Red Light Therapy for Scars and Stretch Marks: What the Trials Show

Red and near-infrared light can help scars look and feel better, and the best evidence is for new surgical scars treated in the first weeks after surgery. In a double-blind trial, people who used an 830 nm LED device at home for four weeks after thyroid surgery had better scar scores at six months than people given a sham device, and were happier with them. A 2026 review of seven trials concluded that red and near-infrared light appears to be a safe, non-invasive addition to standard scar care. It will not erase a scar, and older scars have been studied far less. For stretch marks the evidence is thinner still: there is no LED-only trial yet, and the treatments with the most support for new, red stretch marks are prescription creams and clinic procedures. Here is what each study found, how the light was used, and where red light fits alongside silicone gel and the rest.

Does red light therapy help scars?

For new scars, yes, modestly. Trials started the light within the first week or two after surgery and found better scar scores months later.

The 2026 scoping review in Lasers in Medical Science pulled together seven clinical trials of red and near-infrared light, from LEDs and low-level lasers, with 297 people, covering burn scars, raised (hypertrophic) scars and scars after surgery. Red light improved the scar scales, pigmentation and thickness of burn scars, with the clearest gains in scars less than a year old; near-infrared improved thickness, pain and itch after operations. The authors conclude it "appears to be a safe, non-invasive adjunct" to standard scar management. Review. Note the word adjunct: light is used alongside silicone, sun protection and the rest, not instead of them.

What do the scar studies show?

The LED trials all treated fresh surgical scars. The strongest one was double-blind and done at home.

Sources: Kim, Park, Kurtti, Ye and Xiang. A 2024 network meta-analysis of 18 trials of lasers and energy devices for preventing surgical scars ranked low-level light therapy alongside pulsed dye laser, a clinic laser treatment. Meta-analysis. All of these trials are small, so larger studies in more skin types are still needed.

The facelift trial carries a useful lesson for home use: the middle dose beat the longest one. More minutes did not mean a better scar.

How does red light work on a scar?

By calming the cells that over-build scar tissue, as far as lab work shows. It is not the "collagen boost" idea from anti-ageing marketing.

A scar forms when fibroblasts, the cells that make collagen, work too hard for too long. In lab studies at the University of California, high doses of red LED light slowed fibroblast growth and cut their collagen output without killing the cells. Study. That is the opposite of what you want for wrinkles, and it is why scar trials use their own doses and timing rather than a skincare routine. These are cell studies; the trials above are what tell you about people.

When can you start red light therapy after surgery?

Once the wound has closed and your surgeon is happy. In the home trial that meant a week after the operation.

Two trials began the day after surgery, but the home trial waited a week. That is the sensible point for home use: Kivorla's precautions rule out using either device on broken skin, an open wound or a skin injury. Courses for fresh scars ran three to four weeks. If you are having planned surgery, ask your surgeon before the operation, so you know when they are happy for you to start.

Does red light therapy work on old scars?

Less is known. The clearest results are in scars under a year old; long-established scars have hardly been tested with LEDs.

In the burn scar trials pooled by the 2026 review, which used low-level lasers, scars younger than 12 months responded best, over eight to twelve weeks of treatment. There is little evidence either way for scars that are years old, so do not expect a change in shape or depth. Take photos in the same light every two weeks so you can judge for yourself.

Does red light therapy help acne scars?

Not that any trial has shown for pitted acne scars. What it can do is help with the active acne that causes them.

No LED-only trial has tested pitted (atrophic) acne scars. Those are dips in the skin, and the treatments with evidence behind them are resurfacing lasers, microneedling, peels and fillers, done in a clinic. AAD. Red light may help calm inflamed spots; red light therapy for acne covers that evidence.

Can red light therapy help keloids and raised scars?

Possibly as a preventive step, but the evidence is a three-person case series. Keloids need a dermatologist.

In that 2010 series, three people prone to raised scars used an 805 nm near-infrared LED at home, 15 minutes a day for 30 days, as a preventive treatment; the treated areas generally did better than untreated control areas. Established keloids are treated with steroid injections, silicone, pressure, freezing or laser; the American Academy of Dermatology reports that 50 to 80 percent shrink after injection. AAD. If you form keloids, plan any treatment with a dermatologist. Kivorla's panel is not for skin types V and VI, and its precautions say so.

Does red light therapy help stretch marks?

The evidence is thin. There is no LED-only trial for stretch marks, and the one randomised near-infrared trial used a laser on old white marks.

In that 2024 trial of 30 people with white stretch marks, one group of ten had 808 nm near-infrared laser light two or three times a week for eight to twelve sessions. Three of them improved by half or more at three months. That was less than a fractional CO2 laser managed in the same trial, but with no downtime. Study. A stretch mark is a scar in the deeper layer of the skin, and like any scar it is permanent; treatment can make it less noticeable.

Timing matters more than anything. New stretch marks, which are red, pink or purple, respond far better to treatment than old silvery-white ones. The NHS says retinoid or hyaluronic acid creams may help new stretch marks, and that light or laser treatments can improve their look without getting rid of them. NHS. The American Academy of Dermatology lists retinoids on early marks, and lasers, radiofrequency and microdermabrasion as procedures. AAD. If you try red light on new marks, use it as an extra, and judge it by photos taken every few weeks. Do not use Kivorla devices during pregnancy; start after the birth, once your doctor is happy.

How do you use red light on a scar at home?

On a closed, healed wound, for a few weeks, staying within the device's limits. Consistency counts for more than long sessions.

Stop if the area becomes hot, blistered or irritated. How often to use red light therapy has the weekly limits for both devices.

What else works for scars?

Silicone gel or sheets, pressure, steroid injections and clinic lasers are the standard options. Most scars also fade on their own over time.

The NHS notes that most scars fade over time, which can take up to two years or more, and lists silicone gels and sheets, steroid injections, freezing and laser among the treatments. NHS. Red light sits comfortably alongside silicone: use the light on clean skin, then put the gel or sheet back on.

Using Kivorla devices on scars

The panel suits scars on the body, and the mask suits scars on the face.

The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel includes 630, 660, 830 and 850 nm among its nine wavelengths, close to the 633 nm and 830 nm used in the LED scar trials; use it on the abdomen, knees, shoulders or chest. Each wavelength dims on its own and the timer stops the session. For scars on the face, the 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask runs 665 nm red with 850 and 1064 nm near-infrared in the red mode. The trial devices and doses were not the same as ours, so treat those results as a guide to what light can do, not a promise of what you will see.

Read the precautions before ordering, since returns are accepted within 30 days, less a 10% restocking fee if the device is unopened with its seals intact, or 20% if it is opened but undamaged and complete. Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Red light therapy for face covers the other skin uses.

Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices, and are not a treatment for wounds, keloids or any skin condition. Speak to your surgeon or a dermatologist about scar care, and never use a light device on a fresh burn or an open wound.