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When it comes to light-based treatments, Chromotherapy and Red Light Therapy are two popular options you'll see in your Google search results. But even though they both rely on light, they work in completely different ways and offer very different benefits. Here's what you need to know about what sets them apart so you can decide which one is right for your own goals.
What Is Chromotherapy?
Chromotherapy, also known as color therapy, is an alternative healing method that uses colors to influence physical and emotional well-being. This practice dates back thousands of years, with roots in ancient cultures such as Egypt, China, and India, where colors were believed to have healing properties.
How Does Chromotherapy Work?
The underlying principle of Chromotherapy is that different colors emit specific wavelengths of light, each with unique energy and properties. These colors are thought to interact with the body's energy centers, or chakras, to restore balance and harmony. In a typical Chromotherapy session, colored lights or filters are used to expose the skin to specific colors. This exposure is believed to trigger physiological and psychological responses that can enhance well-being.
What Are the Benefits of Chromotherapy?
The benefits of Chromotherapy depend on the color being used. Here's a full list of colors used in Chromotherapy and their believed effects:
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Red: Linked to energy and stimulation, red is thought to invigorate the body and mind, promoting vitality and enthusiasm.
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Blue: Often associated with calmness and relaxation, blue is believed to soothe the mind, reduce stress, and promote tranquility.
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Green: Known for its balancing properties, green is thought to promote a sense of renewal and harmony, fostering a feeling of peace and stability.
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Yellow: Associated with clarity and focus, yellow is believed to stimulate mental activity and enhance concentration, potentially boosting mood and optimism.
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Orange: Considered a warm and energizing color, orange is thought to encourage creativity and enthusiasm, while also promoting a sense of warmth and comfort.
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Purple: Often linked to spirituality and intuition, purple is believed to inspire creativity and wisdom, while also promoting a sense of calm and introspection.
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Indigo: Known for its deep, calming properties, indigo is thought to aid in meditation and introspection, fostering a sense of inner peace and awareness.
While Chromotherapy is not a substitute for medical treatments, it offers an alternative approach to enhancing different parts of one's well-being.
What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red Light Therapy is a skincare technology that uses a specific wavelength of light to enhance skin appearance and promote visible skin rejuvenation. This therapy has gained popularity for its ability to combat signs of skin aging without being invasive, needing recovery time, or even requiring administration by a professional in-clinic thanks to the availability of professional-grade at-home Light Therapy devices.
Red Light Therapy is also known as photobiomodulation, and has its roots in scientific research dating back to the 1960s. Initially explored by NASA for its potential to promote plant growth in space, the therapy quickly gained attention for its applications in human health.
Over the years, it has been extensively studied, with one of its most impressive abilities centering around the way it can reduce visible signs of skin aging because of how it supports healthy collagen production, which is how it's made its way into the skincare realm.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work?
Red Light Therapy involves the use of low-level wavelengths of Red Light, typically ranging from 630 to 660 nanometers (we use a wavelength of 630 nm in our devices!). These wavelengths penetrate the skin's surface, reaching the deeper layers without causing damage. The light energy is absorbed by the skin cells, and they help support healthy collagen production, a protein essential for maintaining the look of skin elasticity and firmness.
The process is simple and painless. During a session, the skin is safely and gently exposed to Red Light using specialized devices, with results from treatment typically visible within a few weeks.
What Are the Benefits of Red Light Therapy?
Red Light Therapy supports healthy collagen production, which in turn helps to combat signs of skin aging, including fine line lines, wrinkles, uneven tone, and uneven texture. It's also known for its ability to visibly rejuvenate skin for an overall healthy-looking radiance.
Solawave combines Red Light Therapy with other types of Light Therapy in order to maximize the skincare benefits you receive with each treatment session. All of our devices include Red Light Therapy at minimum to support healthy collagen production, but depending on the device, you'll also see benefits like a lifted and firmed appearance, the look of a more even skin tone and complexion, reduction of acne, and so much more.
Chromotherapy vs Red Light Therapy: Key Differences
While both Chromotherapy and Red Light Therapy utilize colored light during treatment, that's about the only thing they have in common.
Chromotherapy focuses on the use of various colors to influence mood and emotional well-being. It employs colored lights or filters to expose individuals to specific hues, each believed to have unique psychological effects. The primary goal is to harness the energy of colors to promote emotional balance and mental harmony. While it may have indirect effects on skin appearance through stress reduction, its primary focus is on mental and emotional balance, and you likely won't see your local esthetician offering Chromotherapy as one of their professional services.
Red Light Therapy, in contrast, is specifically designed for visible skin rejuvenation. It's a targeted skincare treatment that uses a specific wavelength of Red Light to penetrate the skin's surface and support healthy collagen production in order to promote visible improvements in the skin. It also utilizes specifically designed Red Light Therapy devices that directly target specific treatment areas, as opposed to broadly exposing the user to light. This treatment is ideal for those who are looking to professionalize their at-home skincare routines with quality, science-backed skincare technology.
Can You Do Red Light Therapy At Home?
Absolutely, Red Light Therapy can be conveniently done at home thanks to our professional-grade at-home Light Therapy devices. We're happy to offer our science-backed skincare tools and light-boosting topicals so you can enjoy skin-enhancing benefits without the need for professional appointments.
Here are our recommendations to get you started with Light Therapy at home:
Wrinkle Retreat Light Therapy Mask and LightBoost Serum
The Wrinkle Retreat Light Therapy Mask is perfect for individuals looking to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles throughout their entire face. This full-face mask uses Red Light Therapy and Near-Infrared Light Therapy to support collagen production, visibly smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and rejuvenate the look of skin for a radiant glow. When used with the LightBoost Serum, the mask's Light Therapy effects are boosted for visibly renewed skin.
Eye Recovery Pro Kit
The Eye Recovery Pro Kit is an excellent choice for those looking to target signs of skin aging in the eye area, especially when it comes to visibly smoothing fine lines, brightening the appearance of dark circles, and reducing the look of puffiness around the eyes.
This kit includes our most powerful combination of Light Therapy yet via our Light Therapy eye mask that includes Red Light, Amber Light, Deep Red Light, and Near-Infrared Light to target the delicate skin around the eyes and promote a refreshed and luminous look.
As with the LightBoost Serum, the included LightBoost Eye Cream boosts the effects of Light Therapy while delivering skin-loving ingredients including vegan collagen, multi peptides, and growth factors to the eye area for additional nourishment and visible skin renewal.
Bye Acne Pro Kit
For those dealing with acne concerns, the Bye Acne Pro Kit brings you our FDA-cleared pimple spot treatment device. The device uses both Blue Light and Red Light to destroy acne-causing bacteria and deter future breakouts by reducing sebum production, while also visibly soothing acne-inflamed skin.
Paired with our Microdart serum-infused patches for the ultimate aftercare, this kit provides a comprehensive approach to reducing the appearance of pimples and achieving clearer-looking skin.
Conclusion
When it comes to light-based therapies, Chromotherapy and Red Light Therapy might sound similar, but they’re really quite different in what they offer and how they work.
Chromotherapy is all about using colors to boost your mood and emotional balance. It’s not aimed at skincare but rather at helping you feel more balanced and harmonious through the power of color. If you're curious about how colors can influence your mood and mental well-being, Chromotherapy might be an interesting path to explore.
Red Light Therapy, on the flip side, is your go-to for skincare. It uses a specific Red Light wavelength to help visibly rejuvenate your skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, creating a more even-looking skin tone, and visibly calming post-acne irritation. If you're looking to upgrade your skincare routine, at-home Red Light Therapy is definitely worth considering.
So, when deciding between these two, think about what you’re aiming for. If it’s emotional well-being and mood enhancement, Chromotherapy could be your match. But if you’re focused on achieving healthier-looking, glowing skin, Red Light Therapy is the way to go.
If you want to see more of what Red Light can do, check out our Before & After Results here. Or, if you're ready to dive into your own Light Therapy journey, take our Skin Quiz here to get matched with the best light-based skincare tool for your goals.
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