Using Red Light Therapy for Scars: What to Know

Just a decade ago, most people hadn't heard of red light therapy—and even for those who had heard of it, it was mainly something offered as a fancy, in-office treatment. But today, the light therapy treatment is much more mainstream, affordable, and accessible, with many at-home devices on the market.

The benefits and uses for red light therapy are wide-ranging—from improving skin tone and reducing the appearance of wrinkles to supporting wound healing and soothing inflammation. You can even use red light therapy to minimize the appearance of scars.^1,2

But what is red light therapy, exactly, and how is it effective for reducing scars or preventing them from forming? Keep scrolling for answers.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses near-infrared light—usually around 600 to 850 nm (nanometers, used to measure wavelength). Sometimes called photobiomodulation or photorejuvenation, it can be used for medical or cosmetic purposes, like relieving pain and inflammation, promoting hair growth, reducing signs of aging, and offering an overall complexion boost.³

Let's talk more about how red light therapy works and what it's used for.

How Red Light Therapy Works

With the right wavelength, a red light therapy device can penetrate the skin and energize cells by targeting mitochondria (often referred to as the "power plant" of cells). This stimulates healthy cell growth to support rejuvenation and healing.¹

Common Red Light Uses for Skin & Health

At-home red light therapy devices come in various forms, like face masks, eye masks, belts, knee braces, mats, and all-purpose handheld lights and panels.

Besides helping minimize or prevent scars, here are some common benefits and uses of red light therapy for skin and general health^2,3,4,5:

Minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles
Improving skin texture and tone
Treating and preventing acne
Reducing pain, inflammation, and swelling
Supporting healing after an injury or incision
Preventing bruising and speeding up bruise healing
Managing skin conditions like rosacea or eczema
Minimizing the look of stretch marks and cellulite
Treating hair loss and stimulating the scalp to support healthy growth

A big draw of red light devices is their ability to promote smoother, more youthful skin without invasive treatments. Our guide to red light therapy vs Botox compares the two.

How Red Light Therapy Can Support Scar Healing

What about scars? Some people reach for red light devices following surgery or an injury to prevent scars from forming, the idea being that the treatment helps skin heal and regenerate.

Let's look at what the research says.

Red Light Therapy Supports Collagen Production

Red light therapy has been shown to support collagen production by stimulating fibroblasts (the cells that make collagen in the skin). This helps the healing process by repairing damaged tissues and preventing scar tissue from forming. It can also reduce the look of old scars.^2,6

Red Light Therapy Boosts Circulation & Cellular Repair

A high-quality red light device with a strong enough wavelength can boost circulation and encourage blood flow to the area where it's needed.¹ Your body does this naturally after a cut or injury—that's why you feel a throbbing sensation—but red light therapy takes it up a notch and can be used for older scars from healed injuries. The improved blood flow brings necessary nutrients and oxygen to the damaged skin, helping it heal and regenerate by repairing cells.⁶

Red Light Therapy Reduces Inflammation

Red light therapy also reduces inflammation. Whether it's a surgical incision or a picked-at acne mark, the first stage of scar formation is inflammation, which can trigger abnormal fibroblasts that end up forming scar tissue. You might be able to prevent this from happening by doing red light treatment within a couple of days after getting a cut or open wound.⁶

Types of Scars That May Improve with Red Light Therapy

Research has shown that red light therapy can be effective at minimizing and preventing various types of scars, including those that might form due to acne or surgical procedures and stretch marks.

Acne Scars

Red light masks, panels, and handheld devices can help reduce inflammation—which is good here because acne is an inflammatory skin condition. These tools can also help blemishes and breakouts heal quicker, so they're less likely to leave lasting marks. For healed acne, red light therapy may help reduce discoloration and uneven texture while smoothing out acne scars.⁶

Surgical Scars

Consistently using a red light device might help minimize surgical scarring. This includes larger incisions from things like plastic surgery or knee surgery, as well as smaller procedures, such as a mole removal. Ideally, you'll want to start using it the first week after your procedure and continue for at least a month.⁷

Stretch Marks

Though they don't form due to a cut or open wound, stretch marks are a type of scar. They can happen when the skin stretches or shrinks in a short period (like during pregnancy or with rapid weight loss), which can rupture collagen.⁸ By stimulating collagen production, consistent red light therapy might minimize the appearance of stretch marks.^1,9

Learn more about using red light therapy for stretch marks in our blog.

Injury or Trauma Scars

Red light therapy can be used to reduce the size, raised texture, and overall appearance of scars from injury or trauma. This includes old scar tissue and newer marks caused by things like cuts, scrapes, burns, and other injuries.¹⁰

What to Expect from Red Light Therapy Treatments

While red light therapy can support healing and make scars less visible, it typically won't erase them entirely. Also, consistent, ongoing use is key to achieving the best results.

How Often to Use Red Light Devices

How often to use a red light therapy device depends on the specific product you're using, the wavelength, and what you're using it for. Some can be used as often as every day, while others are designed to be used just a few times a week. Also, those with stronger wavelengths might produce results with quicker sessions—a minute or two per use—and others may call for at least ten minutes per session.

Check the instructions of the device you're using, and go with the brand's guidelines. If your goal is to reduce scarring or stretch marks, ask your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

When to Expect Results from Red Light Therapy

Don't expect red light therapy to work overnight. You'll need to do it regularly and stick with it. That's why at-home devices are so convenient and effective—you can reach for your mask or belt anytime and even use it while working from home, watching TV, or tending to tasks around the house.

It depends on the device you're using and the severity of the scar, but you could see improvements in skin tone and texture within about a month. In other cases, it may take six months of consistent use before you notice any changes.^4,10

Combining Red Light Therapy with Other Treatments

You might get even better results, especially with older scars, when you combine red light therapy with other treatments. You can consider^4,6:

A good, consistent skincare routine
Regular exfoliation
Retinoids, such as prescription tretinoin or over-the-counter retinol
Microneedling
CO2 fractional laser treatment
Corticosteroid medications

Ask your provider for insight into any treatments you're curious about and what they recommend for your specific condition.

Who shouldn't use red light therapy devices? Our guide lists people who may not be good candidates for red light therapy, including cancer patients and those with epilepsy or hypothyroidism.

Explore Lifepro Red Light Therapy Devices for Scar Healing

Red light therapy can be a worthwhile treatment for those wanting to prevent scarring or reduce the appearance of existing scars. It works by minimizing inflammation, boosting blood circulation, and stimulating collagen production to encourage cellular repair.

Lifepro red light therapy devices make it easy to reap the benefits of near-infrared light by allowing you to do quick sessions anytime from the comfort of your home. They're simple to use, effective, and reasonably priced.

We offer red light face masks, eye masks, knee braces, belts, panels, and mats, each backed by a lifetime warranty and customer support. Explore our collection today.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic. Red Light Therapy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22114-red-light-therapy
Photomedicine and Laser Surgery. A Controlled Trial to Determine the Efficacy of Red and Near-Infrared Light Treatment in Patient Satisfaction, Reduction of Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Skin Roughness, and Intradermal Collagen Density Increase. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3926176/
Stanford Medicine. What's the deal with red light therapy?. https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2025/02/24/red-light-therapy-skin-hair-medical-clinics/
American Academy of Dermatology Association. Is red light therapy right for your skin?. https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/safety/red-light-therapy
Laser Therapy. Adjunctive 830 nm light-emitting diode therapy can improve the results following aesthetic procedures. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4751092/
Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy. Advances in photodynamic therapy of pathologic scar. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1572100024000796
Trials. A dose-ranging, parallel group, split-face, single-blind phase II study of light emitting diode-red light (LED-RL) for skin scarring prevention: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-019-3546-6
American Academy of Dermatology Association. Stretch marks: Why they appear and how to get rid of them. https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/scars-stretch-marks/stretch-marks-why-appear
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Effects achieved on stretch marks by a nonfractional broadband infrared light system treatment. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18214584/
Journal of Biophotonics. Light emitting diode-red light for reduction of post-surgical scarring: Results from a dose-ranging, split-face, randomized controlled trial. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8919713/.
Communications Biology. Visible light accelerates skin wound healing and alleviates scar formation in mice by adjusting STAT3 signaling. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-06973-1

Using Red Light Therapy for Scars: What to Know