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Picture this: It’s a sunny day in late July that lasts 36 hours instead of 24. The humidity is low and the temperature is high. Your skin acts like a solar panel, absorbing the energy and becoming warmer to the touch. That warmth you feel? It’s actually infrared energy, which our bodies sense as heat. Although infrared light is everywhere, including in the sun’s rays and in our own bodies, it’s only recently become a health buzzword. The craze started with infrared saunas, which celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow touted for their muscle-soothing properties. Then it began spreading to fitness studios like Fierce Grace Gym in New York City and Cosmo Contour & Spa in Los Angeles and Miami, which use infrared panels in their classes to improve circulation. Now it’s making its way into beauty tech, appearing in at-home devices designed to stimulate collagen production and encourage hair growth.
Infrared light, often confused with LED light, is an area that hasn’t been explored much in the beauty industry. Because infrared light has a slightly longer wavelength than visible light, it can penetrate deeper into the skin than LED light therapy products, such as red light, can — potentially into the subcutaneous tissue, the deepest layer of skin. That means infrared light “can have a deeper effect on the skin,” says California-based dermatologist Azadeh Shirazi, MD.
A 2006 study published in the Yonsei Medical Journal found that infrared light can aid in the skin’s healing process by stimulating fibroblasts, a type of cell that helps produce collagen. The study found that by increasing fibroblast activity, infrared light increased collagen and elastin production by an average of 25 to 50 percent over six months.
The technology could also have potential in the hair space. A 2021 research review published in the Journal of Dermatologic and Aesthetic Surgery suggests that red and near-infrared lasers can stimulate hair growth — a benefit that may be due to their anti-inflammatory effects, explains New York City dermatologist Michelle Henry, MD. “Inflammation plays a role in many cases of hair loss,” she says. “We think it may work by increasing the flow of energy to the hair follicle,” says Zoe Passam, a senior consultant trichologist at Philip Kingsley. This, in turn, may increase the density or thickness of your hair, explains Passam. The 2021 research review also suggests that red and near-infrared light may work by controlling chemicals that can damage cells or by improving cell metabolism.
There are plenty of home devices on the market that can make infrared a part of your daily routine. High-tech hair dryers like the Luxx X1 ($319; luxxstore.com) use light waves as a heat source, replacing traditional treatments. HigherDose makes sauna blankets and new hair growth caps. Some light therapy masks also combine infrared and LED light, like the Riki Loves Riki Baby Face. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.
Bright light isn’t always good. Experts warn that too much infrared light can be harmful because it converts into heat. While infrared isn’t as carcinogenic as UVA and UVB, some studies show that high volumes or high intensity infrared can damage collagen and elastin and even cause melasma, according to Shirazi. “The toxicity is dose-dependent,” Henry said.