Is Red Light Therapy Safe for Fertility?

Red light therapy has become a wellness sensation. Everywhere you look, there are glowing face masks, handheld wands, and full-body panels. It’s promoted as a way to boost energy, reduce wrinkles, relieve pain, and even improve fertility. But how much of this is real science—and how much is hype? And more importantly, is it safe if you’re trying to conceive or already pregnant?

Here's what research says about red light therapy safety and your fertility.

Red light therapy is a treatment that uses low levels of red or near-infrared light to stimulate your cells. 

Now, red light therapy is available at spas and at home, with devices like the ever-popular Omnilux and CurrentBody face masks, primarily as beauty treatments, making the practice more accessible than ever (but also still pricey—an at-home device will set you back $500+). 

Red light therapy helps mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell, AKA the one thing you remember from science class), produce more energy (ATP). With more energy, cells can repair themselves, reducing inflammation and improving blood flow. 

But whether or not red light therapy works depends on the details: wavelength, intensity, and exposure time. For wound healing, near-infrared light with a wavelength of 800 to 830 nm is the most effective, followed by red light with a wavelength of 630 to 680 nm. All devices are not created equal, so it’s best to get one that is FDA-approved and emits the right wavelength if you’re hoping to reap the benefits. 

Red light therapy has shown several benefits in small human studies, including:

• Supporting hair growth: Red light therapy improves blood flow, stimulates hair follicles, and keeps them in their growth phase. This can help with thinning hair. 

• Skin treatments: Red light therapy may stimulate skin cells and boost collagen production, treating signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines, or for skin conditions like scars, acne, and psoriasis. It has also been used alongside photosensitizers to treat skin cancer in a process called photodynamic therapy. 

• Pain relief: Red light therapy may reduce pain in conditions that affect your muscles and bones, like fibromyalgia and chronic inflammation, since it can improve blood flow and support tissue repair. 

• Encourage wound healing: By reducing inflammation and supporting cellular function, red light therapy can support wound healing. 

• Dementia treatment: Red light therapy has been used to treat dementia with memory and brain function improvements. In one study, people with dementia had better sleep after seven days of treatment. And better moods, energy, and productivity after two to three weeks of treatment. Larger studies are needed before it becomes a mainstream treatment, but so far, the results are promising.

Studies suggest that red light therapy can work, especially when treating inflammation and stimulating cell energy. But, the specs are important (the wavelength, quality of your device, and duration of treatment.) and it takes time to see and feel results (consider this a continuous practice, not a cure-all). It may be supportive therapy for your cells—not a quick fix. 

Red light therapy is generally considered safe with proper use. It doesn’t emit ultraviolet rays and doesn't produce heat. If you’re going to use an at-home option, stick with an FDA-approved device that has clinical research to back it up. And always make sure to follow the instructions carefully. 

The studies we have suggest red light therapy is safe for fertility and may even be helpful. While the studies have been small, results have been promising, with no noted side effects or risks. 

For males, several small studies reported improved sperm motility when men were treated with red light therapy but, again, these are small studies and hard to draw conclusions from. Always talk to your doctor before starting red light therapy treatment for fertility. 

There’s limited research on red light therapy during pregnancy, though some small studies suggest it may help treat depression, sleep problems, and preeclampsia, more research is needed. Most experts say you should not apply light to your bump, directly on your abdomen or pelvic area. And it may be best to avoid it altogether in the first three months of pregnancy, when the baby’s organs are developing. Always talk to your OB/GYN or care provider during pregnancy before adding or continuing any treatments.