Experience the benefits of color light therapy—a proven method using different colors of light to boost healing, mood, and skin health.
Color light therapy is a holistic approach that applies specific colors to help restore balance in the body. Rooted in ancient Mayan culture, the practice has been valued by many civilizations for its potential to support wellness. Today, researchers and clinicians are exploring its role in modern medicine and self-care.
In India, Ayurveda—an ancient medical system—holds that each person contains the five universal elements in unique proportions. When these elements become imbalanced, practitioners may use the energies of the color spectrum to encourage harmony.
Ancient Egyptians and Greeks followed the Hermetic tradition, employing colored minerals, crystals, salves, and dyes as remedies, and they painted healing sanctuaries in carefully chosen hues.
Traditional Chinese medicine pairs colors with specific organs and elemental systems, viewing health as a dynamic balance. Sir Isaac Newton later created the first color wheel by separating white sunlight into red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, and blue, then joining the ends to reveal the continuous spectrum.
Throughout history, light has been regarded as a powerful healing tool. Current studies in major hospitals and research centers suggest that full-spectrum, ultraviolet, colored, and laser light may offer supportive benefits for conditions such as chronic pain, depression, and certain immune imbalances.
Newton’s demonstration that white light can be split into distinct colors laid early groundwork for modern color therapy. Contemporary investigations are evaluating how controlled exposure to full-spectrum, ultraviolet, colored, or laser light might influence chronic pain, mood disorders, and immune function.
Color and light therapy has been reported to provide the following wellness benefits:
Color therapy research overview
Light therapy is also used to temporarily relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD affects individuals when the lack of sunlight results in seasonal depression. Phototherapy may ease SAD by resetting the internal biological clock (circadian rhythms), helping individuals sleep better and regulate mood. Companies such as GE and Philips have developed phototherapeutic products to support mood regulation.
Light therapy is also a growing option for anti-aging. Many users report a temporary reduction in the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, and age spots.
According to WebMD, light therapy “can be effective at improving the appearance of the face, neck, and chest by reducing signs of aging, wrinkles and age spots.” Combined with infrared therapy, LED phototherapy may help revitalize skin.
Color is light split into different wavelengths vibrating at different speeds and frequencies. Objects that absorb all wavelengths and do not reflect appear black; objects that reflect all wavelengths appear white. Between black and white lies color. Colors are wavelengths of energy that we perceive as color because of how an object absorbs or reflects that energy.
In the early 1990s, RLT was used by scientists to help grow plants in space. They found that intense red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) promoted growth and photosynthesis in plant cells.
Red light was then studied for medical use, specifically to see whether RLT could increase energy inside human cells. Researchers hoped RLT might treat muscle atrophy, slow wound healing, and bone density issues caused by weightlessness during space travel.
You may have heard of red light therapy (RLT) by its other names, which include:
Red is often called “The Great Healer” and remains the most popular light therapy. To wind down before bed, try red light. “The color signals that it’s night, which may encourage the body to produce melatonin,” says Michael Breus, Ph.D., an advisory board member for SleepScore Labs.
Red light may also support your workout. One to five minutes of exposure to red and infrared light before exercise has been linked to greater strength and less soreness, says Ernesto Leal-Junior, Ph.D., head of the Laboratory of Phototherapy in Sports and Exercise at Nove de Julho University in Brazil. “Certain wavelengths of red and infrared light—660 to 905 nanometers—can reach skeletal muscle tissue, stimulating the mitochondria to produce more ATP, the fuel cells use,” he explains.
Green is considered a universal healing color and, in some traditions, the color of love. Situated midway in the visible spectrum, it balances physical and spiritual qualities.
Viewing green light may reduce chronic pain (from conditions such as fibromyalgia or migraines) by up to 60 percent, according to a study in the journal Pain. Animal work suggests benefits can last up to nine days. “Looking at green light appears to increase the body’s production of enkephalins—natural, opioid-like pain relievers—and lowers inflammation, a factor in many chronic pain disorders,” says researcher Mohab Ibrahim, M.D., Ph.D.
More studies are needed before clinicians can recommend specific green-light protocols. Dr. Ibrahim advises consulting a physician before self-treating at home. Current evidence suggests that one to two hours of nightly exposure—using a green bulb or special tinted glasses—may lessen migraine frequency and other chronic pain.
Green light may also help treat and prevent hyper-pigmentation by inhibiting excess melanin production and breaking up existing surface clusters.
PubMed search: photobiomodulation
Yellow may help awaken mental inspiration and support a brighter outlook. It is sometimes chosen for nervous or nerve-related concerns, gently activating the solar plexus. Yellow is also thought to benefit the stomach, liver, and intestines, and may aid scarred skin by encouraging healthy tissue. These rays are believed to have an alkalizing effect that can strengthen the nerves, promoting clarity, curiosity, and self-control. Commonly addressed complaints include constipation, gas, liver discomfort, diabetes, eczema, and nervous exhaustion.
Yellow light is also used to calm redness, flushing, irritation, and rosacea, and may diminish the look of tiny facial blood vessels.
Blue-light therapy offers an additional option for acne management. Studies suggest that both in-office and home-use systems can produce positive results.
“Blue light therapy can help alleviate this common skin condition that affects roughly 50 million Americans and 94 percent of women,” notes Judith Hellman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. Dr. Hellman, who specializes in medical dermatology, laser surgery, and anti-aging treatments, explains how the technology works, its applications, and her clinical experience.
Cyan light offers a gentle acne approach by helping control surface oil and reduce inflammation. It may also support protein and collagen synthesis.
Orange is considered mentally freeing and may ease feelings of repression. Because it blends red’s physical energy with yellow’s mental focus, it is sometimes called “The Wisdom Ray.” Orange feels warm, cheering, and non-constricting.
PubMed research database U.S. FDA
Orange is thought to bridge the physical (red) and mental (yellow) realms, encouraging the body to heal while the mind assimilates new ideas. Many practitioners consider it a gentle emotional stimulant that may ease inhibitions and foster sociability. Some anecdotal reports also link orange exposure to relief from kidney inflammation, gallstones, menstrual cramps, epilepsy, productive coughs, and sinus complaints; these uses remain investigational.
Violet sits at the visible edge of the spectrum, just before ultraviolet. Proponents believe its subtle energy can quiet mental chatter, encourage creativity, and support contemplative practices. Leonardo da Vinci reportedly advised meditating under violet-tinted church windows to deepen focus, though modern evidence for such effects is limited.
Light or color therapy applies selected hues to influence mood and physiology. The approach assumes that wavelengths perceived as “warm” may invigorate, while “cool” ones can calm. Clinical support is mixed; speak with a qualified professional before substituting colored light for conventional care.
Infrared Light
Infrared energy penetrates 2–7 cm beneath the skin, reaching muscle, nerve, and bone. Laboratory work suggests that 700–1,000 nm wavelengths can modulate inflammation, but optimal dosing and patient selection continue to be studied.
Electrical stimulation for pain relief dates back to 2,750 BC, when electric eels were applied to the skin. Modern infrared devices—developed after the 1975 advent of TENS—aim to support wound healing, ease arthritic discomfort, and stimulate endorphin release without exposing users to ultraviolet radiation. Current evidence indicates that short-term infrared treatment is generally well tolerated, even in neonatal intensive-care settings, yet long-term safety data are incomplete.
This information is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
PubMed search: infrared therapy Mayo Clinic: light therapy overview
Infrared light is absorbed by photoreceptors in cells. Once absorbed, the light energy initiates a series of metabolic events that may trigger natural cellular processes.
LED Mask
We are enthusiastic about light therapy and the body’s natural balance. Our devices, such as the LED mask, offer a full spectrum of color light therapies.
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