Red Light Therapy vs Sunlight: What Each Light Does
Red light therapy vs sunlight comes down to one difference: sunlight mixes red and near-infrared light with ultraviolet, while a red light device gives you chosen red and near-infrared bands with no UV at all. So the sun is not a free red light session, and a device cannot stand in for daylight: it makes no vitamin D, gives no sun protection and does nothing for your body clock. Below: vitamin D, sunscreen, infrared, darker skin, morning light, study settings and using our devices around time outdoors.
Key takeaways
- Over half of the sun's energy reaches Earth as infrared, a little under half as visible light and only a few per cent as ultraviolet. UCAR
- Skin makes vitamin D only from UVB light at about 290 to 320 nm, so a red light device cannot make it. NIH ODS
- In a 2023 lab test of nine SPF 50+ sunscreens, visible light blocking ranged from 29.1% to 99.6% and near-infrared blocking from 27.0% to 76.4%. Tanaka, 2023
- The World Health Organization advises sun protection whenever the UV index reaches 3 or above. WHO, 2022
- The American Academy of Dermatology says research has not found that red light causes any type of cancer, unlike UV light. AAD, 2024
Red light therapy vs sunlight: how does the light itself differ?
Sunlight is a broad mix running from ultraviolet through visible light to infrared, and its strength changes all day. A red light device emits a few narrow bands of red and near-infrared with no UV, and you set the strength and the time.
Of roughly 1,000 watts per square metre of sunlight at sea level, about 527 are infrared, 445 visible and 32 ultraviolet. Our infrared vs red light therapy guide explains those bands. The UV share is small, but it does most of the harm. Neither Kivorla device contains a UV emitter.
| Feature | Sunlight | Kivorla mask | Kivorla panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultraviolet | Yes, UVA and UVB | None | None |
| Vitamin D | Yes, from UVB | No | No |
| Wavelengths | Continuous, from UV to far infrared | Red mode: 665, 850 and 1064 nm. Blue mode: 460 and 850 nm | 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm |
| Strength | Changes with time of day, season, latitude and cloud | Brightness 50, 70 or 90% | Each wavelength dimmable from 1 to 100% |
| Time | UV peaks in the four hours around solar noon | Timer 5, 10 or 15 minutes | Timer 1 to 30 minutes |
| Eyes | Never look at the sun | Eye opening with no diodes over the eyes; eyes closed | Goggles on, eyes closed |
| Best suited to | Daylight, vitamin D and time outdoors, with sun protection | Facial skin | Face, body areas and joints |
Sunshine warms the whole body, largely through its infrared share. The panel's surface stays at or below 40°C. Mild warmth at close range is normal; if your skin feels hot, move back, turn the setting down or stop.
Is sunlight red light therapy?
No. Sunlight does contain red and near-infrared light, but it always arrives with ultraviolet, so the sun cannot work as a UV-free red light session.
Red light therapy means chosen wavelengths, at a set distance, for a set number of minutes. Examine, a research summary site, reaches the same view: the net effect of sunlight cannot be assumed to match red and near-infrared therapy, because UV ages skin. Examine
The UV side of the package is well documented:
- Skin cancer: excess UV caused "around 1.2 million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancers", says the WHO. WHO, 2022
- Melanoma: 70 to 95% of skin melanomas in fair-skinned populations are caused by UV radiation. European Code Against Cancer, 2025
How many minutes of sun equal a red light session?
There is no fair minute-for-minute swap. Sun strength changes with the hour, season, latitude and cloud, and any time outdoors long enough to match a device session also brings UV.
The NIH lists what changes the UV reaching your skin: "Season, time of day, length of day, cloud cover, smog, skin melanin content, and sunscreen." NIH ODS The same factors move the red and near-infrared part up and down.
The daily UV peak falls in the four hours around solar noon, which is between noon and 2pm depending on location and daylight saving. WHO UV index A device session repeats the same wavelengths, distance and minutes each time, so you can judge results over weeks.
Can red light therapy give you vitamin D in winter, or through a window?
No to both. Skin makes vitamin D only from UVB at about 290 to 320 nm: red light devices emit none, and window glass blocks it.
The shortest wavelength on either Kivorla device is 460 nm, in the mask's blue mode; the panel's shortest is 480 nm. Both are far above the UVB range. The NIH also notes that "UVB radiation does not penetrate glass". NIH ODS
- Season: in the UK, most people can make enough from sunlight from about late March or early April to the end of September. NHS
- Winter: the NHS advises considering a daily 10 microgram supplement in autumn and winter.
- Daily amount: the NIH recommends 15 micrograms (600 IU) a day from ages 1 to 70 and 20 micrograms (800 IU) over 70. NIH ODS consumer
- Skin tone: "The darker your skin, the less vitamin D you make from sunlight exposure."
- Sun time: about 10 to 15 minutes at midday in spring and summer is usually enough, says the European Code Against Cancer. European Code Against Cancer, 2025
The AAD does not recommend getting vitamin D from sun exposure or indoor tanning. AAD vitamin D facts The WHO adds that artificial tanning should never be used for it. WHO, 2022 Our red light and tanning article covers why red light does not tan you either.
Does sunscreen block red light, and should you wear it during a session?
Partly, and by a very variable amount, so leave it off for a session. Use the light indoors on clean, bare skin, then apply sunscreen before you go outside.
A 2023 lab test spread nine SPF 50+ sunscreens in a 0.1 mm layer and measured what passed through. Tanaka, 2023
- UVB: 98.8% to 99.8% blocked.
- Visible light, including red: 29.1% to 99.6% blocked.
- Near-infrared: 27.0% to 76.4% blocked.
It was a small, preliminary test. A 2020 review adds that chemical UV filters do little against visible light, while iron oxide in tinted sunscreens improves visible light protection. Photochem Photobiol Sci, 2020
The order that works, as in our guide to red light with makeup or sunscreen:
- Morning: cleanse and dry, light session, serum, moisturiser, sunscreen, then makeup.
- Evening: wash off sunscreen and makeup first, then the session on bare skin.
Can red light therapy replace sunscreen or prevent sunburn?
No. Red light is not sun protection, and the advice for UV stays the same: shade, clothing, a hat, sunglasses and broad-spectrum sunscreen.
The WHO says shade and clothing protect better than sunscreen alone, and that sunscreen should never be used to stay longer in the sun. WHO, 2022 The AAD recommends "broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher". AAD vitamin D facts
A 2007 pilot in 13 people reported less redness after a UVB test when 660 nm LED sessions came first; it was a small report from the device's developer and does not change sunscreen advice. MDedge, 2007
If you do burn, leave the skin alone to heal. The panel manual says not to use it if you have had sunburn on your body in the past 2 weeks.
Is the infrared in sunlight bad for your skin?
The evidence points to UV, not infrared, as the main cause of sun damage. Lab concerns about infrared came mostly from intense artificial sources rather than ordinary sunshine.
Some lab studies linked infrared A to raised MMP-1, an enzyme that breaks down collagen. A 2016 review noted that this work used sources "not representative of the solar irradiance". Barolet, 2016
Another 2016 paper found no compelling evidence of harm at typical solar infrared doses, calling it "premature to incorporate IR protection into topical sunscreens". Diffey and Cadars, 2016 For what light does on sun-aged skin, see red light therapy for sun damage.
Will red light darken skin the way the sun can, especially darker skin?
Red light does not tan, and in one study 630 nm red caused no pigmentation in skin types III and IV. Darker skin is more sensitive to visible light, though, so a dermatologist is the first stop.
The study compared 415 nm blue-violet light with 630 nm red: the blue-violet light pigmented the skin, while 630 nm "did not induce hyperpigmentation". Photochem Photobiol Sci, 2020 In another study, 22 volunteers had very large single doses of broad visible light, up to 480 J/cm². Skin types IV to VI showed pigmentation "darker and more sustained" over two weeks; type II showed none.
The AAD says darker skin tones are "more sensitive to visible light, such as red light". AAD, 2024 Our panel precautions exclude Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI. For the mask, see a dermatologist first and start the red mode at 50% brightness.
Is morning sunlight better than red light for your body clock?
Yes, because the body clock responds to bright light entering the eyes. Red light devices are used on the skin with the eyes closed, so they do not replace morning daylight.
An 18-author expert consensus set out light levels at the eye for healthy adults aged 18 to 55. Brown, 2022
- Daytime: at least 250 lux melanopic EDI, with daylight first wherever possible.
- Evening: no more than 10 lux melanopic EDI, from at least 3 hours before bed.
- Sleep: no more than 1 lux.
The retinal sensors behind this respond best around 480 nm, a blue-cyan colour, and indoor light is typically at least ten times dimmer than daylight. This matches our comparison of red light therapy vs SAD lamps. Never look at the sun or into any light device.
Red and near-infrared sessions can run at any hour. Keep the mask's blue mode and the panel's 480 nm channel for earlier in the day, and dim the 480 nm channel in the evening.
What settings did red light skin studies use?
The skin studies used red light at modest strengths, for 3 to 25 minutes a session, over 1 to 15 weeks. All applied light to the skin from outside the body, and none used sunlight as the source.
| Study | Light | Strength or dose | Minutes | Schedule | Main result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wunsch and Matuschka, 2014 (128 completed) | 611 to 650 nm red | 5.9 to 13.3 mW/cm², about 9 J/cm² | 12 to 25 | Twice a week, 30 sessions | Wrinkle grading improved in 69%, against 4% of untreated controls |
| Barolet pilot, 2007 (13 people) | 660 nm LED | 50 mW/cm², 4.5 J/cm² | 3 | 6 sessions over 3 weeks, up to 10 in 1 week | Less redness after a UVB test |
| Duteil, 2014 (skin types III and IV) | 630 nm vs 415 nm | 55 vs 30 mW/cm² | Not stated | Not stated | No pigmentation from 630 nm |
| Brown, 2022 (consensus) | Daylight and indoor light at the eye | At least 250 lux melanopic EDI by day | All day | Daily | Body clock guidance, not a device protocol |
In the largest trial, skin roughness fell and a collagen score rose in the red light group, with no serious side effects; the controls were untreated rather than given a sham. Wunsch and Matuschka, 2014 Cleveland Clinic describes a typical schedule of "one to three times a week for weeks or even months." Cleveland Clinic, 2021
How do you fit a Kivorla device around time in the sun?
Do your session indoors on clean, bare skin, then put on sunscreen before you go out. Get daylight outdoors separately, and get vitamin D from food, sensible sun or a supplement, not from the device.
The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask has two modes, named by colour:
- Red mode: 665 nm red with 850 and 1064 nm near-infrared.
- Blue mode: 460 nm blue with 850 nm near-infrared.
- Settings: brightness 50, 70 or 90%, and a 5, 10 or 15 minute timer, set with the handheld controller or by voice.
- Sessions: 10 minutes up to 4 times a week at high brightness, or 15 minutes up to 3 times a week, never more than 20 minutes a day. Count both modes together.
- Eyes: the eye opening has no diodes over the eyes. Keep your eyes closed and never look into the light.
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel carries nine wavelengths from 480 to 1060 nm and reaches the jawline and neck, which the mask does not cover.
- Control: each wavelength dims from 1 to 100% and the timer runs from 1 to 30 minutes; a controller is included.
- Distance: about 6 inches for a joint, 12 inches for a broad area, 10 to 15 minutes per area.
- Eyes: wear the included goggles with your eyes closed. Near the face or neck, place the panel side-on, never aimed straight at your face. See our goggles guide.
- Set-up: hang it on a door or wall with the included door hook and pulley, or stand it upright on the floor.
The skin trials used gentle settings. To stay nearer that studied range, dim each channel, use a shorter timer (it starts at 1 minute) or step back to 12 inches.
Our precautions rule out both devices during pregnancy, with epilepsy, a thyroid condition or thyroid medication, or over broken skin. They also rule out photosensitising medication, so check with your pharmacist or doctor first if you take any medicine. Have a doctor look at any rough, scaly or changing spot before using light on it.
Read the precautions before ordering. 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. They emit no UV, make no vitamin D and are not sun protection, so keep using sunscreen outdoors and ask your doctor about vitamin D or any changing skin spot.