Red Light Therapy Panels

Red light therapy is properly called photobiomodulation, and the mechanism is reasonably well described. Red and near infrared light is absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria, which increases ATP production and fibroblast activity. That is the pathway behind everything below.

Skin. The strongest evidence in the field. A randomised controlled trial published in Photomedicine and Laser Surgery in 2014 put 136 volunteers through 30 sessions, twice weekly, and measured results against an untreated control group using blinded photographic evaluation, ultrasound measurement of collagen density and computerised profilometry. The treatment groups showed statistically significant improvements in intradermal collagen density and skin roughness. Earlier work using combined 633nm and 830nm light reported improvement in periorbital wrinkles in a majority of subjects.

This is the outcome people notice first, because it is the one you can see, and it is the reason a red light panel sells to people with no interest in training.

Muscle recovery and performance. A 2024 meta-analysis of 34 randomised controlled trials found that photobiomodulation applied before exercise improved muscle endurance and supported recovery of strength, with reductions in creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, both markers of muscle damage. Effect sizes were moderate to large.

A 2025 systematic review compared photobiomodulation against pneumatic compression and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and found it was the only one of the three that significantly reduced muscle soreness at 24 hours after exercise.

Circulation. Near infrared light influences nitric oxide signalling, which supports vasodilation and local blood flow. This is the proposed mechanism behind the recovery findings above.

Timing and dose matter more than most people expect. The muscle research shows the strongest results when light is applied before exercise rather than after, which is the opposite of what most people assume. For skin, results are cumulative and typically take 8 to 12 weeks of consistent use to become visible.

Every study referenced here is cited in full in our research library.

Dose is the variable that decides whether any of it applies. A panel that does not deliver adequate irradiance at a usable distance will not reproduce these results regardless of how long you stand in front of it. This is why the numbers in the next section matter, and why we publish them in full.

The effect is not uniform across everyone. The same 2024 meta-analysis found the benefits were clearest in athletes and in sedentary populations, and were not significant in an already physically active middle group. If you train regularly but not seriously, the recovery benefit may be smaller for you than the headline findings suggest.

Skin results are cumulative, not immediate. Eight to twelve weeks of consistent use is the realistic timeframe, and stopping means the benefit fades.

It complements training and skincare rather than replacing either. Photobiomodulation is a genuine physiological effect with reasonable evidence behind it. It is not a substitute for the things that do the heavy lifting.

Irradiance is the measure of how much light energy reaches you, and it is the specification that matters most when comparing panels. It is also easy to misread, so it is worth knowing what to look for.

Distance changes everything. Irradiance drops sharply the further you are from the panel, so a figure quoted at the surface will look far higher than the same panel measured where a person actually stands. Always check the distance a figure was taken at. Ours are all measured at 15cm.

The instrument matters too. Solar meters read higher than spectrometers because they capture light outside the therapeutic wavelengths. Both are legitimate measurements, but they are not comparable to each other, and a solar meter reading will typically be close to double the spectrometer figure for the same panel.

We publish both, so you can compare our panels to anything else on either basis.

Wavelengths matter as much as intensity. Many panels run two wavelengths, typically 660nm red and 850nm near infrared. Every Enlighten panel runs five: 630 and 660 in the visible red, then 810, 830 and 850 in the near infrared.

The distinction is depth. Visible red works at the surface, which is where skin benefits come from. Near infrared at 810 to 850nm reaches 30 to 40 millimetres in, which is muscle and joint depth. Five wavelengths cover both in a single session, so you are not choosing between skin and recovery when you buy.

Red Light Therapy Panel, Compact (EE300Pro), $795
316 x 214 x 60mm, 5.6kg, 70 LEDs. Desktop stand included. For a specific area rather than the whole body: a shoulder, a knee, your face. Sit 15 to 25cm away for 10 to 15 minutes. The entry point, and the one to buy if you want to find out whether you will use it before spending four figures.

Red Light Therapy Panel, Full Body (EE1500PRO), $1,995
876 x 276 x 71mm, 14kg, 300 LEDs. Wheeled stand, wall bracket, remote and goggles included. Covers the full torso from a standing distance. Our most popular panel and the one most people should buy. Needs about 1m x 1.5m of clear floor.

Red Light Therapy Panel, Professional (EE3600PRO), $4,355
1713 x 415 x 71mm, 35kg, 840 LEDs, 1274W. Nearly twice the length of the Full Body and three times the LED count, so a single standing position covers you head to thigh rather than torso only. The only panel in the range with WiFi app control alongside the touchscreen and remote, with presets for muscle repair, joint, sleep, skin, mood and wound recovery. For serious daily use, or a household where more than one person is using it every day. Stand ordered separately.

Red Light Therapy Panel, Commercial (EE6000), $5,495
1800 x 580 x 60mm, 43kg, 1200 LEDs, 186mW/cm2 at 15cm. Perforated steel construction, built for continuous duty in a gym, a physio practice or a performance centre rather than a spare room. Stand sold separately.

Enlighten Stands. Electric $1,195, with motorised height adjustment and a one button return to your usual position. Manual $449. Both fit the Full Body and Commercial panels.

Not sure which suits you? Tell us what you would like to use it for and we will recommend the right model for the job.

Five wavelengths across the whole range. 630, 660, 810, 830 and 850nm on the $795 compact panel and the $5,495 commercial one alike. What changes between models is coverage area and output, not the wavelengths you receive.

Aluminium alloy construction. The EE300Pro, EE1500PRO and EE3600PRO use an aluminium alloy housing behind an acrylic face. The alloy dissipates heat, which keeps LED output stable through a long session and over years of daily use. The EE6000 uses perforated steel, chosen for airflow because a commercial panel runs back to back sessions throughout the day.

Both irradiance figures published. Solar meter and spectrometer, at a stated distance, for every model. See the table above.

No electrical work. Every panel runs from an ordinary 10 amp power point, so there is nothing to arrange before delivery and you can use it the day it arrives.

Australian certified. RCM certified to AS/NZS 60335.2.40:2019, with a 36 month warranty on every panel. Full terms are on our warranty page.

Distance. 15 to 25cm for a targeted area, 30 to 60cm for whole body coverage. Closer means more intensity but not necessarily better results. Most people settle around 20 to 30cm.

Time. 10 to 15 minutes on a specific area, 10 to 20 minutes for whole body coverage. Longer sessions are not more effective.

Frequency. Daily use is appropriate and is where the benefit accumulates. Rest days are not required.

Eyes. Goggles are included with the Compact and Full Body panels. Wear them for anything involving your face or upper body. Do not stare into the panel.

Timing. Any time of day. Many people use it while the sauna comes up to temperature, or first thing on a winter morning.

Who should check first. Speak with your doctor before starting if you are pregnant, taking medication that increases light sensitivity, or have a diagnosed eye condition. If you have a skin condition you are being treated for, ask before adding light to it.

Delivery. Free East Coast Metro Delivery. We deliver to your address. Outside East Coast Metro, contact us for a quote.

Setup. Unbox it, put it on its stand or hang it on the bracket, plug it in. The Compact comes with a desktop stand, the Full Body with a wheeled stand and a wall mounting bracket. The Commercial panel needs a stand ordered separately.

Power. An ordinary 10 amp power point. No electrician required for any panel in the range.

Space. Around 1m x 1.5m of clear floor for the Full Body. The Compact needs a desk or a bench.

Run it with the rest of the stack. See the saunas, the ice baths, or build the set together.