The Science
Photobiomodulation, described plainly and without the hype
What the light is, what the literature proposes, what dose means, and where the evidence is thin. We cite the research descriptively. We do not claim our devices reproduce it.
What has been measured
The vocabulary of the field, and what each study set out to record
Skin
- Intradermal collagen density
- Skin elasticity
- Tone and texture scoring
- Participant-reported satisfaction
- Wavelength and dose response
Body
- Muscle recovery protocols
- Local blood flow
- Session timing before and after training
- Mitochondrial light absorption
- Wavelength and dose response
Scalp
- Hair count per square centimetre
- Sham-controlled, double-blind design
- Scalp coverage and distance
- Mitochondrial light absorption
- Wavelength and dose response
These are independent published studies on red and near-infrared wavelengths. They were not conducted on Skyluxe devices, they are described here rather than interpreted, and nothing on this page claims this product will reproduce their results.
What the technology is
Photobiomodulation is the term used in the literature for the application of low-level red and near-infrared light to tissue. It describes a method of exposure, not an outcome.
Red light sits roughly between 620 and 700 nanometres and is visible. Near-infrared begins past about 780 nanometres and is largely invisible, which is why a device running near-infrared alone can look almost switched off while drawing full power.
A device is fully described by four things: the wavelengths it emits, the intensity of that emission at a stated distance, the area it covers, and how long it runs. Everything else on a product page is packaging.
The mechanism described in the literature
The most commonly proposed mechanism in published work involves cytochrome c oxidase, an enzyme in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, which absorbs light in the red and near-infrared range. Researchers have described downstream effects on cellular energy production and signalling following that absorption.
This is a description of a proposed mechanism reported in the scientific literature. It is not a statement that any Skyluxe device produces any particular effect in you. Research findings in cell cultures and in controlled trials do not transfer automatically to a consumer device used at home.
We think that distinction matters enough to state twice, so: the research below is cited descriptively. We are not claiming our products replicate its outcomes.
Dose is the variable most people get wrong
Dose is expressed in joules per square centimetre and equals irradiance multiplied by exposure time. Two devices with very different intensities can deliver a comparable dose if the distances and durations differ accordingly.
This is why an irradiance figure quoted without a distance is unusable, and why a session length quoted without an intensity is equally unusable. They only mean something together.
The literature also frequently describes a biphasic dose response — that increasing dose past a point does not continue to increase the observed effect, and can reduce it. Practically, that argues for short consistent sessions rather than long occasional ones.
What the evidence base actually looks like
It is uneven. There is a substantial body of laboratory work, a smaller body of controlled human trials, considerable variation in the wavelengths, doses and devices used between studies, and a lot of small sample sizes.
Reviews in the field routinely note that inconsistent dosing and reporting between studies makes results hard to compare. Anyone telling you the science is settled has not read much of it.
What that means for a buyer: treat this as a category with a plausible mechanism and mixed, developing evidence. Buy it because you want to try it for general wellbeing, on a trial you can return from. Do not buy it as a substitute for care from a health practitioner.
Safety and sensible use
Red and near-infrared light is not ultraviolet. It does not tan and it does not burn in the way UV does. The emitters are nonetheless bright, so do not look into them, and keep your eyes closed during face sessions.
Some medications and topical products increase photosensitivity. Some conditions, and pregnancy, warrant a conversation with a practitioner before starting anything new. If any of that applies to you, have the conversation first.
Stop if a device becomes uncomfortably warm, and stop if your skin reacts. Neither is normal.
References
Cited descriptively. These papers describe the field; none of them tested a Skyluxe device, and none of them should be read as evidence about our products.
- 01Hamblin MR. Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. AIMS Biophysics. 2017;4(3):337–361.
- 02Chung H, Dai T, Sharma SK, Huang YY, Carroll JD, Hamblin MR. The nuts and bolts of low-level laser (light) therapy. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 2012;40(2):516–533.
- 03Huang YY, Chen ACH, Carroll JD, Hamblin MR. Biphasic dose response in low level light therapy. Dose-Response. 2009;7(4):358–383.
- 04Avci P, Gupta A, Sadasivam M, et al. Low-level laser (light) therapy in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2013;32(1):41–52.
- 05de Freitas LF, Hamblin MR. Proposed mechanisms of photobiomodulation or low-level light therapy. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics. 2016;22(3):7000417.
Important
Skyluxe devices are general wellbeing products. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information on this site is general in nature and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified health practitioner before starting any new routine, particularly if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or take photosensitising medication.
Take the practical part with you
The Red Light Dosing Guide
Everything on this page turned into something you can act on: how to set distance and duration together, how to read an irradiance figure, and how to tell a measured number from a marketing one.
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Applying it
Dose is set by the device you actually use
Everything above comes down to wavelength, distance and duration. Each device in the range fixes two of those three for you, which is the only reliable way to keep a dose consistent week to week.