Safety / skin exposure
Safety of LED red light on human skin phase I randomized trials
Jagdeo J, et al. Journal of Biophotonics. 2020.
Two phase I randomized trials evaluated high-fluence LED red light exposure on human forearm skin and found no serious adverse events but some dose-limiting skin reactions.
Evidence grade
moderate
Effect direction
mixed
Panel relevance
panel-replicable
Key findings
- LED red light was applied three times per week for 3 weeks at high fluences.
- No serious adverse events were reported.
- Dose-limiting blistering or prolonged erythema occurred at high fluences; mild erythema or hyperpigmentation was also reported.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | 160 J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Three times weekly |
| Duration | 3 weeks |
| Treatment area | Forearm skin |
| Device type | LED red light exposure |
Caveats
- High-fluence safety testing does not mean all devices and all schedules are harmless.
- Darker skin and photosensitive skin may need more conservative use and monitoring.