain (like back, neck, or joint issues) sometimes find relief because the light helps calm inflammation and improve blood flow.

5. Mood & Energy Boost (Emerging Benefit)

Some early research suggests it might:

Help with mood
Improve energy levels

Not a miracle cure—but a nice bonus some users report.

Real Talk (Because Not Everything Is Magic)

It’s not instant—consistency matters (think weeks, not one session)
Results vary from person to person
Not all devices are created equal (some are basically fancy flashlights)

So… Is It Worth Trying?

If you’re into:

Skincare upgrades
Hair growth hacks
Faster recovery
Non-invasive wellness stuff

Then yeah, it’s a pretty low-risk investment into your self-care!

Now, the brand that I looked into and bought several products from (including for my parents) is Kala Light Therapy. It’s a Canadian company, based right in Mississauga, Ontario and was featured on Dragons Den in 2021. The founder, Cam, is a super guy that I had the pleasure of meeting with last year. Fun fact: on my recent trip to India, I personally delivered the Kala Mini 2.0 to a client who is an athlete. (This brand is not sold there yet).

Kala’s latest products are a baseball cap for help with hair growth and a pet therapy bed for our four-legged friends.

I wanted to share the benefits of red light therapy with you, as I have done my research over the past couple of years, finally finding a company I could trust and have been very satisfied with the devices. Their customer care is awesome too.

If you are interested to know more and want to look around on the website and even go shopping, please do use Neelam's Kala Code for 15% off (and I will get a small referral fee should you choose to purchase). As always, please do reach out to me if you have any questions, or my opinion on a particular product!

Happy Red Light Shopping!

Neelam