Red Light Therapy Panels

What a red light therapy panel does

A red light panel is an array of LEDs emitting specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light onto the skin. The process is called photobiomodulation. Unlike a sunbed or a UVB lamp it emits no ultraviolet at all, and unlike an infrared sauna it is not primarily producing heat — it is delivering particular wavelengths at a particular intensity for a measured length of time.

That last point is what separates a serious red light therapy device from a novelty. Three variables determine what a panel actually delivers: which wavelengths it emits, how much energy reaches your skin, and for how long. Everything below is about how to check those three for any panel on the market, not just ours.

How to compare irradiance honestly

Irradiance is the energy reaching your skin, measured in mW/cm². It is the headline number on every red light panel sold, and it is the number most easily overstated — because it depends entirely on how it was taken.

A solar or photovoltaic meter reads roughly twice as high as a spectrometer on LED light. The spectrometer is the correct instrument for this job. A brand quoting a solar-meter figure is not necessarily lying; it is quoting a number that does not describe what reaches you.

Distance matters just as much. A reading taken at the LED surface is dramatically higher than one taken where a person would actually stand. Six inches is 15cm, so figures at those two distances are directly comparable — a figure at 30cm is not.

Three questions to ask about any panel: what is the figure, at what distance, and on what instrument? A panel that answers all three is being straight with you. A panel that answers none is asking you to trust a number.

Every Dermfix RLF panel is measured with a spectrometer at 15cm, on axis, at the centre of the panel, and the reading for that specific model is published on its own product page. We do not quote surface readings, we do not add wavelengths together to reach a bigger total, and we do not publish one headline figure across a whole range of different-sized panels.

660nm and 850nm — and the five others

Two wavelengths carry most of the published research. Red at around 660nm is absorbed near the surface and is the one associated with skin. Near-infrared at around 850nm travels further into tissue, which is why it is the one discussed for muscles and joints. Any capable red light therapy panel should offer both. If a panel describes itself only as "red LED" without naming wavelengths in nanometres, that is a warning sign.

The RLF range carries seven selectable wavelengths — 480, 630, 660, 810, 830, 850 and 1060nm — chosen from the built-in touchscreen or the supplied handheld remote. Extra wavelengths add flexibility rather than necessity: they let one device be set for surface work or deeper work rather than committing you at the point of purchase. But judge measured output and disclosure first. Wavelength count is the easiest specification to inflate and the least useful on its own.

Session length and treatment distance

Most home routines run 5–20 minutes at 15–30cm from the panel, daily or every other day. Sitting closer increases intensity and shortens the session; stepping back reduces intensity and widens coverage. A larger panel treats more of you at once, which is what shortens sessions — it does not change the light itself.

Every RLF panel includes 0–100% dimming and a built-in 1–30 minute timer, plus one-touch preset modes and saveable custom programmes. Apply creams or lotions after a session rather than before; light is blocked by anything on the skin, and by clothing.

EMF, flicker and eye protection

For a device used several times a week at close range, favour low-EMF and flicker-free construction, and use the eye protection supplied — the panels are bright, and looking directly into the LEDs is uncomfortable and unnecessary. The standard RLF panels are IP20 rated, so keep them in dry rooms away from water and steam.

The safety standard worth asking about

Every red light panel on the market carries a CE mark of some kind. The question is what it was tested against.

EN 60335-2-27 is the standard covering electrical appliances that expose human skin to optical radiation — ultraviolet, infrared and visible light. It is the standard describing what a red light panel actually does to a person, as distinct from electrical-safety and electromagnetic-compatibility testing, which is about the appliance itself. Dermfix panels are tested and certified to it.

Reviewing the published certification wording of the red light panels sold into the UK, we could not find another brand that names this standard. What appears instead is a bare CE mark, CE with a directive rather than a standard, or FDA registration — which is a listing rather than a clearance, and is not a UK requirement in any case. It is a fair question to put to any brand you are considering, including us.

Buying a red light panel in the UK

A panel dispatched from outside the UK is an import, so UK VAT at 20% becomes payable to the courier on delivery, often with a handling fee on top. On a four-figure purchase that is a significant sum arriving after you have already paid. A .co.uk domain does not tell you where the goods leave from — the seller's shipping page does.

Dermfix Ltd holds stock in a UK warehouse and dispatches from it via Royal Mail, Parcelforce and UPS. UK delivery is free on orders over £400, and £4.95 below that, quoted at 1 to 2 business days — every panel in this range qualifies for free delivery. No customs, no import VAT, no brokerage fee, and anything needing return or warranty repair goes to a UK address rather than across a border. The price shown includes UK VAT.

Choosing by use case

• Face and targeted areas — the Dermfix Halo LED. A flexible four-wavelength panel designed for facial use but usable anywhere on the body.
• Half body — the RLF1500. 300 dual-chip LEDs, 89 mW/cm² measured at 15cm. The sensible middle for most home users.
• Full body, standing — the RLF3000. 600 LEDs, 90 mW/cm² at 15cm, covering the whole body in one session.
• Clinics and heavy home use — the RLF6000. 1,200 LEDs, 92 mW/cm² at 15cm, 180cm tall, built for repeated daily and multi-user sessions.
• Compact and targeted — the RLF750. 150 LEDs, 82 mW/cm² at 15cm, for a shoulder, a knee or a smaller treatment space.

Panels can be floor-standing or wall-mounted — see the stands and mounts for compatible options. For how the formats compare, read panel, mat, mask or bed. For a fuller comparison against the other panels sold into the UK, including what each one costs once it reaches your door, read our UK red light panel buyer's guide.

Why Dermfix

Dermfix Ltd has manufactured phototherapy devices under ISO 13485 since 2009. Alongside this red light range we make narrowband UVB 311nm lamps — a different class of device entirely, built under a quality system designed for medical manufacturing. The red light panels are not sold as treatment for any medical condition. But the measurement discipline behind them, and the habit of publishing figures per model rather than per range, comes from two decades of building devices where the numbers have to be right.

Frequently asked questions

What does a red light panel do?
It delivers specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to the skin and underlying tissue, a process called photobiomodulation. It emits no ultraviolet and, unlike an infrared sauna, does not work primarily by heating the body.

Which are the best red light therapy panels?
The ones that publish a measured output figure at a stated distance, taken on a spectrometer; cover at least 660nm and 850nm; name the safety standard they were tested to; and show a checkout total that matches the advertised price. Judge any panel, including ours, on those four.

What size red light therapy panel do I need?
Match it to the area you want to treat. Compact panels suit a joint or a small space; half-body panels suit most home users; full-body panels shorten sessions by covering everything at once.

How long should a red light therapy session be?
Typically 5–20 minutes at 15–30cm, daily or every other day. Follow the instructions supplied with your device.

How much irradiance do I need?
A measured 40–100 mW/cm² at 15cm is a sound target for home use. Higher output mainly shortens the session rather than improving it.

Is a higher LED count or wattage better?
Not on its own. Both are component counts, not performance. A large LED count means little without a measured irradiance figure at a stated distance.

How much is delivery on a red light panel?
UK delivery is free on orders over £400, which includes every panel in this range. Orders under £400 are £4.95, quoted at 1 to 2 business days.

Do I pay import VAT on a red light panel?
Only if it ships from outside the UK. Panels dispatched from UK stock have VAT already included in the advertised price. Panels dispatched from an EU or overseas warehouse are imports, so 20% VAT becomes payable on delivery.

Is red light therapy the same as UVB?
No. Red and near-infrared light involves no ultraviolet. Narrowband UVB at 311nm is a separate, targeted phototherapy — see the narrowband UVB range.

Specifications and prices are checked regularly and change over time. This page is general information about choosing equipment and is not medical advice.