The technology
Light Therapy
The process
How light therapy works
-
Light reaches the skin
Red and near-infrared wavelengths pass through the surface of the skin to reach the cells, blood vessels and tissue beneath. These wavelengths are non-UV and non-ionising, so they deliver energy without heat or damage.
-
Cells absorb the light
A light-sensitive enzyme inside your mitochondria, cytochrome c oxidase, absorbs these wavelengths. It sits at the centre of the way every cell produces energy.
-
Cellular energy production increases
Absorbed light stimulates the mitochondria to make more adenosine triphosphate (ATP) — the fuel for every cellular process — and prompts a brief release of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and lifts circulation.
-
Repair and renewal are supported
With more energy available, cells work more efficiently: they calm inflammation, lower oxidative stress and speed up repair. Over a course of sessions this shows as firmer, clearer, more resilient skin and faster recovery.
Wavelengths & modes
Every wavelength and light mode, and what each one does
Each colour of light is absorbed at a different depth and does a different job. Every card shows its face, body, hair and wellness uses.
-
Blue light LEDReaches surface layers only
Around 460 nm
ReachesSurface layers of the skin
Absorbed by pigments inside acne bacteria, triggering a burst of reactive oxygen that destroys them, while calming the oil glands beneath.
- Face — clears active breakouts and calms oily, congested skin
- Body — helps treat body acne on the back, chest and shoulders
Best forActive blemishes, breakout-prone and oily skin
-
Green light LEDReaches just beneath the surface
Around 505–530 nm
ReachesJust beneath the skin's surface, where pigment cells sit
Reaches the pigment-producing cells and lowers the activity of the enzymes they use to make melanin, without harming the cell.
- Face — evens tone, fades dark marks and post-breakout marks, calms redness and dullness
- Body — fades dark marks and uneven tone on other areas of skin
Best forUneven tone, dark marks, dullness and redness
-
Yellow / amber light LEDReaches upper-to-mid skin
Around 590 nm
ReachesUpper-to-mid skin, reaching surface blood vessels
Absorbed close to the surface, where it soothes reactive blood vessels and supports a bright, even, comfortable tone.
- Face — soothes redness and sensitivity, restores radiance and an even tone
- Body — calms redness and sensitivity beyond the face
Best forSensitive, reactive or flushed-looking skin
-
Red light LEDReaches into the dermis
Around 630–660 nm
ReachesInto the dermis — the skin's collagen layer
Absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria of fibroblasts, lifting cellular energy and driving collagen and elastin production.
- Face — collagen, fine lines and firmer texture
- Body — wound healing and skin repair
- Hair — the core hair-growth wavelength
- Wellness — evening use that does not disturb sleep
Best forFine lines, loss of firmness and overall skin quality
-
Near-infrared light LEDReaches through the dermis into tissue
Around 810–850 nm
ReachesThrough the dermis into muscle, joints and tissue
Invisible and the deepest-reaching LED wavelength; taken up by mitochondria in deeper tissue and released as a pulse of nitric oxide that widens vessels.
- Body — muscle recovery, joints, circulation and deep inflammation
- Wellness — whole-body panels; studied for sleep and general recovery
- Face — deep dermal support beneath the collagen layer
Best forRecovery, joint comfort and deep repair
-
Red + near-infrared Combined modeReaches from the dermis to deep tissue in one pass
Around 660 + 850 nm
ReachesSurface to deep, in a single session
Runs visible red and invisible near-infrared together, so the collagen layer and the tissue beneath it are treated at once — the most complete rejuvenation setting.
- Face & body — complete rejuvenation and recovery in one pass
- Wellness — the everyday full-body default
Best forAll-round skin quality — the everyday default
-
Complete (purple) mode Combined modeReaches from the surface to deep tissue in one pass
450 + 660 + 850 nm
ReachesSurface to deep, in a single session
Runs blue, red and near-infrared together, so a congested scalp environment is calmed at the surface while the follicle and root are supported at depth — the combined output reads as a soft purple glow.
- Scalp — calms an oily, congested environment while supporting follicle activity and root strength
- Wellness — a single complete session instead of switching between modes
Best forComplete scalp support — oil balance, circulation and follicle activity together
-
1064 nm near-infrared laser LaserReaches the deepest of any skincare wavelength
1064 nm
ReachesThe deepest reach of any skincare wavelength
A focused, coherent beam carries further and more precisely than an LED, delivering a stronger, targeted dose to the deep dermis for firming and contour.
- Face — deep dermal firming, lifting and contour
- Clinic-grade — a stronger, more targeted dose than an LED
Best forAdvanced firming, deeper lines and contour
Depth
How far each wavelength reaches
Wavelength decides depth. Shorter wavelengths stay near the surface; longer wavelengths and focused laser carry into the dermis and the tissue beneath.
Benefits
What light therapy can do
One technology, four areas of use. Each benefit is linked to the wavelengths that drive it.
Face & skin
-
Skin rejuvenation
Red and near-infrared light stimulate fibroblasts to rebuild collagen and elastin, visibly improving firmness, smoothness and overall skin quality.
630–850 nm -
Collagen & elastin support
By energising the cells that produce the skin's structural proteins, light therapy helps restore the support network that keeps skin plump and lifted.
630–660 nm -
Fine lines & texture
Regular sessions soften the look of fine lines, refine the appearance of pores and even out rough or uneven texture for a smoother surface.
630–660 nm -
Breakout & acne support
Blue light targets acne-causing bacteria on the skin while red light calms the inflammation around a breakout, helping clear congestion and prevent new blemishes.
460 nm + 630 nm -
Uneven tone & post-breakout marks
Green and amber light act on pigment-producing cells and visible redness, gradually improving the appearance of dark marks, sun spots and blotchiness for a more even complexion.
505–590 nm
Body & recovery
-
Muscle recovery
Near-infrared light reaches muscle tissue to reduce delayed-onset soreness, support protein synthesis and shorten recovery time after training.
810–850 nm -
Joint comfort & pain relief
By calming inflammation and boosting local circulation, near-infrared light offers natural relief for stiff, aching joints and everyday muscular pain.
810–850 nm -
Inflammation support
Light therapy helps modulate inflammatory signalling and reduce oxidative stress, supporting the body's own resolution of redness, swelling and irritation.
630–850 nm -
Tissue repair & wound healing
Red and near-infrared light are used clinically to speed wound closure and support skin and connective-tissue repair, by raising cellular energy and calming inflammation in the area [2, 9].
630–850 nm -
Full-body panel treatment
A standing or lying panel treats large areas at once — back, legs, joints, whole torso — for recovery, circulation and general wellness in a single 10–20 minute session.
Red + NIR -
Body blemish support
Blue light's antibacterial effect on acne isn't limited to the face — it's also used to calm breakouts on the back, chest and shoulders.
460 nm -
Body tone & redness
Green and amber light's tone-evening, redness-calming effect works the same way on the body as it does on the face — fading dark marks and soothing sensitive-looking skin wherever it's needed.
505–590 nm
Hair & scalp
-
Fuller-looking hair density
In sham-controlled trials, red light around 650–660 nm significantly increased hair count and density over 16–24 weeks of consistent use [7].
650–660 nm -
Thicker individual strands
Alongside count, trials measure an increase in the diameter of existing hairs, so the hair that is there looks and feels denser [7].
650–660 nm -
A longer active growth phase
Light is proposed to hold more follicles in anagen — the growing phase — and coax resting follicles back into it, which is how density builds over a course [7].
650–670 nm -
Less visible thinning
With consistent use over several months, the most common outcome people report is that a thinning area looks fuller and the parting less obvious [7].
650–670 nm
Hair & scalp
How light therapy supports hair growth
Hair needs a dedicated scalp device — the right wavelengths, shaped to the head and held close for long enough. This is the pathway it follows.
-
The right wavelengths reach the follicle
Red light around 650–670 nm and near-infrared pass through the scalp to the hair bulb and the stem-cell-rich bulge, where growth is controlled. Facial and body devices are not tuned or shaped for this.
-
Light is absorbed by follicle cells
Cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria of the dermal papilla and the surrounding follicle cells takes up the light — the same absorption step as in skin, in a different target.
-
Cellular energy and scalp circulation rise
ATP production increases, nitric oxide is released, and blood flow around the follicle improves, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to a structure with a very high energy demand.
-
Follicles are nudged toward growth
Resting follicles are prompted into the anagen phase and growing hairs are held there longer. Over a course of months this shows as more density, thicker strands and a thinning area that looks fuller [7].
Light & biology
Light meets biology
Light is also a timing signal. Through the eyes and the skin it shapes the daily hormone rhythm that runs sleep, mood and energy — for everyone. General daylight sets the clock; red and near-infrared photobiomodulation works at the cell.
-
Melatonin & sleep
Melatonin sets the body's sleep signal. Bright and blue-rich light in the evening suppresses it, while warm red light does not — and whole-body red-light exposure before bed is being studied for deeper, more restorative sleep [8, 10].
Evening red -
Cellular energy & nitric oxide
Red and near-infrared light lift ATP production in the mitochondria and prompt a brief release of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients — the shared mechanism behind most of light therapy's effects [1, 10].
630–850 nm -
Dopamine, motivation & focus
Dopamine drives motivation, focus and reward. Morning bright-light exposure is linked with steadier daytime dopamine signalling, and dedicated near-infrared devices are being researched for their effect on brain mitochondria, alertness and mood [10].
Bright light + NIR -
Serotonin & mood
Serotonin steadies mood and is a building block for melatonin at night. Bright light — ideally daylight, or a bright lamp in darker months — is the best-established non-drug way to support it, and is used clinically for seasonal low mood [10].
Bright daylight -
Cortisol & the stress rhythm
Cortisol should peak in the morning and fall through the day. Getting light early helps anchor that curve; bright light late at night can flatten it. A well-timed rhythm supports energy, focus and calm [10].
Morning light -
Circadian rhythm
A master clock in the brain reads light to keep sleep, hormones, digestion and body temperature on a 24-hour cycle. Consistent light in the morning and dim, warm light at night keep it aligned — the foundation the other pathways sit on [10].
Light timing
The research
Backed by science
- 6,000+ Published studies
- 50+ Years of research
- Non-UV No ultraviolet, non-ionising
- FDA-cleared Light-therapy devices in the category
Common questions
Frequently asked
What is light therapy?
Light therapy, or LED therapy, is the use of specific colours of light to support the skin and body. Each wavelength is absorbed differently and does a different job — from clearing breakouts to rebuilding collagen. It is non-invasive, painless and free of UV.
What is photobiomodulation?
Photobiomodulation is the scientific name for how light therapy works: light-sensitive structures in your cells absorb particular wavelengths and respond by producing more energy, calming inflammation and accelerating repair.
What is the difference between visible light and near-infrared light?
Visible light — blue, green, amber, red — you can see, and it works on the skin's surface and mid layers. Near-infrared light is invisible and carries more deeply, reaching muscle, joints and tissue for recovery and deep repair.
Which colour is suited to which concern?
Blue for breakouts, green for uneven tone and marks, amber for redness and radiance, red for firmness and fine lines, near-infrared for recovery and deep repair. Many devices combine several in one session.
What is the difference between blue and green light?
Blue light targets the bacteria involved in active breakouts. Green light works on the pigment-producing cells behind dark marks and uneven tone, and helps calm the look of redness. For acne-prone skin they are complementary: blue for the spots, green for what they leave behind.
How often is light therapy normally used?
Most routines start at three to five sessions a week, building toward daily use within the device's recommended limit. Consistency matters far more than long individual sessions.
How long does a session take?
Typically 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the device and wavelength. Hands-free masks and panels let you treat while you relax.
When may results become visible?
A fresh, calm glow is often visible straight away. Skin changes — firmness, tone, fewer breakouts — usually become clear after four to twelve weeks of regular use. Hair and recovery benefits build over a similar period.
Can different wavelengths be combined?
Yes. Combining red and near-infrared is standard for skin and recovery, and many devices layer in blue, green or amber for targeted concerns. Using them together in one session is effective and time-efficient.
Does light therapy contain UV?
No. LED light therapy uses only visible and near-infrared wavelengths. There is no ultraviolet and nothing ionising, so it does not carry the skin-damage or cancer risk linked to sun exposure or tanning beds.
Can light therapy be used by all genders?
Yes. The way light interacts with skin cells, mitochondria and tissue is the same for everyone. Light therapy is for all skin tones and all genders.
Who should speak to a healthcare professional first?
Anyone who is pregnant, has a history of light-triggered seizures, takes medication or uses products that increase light sensitivity (some acne treatments, antibiotics and retinoids), has a photosensitive condition such as lupus, or has an active skin cancer or undiagnosed lesion in the treatment area.
Which AELVAY device should I choose?
It depends on your main goal and the area you want to treat. Explore the AELVAY light-therapy devices below — each page lists its wavelengths, treatment area and recommended routine so you can match it to your skin or recovery needs.