Red Light Therapy After Surgery: When to Start and What Trials Show
Red light therapy after surgery has its best support in small trials after knee replacement, hernia repair, thyroid, eyelid and caesarean surgery, where light eased incision pain, helped movement or improved the scar. At home, one rule comes first: wait until the incision has fully closed and your surgeon agrees. Below: the evidence by type of surgery, when to start, what the trials used, who should wait, and how to set up a panel or mask.
Key takeaways
- A 2026 review of 7 trials with 297 people found that near-infrared light reduced scar thickness, pain and itch after hernia repair, thyroid surgery and eyelid surgery. Gaumond, 2026
- In a 40-person knee replacement trial, adding 650 nm laser to rehab from week 3 raised average knee bend to 87.0 degrees at six weeks, against 68.4 degrees with rehab alone. Alghamdi, 2023
- In a trial of 65 women after a first caesarean, 830 nm laser lowered the average incision pain score on day 5 to 4.15, against 5.61 with sham light. Saffarieh, 2020
- A 2025 consensus of 21 experts in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology agreed that light therapy "can accelerate wound healing". Maghfour, 2025
- NHS wound care advice says dissolvable stitches usually dissolve or fall out within 7 to 10 days. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS
Can you use red light therapy after surgery?
Yes, once the incision has fully closed and your surgeon agrees. Small trials found less pain, better movement and better scars with red and near-infrared light, used alongside normal surgical care.
The expert consensus also agreed that light can "improve aesthetic outcomes of scars". Maghfour, 2025 Here is the evidence by type of surgery.
| Surgery | Trial | What changed with light |
|---|---|---|
| Knee replacement | Alghamdi 2023, 40 people | Knee bend 87.0 against 68.4 degrees at 6 weeks, rehab in both groups |
| Hip replacement | Langella 2018, 18 people | Lower pain and lower inflammation markers than placebo after one session |
| Hernia repair | Carvalho, 28 people | Scar score 2.14 against 4.85 at 6 months |
| Thyroid surgery | Kim 2022, 43 people | Better scar scores and less pain at 6 months, with a home device |
| Eyelid surgery | Ye and Xiang 2025, 145 people | 96.6% of incisions healed by day 7, against 86.8% |
| Caesarean | Saffarieh 2020, 65 women | Less incision pain on days 5 and 10 |
| Wisdom teeth | 33 trials, 1,347 people | Less pain on days 1 to 7, less swelling on day 2 |
Sources: the hernia, thyroid and eyelid trials are summarised in Gaumond, 2026; the hip trial is Langella, 2018; the wisdom teeth review is Lacerda-Santos, 2023.
At home, light is an add-on to your surgeon's plan, physiotherapy and pain relief, never a replacement for them.
How soon after surgery can you start red light therapy at home?
Once the incision has fully closed, any stitches or clips are out, and your surgeon agrees. In the trials closest to home use, light started one week after thyroid surgery and three weeks after knee replacement.
Several trials began on day 1, with clinicians applying the light in hospital. At home, sessions start only once the skin has closed, so the early hospital schedules are not a home plan.
NHS advice gives a sense of the timing. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS
- Dressing: leave the original dressing on for at least 48 hours.
- Dissolvable stitches: usually gone within 7 to 10 days.
- Clips and other stitches: removed between 5 and 14 days, depending on the site.
Scars still respond in the weeks after closure. The 2026 review found the strongest evidence for early post-operative scars, treated in the first weeks. Gaumond, 2026 For peels, laser resurfacing, fillers or microneedling rather than surgery, see red light therapy after microneedling, Botox and fillers.
What has to be healed before your first session?
The whole incision must be closed and dry, with every dressing and closure removed. A fresh incision counts as broken skin, which our precautions rule out.
Not yet if any of these apply:
- Dressing: any dressing or strip is still on the wound.
- Closures: stitches, clips or skin glue are still in place.
- Drain site: the hole from a drain has not fully closed.
- Weeping: any oozing, a gap in the line, or a scab that is still wet.
- Infection signs: more pain, redness, swelling, leaking, a smell or a fever. Call your care team instead. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS
- No green light: your surgeon has not yet agreed.
Medicines matter too. Antibiotics such as doxycycline or ciprofloxacin and painkillers such as ibuprofen or naproxen can make skin more sensitive to light. Our precautions rule out use with photosensitising medication, so anyone taking a medicine should check with their pharmacist or doctor before using the device.
Does red light help after a knee or hip replacement?
The closest evidence is encouraging: in a 40-person knee trial, adding red laser light to rehab from week 3 gave more knee bend and better function at six weeks. A 2026 review of three knee trials found less pain and swelling, though results varied between trials.
In the knee trial, both groups had intensive rehab sessions of 60 to 90 minutes. The light group also had 650 nm laser at 6 J/cm², twice a week for six weeks. Alghamdi, 2023
- Knee bend: 46.7 to 87.0 degrees with light, 44.9 to 68.4 degrees without.
- Function score (WOMAC, lower is better): 83.2 to 28.2 with light, 82.8 to 48.5 without.
The review concluded that light can "significantly reduce pain, decrease swelling, and improve knee range of motion". Shetty, 2026 See our guide to red light therapy for knee pain.
After hip replacement, one session 8 to 12 hours after surgery lowered pain and two inflammation markers compared with placebo in 18 people. Langella, 2018 See red light therapy for hip pain.
With a metal implant, ask your surgeon first. No adverse events were reported in trials after joint replacement, though none was designed to test safety over an implant.
Does red light therapy for surgical scars help, and when does it matter most?
The best evidence is for new surgical scars when light starts in the first week or two. Trials after hernia, thyroid and eyelid surgery found thinner, softer and less itchy scars.
Two trials stand out. Gaumond, 2026
- Hernia repair: 28 people had 830 nm light on days 1, 3, 5 and 7. At 6 months the scar score was 2.14, against 4.85 without light.
- Thyroid surgery: 43 people used an 830 nm LED device at home, daily for 4 weeks from one week after surgery. At 6 months their scars scored better, with less pain and higher satisfaction, and no adverse events.
The thyroid trial is the closest model for home use: a home device, started once the wound had settled. Our article on red light therapy for scars and stretch marks covers these trials in full.
Keep the usual scar care alongside light:
- Silicone: gel or sheets for at least 12 hours a day over 8 to 12 weeks. Mayo Clinic
- Sunscreen: broad spectrum, SPF 30 or higher. AAD
- Massage: most people can start about 4 weeks after surgery. MSKCC
- Patience: a scar keeps healing for 12 to 18 months.
Take silicone and creams off before a session, and put them back on afterwards.
Can red light help after a caesarean section?
In a trial of 65 women, 830 nm laser light from the day after surgery eased incision pain on days 5 and 10 compared with sham. If you are breastfeeding, the panel is not for you yet: its manual rules out use while breastfeeding, pregnant or preparing for pregnancy.
The light was given on days 1, 3, 5 and 7, at 4 J/cm². Saffarieh, 2020
- Pain on day 5: 4.15 with light, 5.61 with sham.
- Pain on day 10: 1.43 with light, 2.51 with sham.
Scar scores at six months were similar in both groups. Your midwife or GP is the first stop for scar care.
Can you use a red light mask after a facelift or eyelid surgery?
Yes, once the facial skin has fully healed and your surgeon agrees, and the trials favour moderate doses over maximum ones. After eyelid surgery, ask your surgeon specifically, because the incision sits close to the edge of the mask's eye opening.
In a facelift trial, 30 people had 633 nm red LED light on one side of the face, three times a week for three weeks, starting 4 to 8 days after surgery. Nguyen, 2019 The middle dose gave the best scar results, and the highest dose did not beat the untreated side. Gaumond, 2026
In the eyelid trial, 145 people had 830 nm light in clinic on days 1, 2, 3 and 7. By day 7, 96.6% of incisions had healed with light, against 86.8% without, with less swelling and pain.
Our article on red light therapy for bruises covers swelling and bruising after nose surgery. The mask is a full-face shell with an eye opening; for a neck lift or a thyroid scar, the panel reaches the neck.
Does red light help after wisdom tooth removal?
A review of 33 trials with 1,347 people found less pain on days 1 to 7 and less swelling on day 2 with laser light, with low certainty. Those trials used clinic lasers, often inside the mouth.
Many trials were small or open to bias. Lacerda-Santos, 2023 A home device works from outside, on the skin. If your dentist agrees, the panel reaches the cheek and jaw, with the goggles on.
Can you use red light after cancer surgery?
Only with your oncologist's agreement, and never over a known or suspected tumour. Cancer care guidelines say light "in areas with known or possible tumors should be considered cautiously".
The same guideline recommends clinic light inside the mouth to help prevent mouth sores during some cancer treatments. Its authors add that the long-term risk of a tumour growing or returning is unknown. Zadik, 2019
After a mastectomy, skin cancer removal or thyroid cancer surgery, your oncology team decides. The scar trials so far were on the neck, groin, eyelids and face. Breast and other implants are a question for your surgeon. Our guide to whether red light therapy is safe lists the full precautions.
What settings did the post-surgery light trials use?
Small doses, often 4 to 13 J/cm² per session near the incision, a few times a week for one to six weeks. More was not better: in the facelift trial, the middle dose gave the best result.
| Surgery | Light | Dose per session | Schedule | Started |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knee replacement | 650 nm laser | 6 J/cm², 60 seconds per point | 2 a week, 6 weeks | Week 3 |
| Hernia repair | 830 nm light | 13 J/cm² | Days 1, 3, 5 and 7 | Day 1 |
| Thyroid surgery | 830 nm LED, home device | 4.5 J/cm² | Daily, 4 weeks | Week 1 |
| Caesarean | 830 nm laser | 4 J/cm² | Days 1, 3, 5 and 7 | Day 1 |
| Eyelid surgery | 830 nm light | 60 J/cm² | Days 1, 2, 3 and 7 | Day 1 |
| Facelift | 633 nm LED | 30, 60 or 90 minutes | 3 a week, 3 weeks | Days 4 to 8 |
Joules from a probe do not convert into minutes on a home panel. What carries over is the pattern: red or near-infrared light, small regular doses, over a few weeks.
How do you use a Kivorla panel or mask after surgery?
Use the panel for body incisions and the mask only for the face, both once the skin has closed and your surgeon agrees. Start low and short, and build up only while the skin stays calm.
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel carries 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%. Its 830 nm channel matches the wavelength used after hernia, thyroid, caesarean and eyelid surgery. Its 630 and 660 nm channels sit close to the 633 and 650 nm red of the facelift and knee trials.
- Position: hang it on a door or wall with the included door hook, pulley, hanging cables and screws, at the height of the area, or stand it upright on the floor.
- Distance: about 6 inches for a knee or hip, 12 inches for a broad area such as the abdomen or back.
- Start low: the trials used small doses, so begin with the red and near-infrared channels dimmed, at 12 inches, for 5 to 10 minutes every other day.
- Build up: 10 to 15 minutes per area, three to five times a week. Judge it at three to four weeks.
- Timer: it starts at 1 minute, and if no time is set the panel stops at 5 minutes. Leave at least 6 hours between 30-minute sessions.
- Light type: the knee trial used continuous light, so leave the pulse setting off.
- Safety: wear the included goggles. The panel is not for Fitzpatrick skin types V or VI, or after sunburn on the body in the past 2 weeks.
The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask is a cordless, full-face silicone shell with one eye opening and no diodes over the eyes. The red mode pairs 665 nm red with 850 and 1064 nm near-infrared. After facial surgery, start in the red mode at 50% brightness for 5 to 10 minutes, every other day. The manual allows 10 minutes up to 4 times a week at high brightness, or 15 minutes up to 3 times a week, and never more than 20 minutes in a day.
Stop if the area feels hot, blisters or stays red, and tell your surgeon. Goggles and a controller come with the panel.
Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Read the precautions before ordering. 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 heal wounds or treat any condition after surgery. Follow your surgeon's wound care plan, ask before using light near an incision or implant, and contact your care team about any sign of infection.