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Red Light Therapy has found its place in the routines of skincare enthusiasts, athletes, and even medical professionals. This innovative therapy utilizes specific wavelengths of light to penetrate the skin, offering a multitude of benefits.
For skincare aficionados, Red Light Therapy means visibly rejuvenated skin, reduced appearance of fine lines, and a glowing complexion. Athletes and astronauts have also embraced Red Light Therapy for its potential to support overall wellness and recovery.
As the various communities continue to explore different approaches, the integration of Red Light Therapy with workout routines in particular is gaining momentum. This therapy promises to enhance not only your skin's appearance but also your fitness experience, depending on the device you use. So, here’s what to know about Red Light Therapy and your workouts!
What Are the Different Types of Red Light Therapy?
Red Light Therapy is ultimately a type of treatment that utilizes specific wavelengths of light to penetrate the skin, promoting various benefits depending on the device and application. It's non-invasive, painless, and can be done in both a professional setting or at home, again depending on the device.
The origins of Red Light Therapy can be traced back to NASA, where it was initially developed to aid in plant growth experiments in space. Scientists soon discovered its potential benefits for human health, particularly in promoting wound healing and tissue repair. This groundbreaking discovery paved the way for other applications, including in skincare and athletic performance.
For skincare enthusiasts, Red Light Therapy offers a multitude of benefits. It is renowned for its ability to support healthy collagen reduction, which helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and give skin a visibly rejuvenated look. With professional-grade at-home Red Light Therapy devices available, this easy treatment is becoming a popular upgrade for skincare routines.
Athletes, too, have embraced Red Light Therapy for its potential to enhance performance and recovery. The therapy is known to aid in muscle recovery by reducing inflammation and promoting faster healing of tissues. This can be particularly beneficial after intense workouts, helping athletes return to peak performance more quickly.
So comes the question: “Should I do Red Light Therapy Before or After a Workout?”
Should I Do Red Light Therapy Before or After a Workout?
For muscle recovery, post-workout sessions are ideal, as Red Light Therapy devices designed for fitness and exercise applications can help reduce inflammation and promote tissue healing, helping you recover more efficiently. If skincare is your focus, using Red Light Therapy either before or after a workout will offer visible rejuvenation and reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, though either way you'll want to make sure your skin is clean and dry for your session.
Red Light Therapy for Exercise Applications
Adding Red Light Therapy into your post-workout routine can help support muscle recovery by relieving feelings of soreness and promoting healing. This specialized version of Red Light Therapy penetrates deep into muscle tissues, reducing inflammation and supporting repair, making it ideal for athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking easy but effective recovery solutions.
By targeting specific muscle groups immediately after exercise, you can optimize recovery, reduce soreness, and return to your fitness activities with renewed energy and improved performance. Whether you're an athlete or simply looking to boost your exercise routine, Red Light Therapy can be a game-changer in achieving your fitness goals.
Note that you'll specifically need to use devices designed for muscle recovery, as Red Light Therapy skincare devices won't offer these benefits.
Red Light Therapy for Skincare
While you can certainly do a Red Light Therapy skincare treatment before your workout, it often fits more seamlessly into your post-workout skincare routine. After exercising, your skin is typically in need of a refresh, making it the perfect time to indulge in this therapeutic treatment.
Post-workout, start by cleansing your skin to remove sweat and impurities, ensuring a clean, dry surface for optimal light absorption. Your how-to will differ depending on which device you use, but most instructions will generally be along the lines of: turn the device on, treat for the recommended time, turn the device off (our devices automatically shut off after treatment is complete!). Following your Red Light Therapy session, you can apply your favorite serums and moisturizers as usual!
With that, you'll have that post-workout glow perfectly complemented by a post-skincare routine glow, too!
Conclusion
The general recommendation for Red Light Therapy for exercise-induced muscle damage is to use it after your workout to optimize recovery. When it comes to skincare (which is where we're experts in), we recommend doing Red Light Therapy as part of your post-workout skin cleanse and refresh.
All of that said, whether you choose to use Red Light Therapy before or after your workout, and whether for your skin or your muscles (or both), you can experiment to help you discover what suits you best!
Remember, you'll need different Red Light Therapy devices for different applications, since our skincare devices are designed for skincare and other devices are designed for their own uses. Whichever you use, we know you'll love what Red Light Therapy has to offer!
To get matched with your perfect Red Light Therapy device, take our Device Quiz here for custom recommendations based on your skin, goals, and more!
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