How to Use Red Light Therapy at Home: Step by Step
The short answer on how to use red light therapy: choose the device that fits the area, start on clean, bare skin, protect your eyes, keep to the set distance and timer, and repeat two to four times a week for at least 8 to 12 weeks. At home, that means a mask for the face and a panel for the body. Below: the steps, trial settings, panel distances, timing, results and safety.
Key takeaways
- In a sham-controlled trial of a home LED mask, 25 of 29 users improved on an independent rating at 12 weeks, against 5 of 30 with the sham mask. Park, 2025
- In a trial of 95 women, a 660 nm LED mask used either twice or three times a week for 4 weeks raised satisfaction scores above sham in both groups. Bragato, 2022
- The American Academy of Dermatology advises using the eye protection a device's directions recommend, and never sunglasses in place of goggles. AAD, 2024
- Harvard Health says home devices need to be used multiple times a week for four to six months. Harvard Health, 2025
- Lab and animal research shows a biphasic dose response, in which low doses often work better than high ones. Huang, 2009
How to use red light therapy at home: what are the steps?
Pick the device for the area, clean and dry the skin, protect your eyes, then set the distance, brightness and timer and let the session run until it stops. Repeat on a regular schedule and put your skincare on afterwards.
- Check first: read the precautions and check any medicine you take.
- Choose the device: a mask for the face, a panel for the body.
- Prepare the skin: clean, dry and bare, with no make-up, sunscreen or clothing over the area.
- Protect your eyes: goggles on with the panel; eyes closed with either device.
- Set it up: brightness and timer on the mask; distance, channels and timer on the panel.
- Afterwards: serum, moisturiser and, in the morning, sunscreen.
- Repeat and track: the same time slot each week, with photos in the same light.
Should you use a mask or a panel, and for which body areas?
Use the mask for the face and the panel for everything else: jaw, neck, chest, back, shoulders, joints and legs. The mask is a full-face shell with an eye opening, so it does not reach the jawline, under-chin, neck or scalp.
| Mask (face) | Panel (body) | |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Red mode: 665 nm red with 850 and 1064 nm near-infrared. Blue mode: 460 nm blue with 850 nm near-infrared. | 9 wavelengths from 480 to 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100% |
| Session | 10 or 15 minutes | 10 to 15 minutes per area |
| Distance | Worn on the face | About 6 inches for a joint, 12 inches for a broad area |
| Sessions a week | Up to 4 at 10 minutes, or up to 3 at 15 minutes | 2 to 4 for skin areas; one per workout for trained muscles |
| Eyes | Eyes closed; no diodes over the eyes | Goggles on, eyes closed |
Near the head, the panel goes side-on or behind you, never aimed straight at the face, so facial sessions belong to the mask. For the full mask routine, see how to use a red light mask.
What settings did red light therapy trials use?
Face trials used 2 to 7 sessions a week of 9 to 25 minutes, for 4 to 15 weeks, with LED masks or lamps. Muscle and joint trials used small probes held on the skin over the area.
| Study | Goal | Light | Minutes | Sessions a week | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wunsch, 2014 | Face and body skin | 611 to 650 nm, or 570 to 850 nm, lamp units | 12 to 25 | 2 | About 15 (30 sessions) |
| Lee, 2007 | Face wrinkles | 633 nm, 830 nm or both, LED | Not given | 2 | 4 |
| Bragato, 2022 | Face wrinkles | 660 nm LED mask | 21 | 2 or 3 | 4 |
| Couturaud, 2023 | Face ageing | 630 nm LED mask | 12 | 2 | 12 |
| Park, 2025 | Crow's feet | 630 and 850 nm home mask | 9 | 5 | 12 |
| Papageorgiou, 2000 | Acne | 415 and 660 nm lamps | 15 | 7 | 12 |
| Leal-Junior, 2015 | Exercise recovery | Red or infrared probes on the muscle | Seconds per spot | Before exercise | Single sessions |
In the 2014 controlled trial, 69% and 75% of the two light groups were rated better for wrinkles, against 4% of controls. Wunsch, 2014 For acne, blue and red light together improved inflamed spots by a mean 76% at 12 weeks. Papageorgiou, 2000
A 2018 review found no consensus on clinical parameters after 50 years of research, so the device directions are the right starting point. Zein, 2018 Trial probe doses do not convert into panel minutes. To stay near the gentler end of the studied range, dim each wavelength, use a shorter timer (it starts at 1 minute), or step back from 6 to 12 inches.
Should you remove sunscreen and make-up before a session?
Yes: light goes on clean, dry, bare skin, and serums, moisturiser and sunscreen go on afterwards. Mineral and tinted sunscreens block part of visible light, so they stand between the light and your skin.
Cleveland Clinic advises starting with "a clean, makeup-free face". Cleveland Clinic In a 2023 mask study, faces were clean and make-up free for every session. Couturaud, 2023
- Morning: the session, then serum, moisturiser and sunscreen.
- Evening: the session, then retinoid or night cream.
- Body: bare the area, then body lotion afterwards.
No source sets a waiting time between the session and your skincare. If skin stings, pause the actives first. Our guide to red light therapy before or after skincare covers each product type.
Do you need goggles, and should your eyes stay closed?
With the panel, wear the supplied goggles and keep your eyes closed for every session, whatever the area. With the mask, keep your eyes closed; it has an eye opening with no diodes over the eyes.
The AAD's advice: "Don't substitute sunglasses for protective goggles." AAD, 2024 Cleveland Clinic also says to "shield your eyes for protection". Cleveland Clinic
- Never look into the light: this applies to both devices.
- Glasses: take them off before putting the mask on.
- Afterimage: a brief afterimage for a minute or two after the mask is normal.
Near-infrared is invisible, which is why goggles matter with the panel. See red light therapy goggles for what good goggles block.
How far from the panel should you be for a knee, your back or your thighs?
About 6 inches for one joint, such as a knee, elbow, wrist or ankle, and about 12 inches for a broad area such as the back, chest or both thighs. Light spreads out with distance, so the farther position covers more skin at a gentler level.
| Area | Distance | Panel position |
|---|---|---|
| One knee | About 6 inches | Knee height, using the pulley |
| Wrist, hand or elbow | About 6 inches | Level with the joint |
| Ankle or Achilles | About 6 inches | Standing on the floor, ankle side-on or from behind |
| Neck or jaw | 6 to 12 inches | Side-on or from behind, never facing the panel |
| Shoulders and upper back | 6 to 12 inches | Shoulder height |
| Lower back and hips | 12 inches | Hip height |
| Chest, torso or both thighs | 12 inches | Centre level with the area |
For a joint, it is fine to start at about 12 inches with a shorter session and move in to 6 inches once you are used to it. Check that the hook, pulley and fixings are secure, and never cover the panel with a towel or clothing. See how to set up a red light panel at home for wall, door and floor options.
How many minutes, and can you use red light therapy every day?
Not on the mask: keep to 10-minute sessions up to 4 times a week, or 15-minute sessions up to 3 times a week, and never more than 20 minutes a day. On the panel, give each area 10 to 15 minutes, 2 to 4 times a week for skin, with at least 6 hours between 30-minute sessions.
More sessions do not add up to more benefit. In the one trial that compared two frequencies head to head, a mask used twice a week and one used three times a week both beat sham on satisfaction (73.4% and 79.6%). Bragato, 2022
Lab and animal work explains why: low doses often work better than high ones, and treatment time matters as well as dose. Huang, 2009
- Both mask modes: the red mode and the blue mode count together against the weekly limits.
- Mask and panel on the same day: fine on different areas, each within its own limit. Do not light the face with both on the same day.
- Trained muscles: one panel session per workout on the muscles you trained.
For the full schedule, see how often you should use red light therapy, and for the signs of overdoing it, how much red light therapy is too much.
Is morning or evening better, and should it come before or after a workout?
Red and near-infrared light work at any time of day, so pick the slot you will keep; the mask's blue mode suits the morning or afternoon. For muscles, most trials applied light before exercise.
In the evening, use the mask's red mode, and on the panel turn the 480 nm channel down. See red light therapy morning or night for more on timing.
A 2015 review found 16 trials on exercise, and 12 of them applied light before exercise. Leal-Junior, 2015 Compared with placebo, light added 5.47 repetitions and 4.12 seconds to time to exhaustion.
How long until you see results, and how should you track them?
Expect early skin changes from about 8 weeks, and judge a routine at 8 to 12 weeks. Harvard Health expects use "multiple times a week for four to six months" for the full effect.
In the sham-controlled home mask trial, the difference was significant at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. Park, 2025 A small mask study without a control group measured crow's feet depth month by month:
- Day 28: 15.6% shallower than at the start.
- Day 56: 34.7% shallower.
- Day 84: 38.3% shallower. Couturaud, 2023
The AAD cites a study in which 90 patients had 8 red LED treatments to the face over 4 weeks, and more than 90% noticed some improvement. AAD, 2024
- Photos: take them at week 0 and week 8, in the same light and from the same angle.
- Missed a session: carry on at your usual pace; do not double up.
- After 12 weeks: drop to two or three sessions a week to maintain.
Who should check with a doctor first, including on medicines or with darker skin?
Do not use either device if you are pregnant, have epilepsy, have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication, or have broken skin on the area. Anyone with a light-sensitive condition such as lupus, or with darker skin, should talk to a doctor or dermatologist first.
Our precautions rule out use with photosensitising medication, so anyone taking a medicine should check with their pharmacist or doctor before using the device. Cleveland Clinic names isotretinoin and lithium. Cleveland Clinic The NHS lists skin "more sensitive to the sun" as a side effect of doxycycline. NHS
The panel manual adds:
- Pregnancy: not while pregnant, breastfeeding or preparing for pregnancy.
- Seizures: not with a history of seizures triggered by light.
- Sunburn: not after sunburn on the body in the past 2 weeks.
- Skin type: not for Fitzpatrick skin types V or VI.
- Sleep: not for use while asleep or by anyone unconscious.
For darker skin, Harvard Health suggests checking with a dermatologist and starting with lower doses. Harvard Health, 2025 On the mask, that means 50% brightness and the timer as set.
A mild warmth and a pink flush that fades within the hour are normal. Stop if you notice redness lasting hours, stinging, a rash, new dark patches or any eye discomfort, and restart lower or shorter once the skin has settled.
How do you use the Kivorla mask and panel?
Wear the mask on the face at 50% brightness with a 10-minute timer for the first week, then build up within the manual's limits. Use the panel on body areas at 6 or 12 inches for 10 to 15 minutes per area, with the goggles on.
The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask is a cordless silicone shell that weighs 408 g including its handheld controller.
- Charge first: a full charge over USB Type-C takes about 3.5 hours and gives around 40 minutes of use. It cannot be used while charging.
- Mode: on clean, dry skin with the strap adjusted, choose the red mode or the blue mode by voice or with the handheld controller.
- Brightness and timer: 50, 70 or 90%; 5, 10 or 15 minutes. It switches off by itself when the timer ends.
- Building up: stay at 50% for the first week. Do three 10-minute sessions in the week before moving to 15 minutes.
- Cleaning: wipe it with a damp microfibre cloth, with no abrasive or strong cleaning agents.
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel hangs on a door or wall with the included door hook, pulley, hanging cables and screws, or stands upright on the floor. A floor stand is sold separately by the maker.
- Channels: 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%.
- Timer: 1 to 30 minutes; if no time is set, it stops at 5 minutes.
- Surface: stays at or below 40°C.
- In the box: protective goggles and a controller, with the hanging parts.
Read the precautions before your first session. Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices, and are not intended to treat any disease. If you take medicine, have a light-sensitive condition or have darker skin, speak to your doctor, pharmacist or dermatologist before you start.