Red light wavelengths: what do 590 to 1072 nm do?
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Red light therapy revolves around wavelengths. The wavelength determines the color of the light, how deeply it penetrates your skin, and which processes in your cells respond to it.
In this guide, you will learn what the most commonly used wavelengths do, from 590 to 1072 nm, and what research shows for each wavelength.
In brief
- Yellow-orange light (590 nm) works in the upper layers of the skin.
- Red light (approximately 600 to 700 nm) works mainly in the skin.
- Near-infrared light (approximately 700 to 1100 nm) is invisible and penetrates more deeply.
- There is no single best wavelength. Which one is best depends on what you want to achieve.
- How deeply light penetrates also depends on the light intensity and the size of the light source.
What is a wavelength?
Light travels in waves. The distance between two wave peaks is called the wavelength and is measured in nanometers (nm).
Each wavelength has its own color. Around 590 nm, you see yellow-orange light; between 620 and 700 nm, red light. From approximately 750 nm onward, you can no longer see the light. This is called near-infrared.
How deeply does light penetrate your body?
Broadly speaking: the longer the wavelength, the deeper the light penetrates. Red light is absorbed largely by the skin. Near-infrared light reaches farther, into the tissue beneath the skin.
This applies up to approximately 1100 nm. Above that, water in your body absorbs increasingly more light, so it penetrates less deeply.
The wavelength is not the only factor. A wider light beam also penetrates deeper than a narrow one (Ash et al., 2017). Light intensity and your skin type also play a role.
You often see exact depths in centimeters online. These are misleading because they depend so heavily on all those factors. That is why we do not provide fixed figures.
Which wavelength of red light is best?
There is no single wavelength that is best for everything. If your goal is your skin, yellow-orange and red light have been studied the most. If you want to reach deeper tissue, near-infrared is the way to go.
That is why many devices combine multiple wavelengths. This allows you to reach different depths at the same time.
The wavelengths one by one
590 nm: yellow-orange light
Works mainly in: the upper layers of the skin.
In a randomized study with 137 women, 590 nm light produced approximately the same reduction in wrinkle volume around the eyes after 10 sessions as 660 nm light: around 30% (Mota et al., 2023).
630 nm: red light
Works mainly in: the skin.
One of the most commonly used wavelengths in LED masks. In a study of 20 women who used a 630 nm mask twice a week for 3 months, wrinkle depth and skin firmness, among other factors, improved (Couturaud et al., 2023). A larger study with 136 participants used red light between 611 and 650 nm and measured an increase in collagen density (Wunsch & Matuschka, 2014).
660 nm: deep red light
Works mainly in: the skin and the tissue just beneath it.
This is one of the wavelengths frequently used in research to study the activity of cytochrome c oxidase, the enzyme in your mitochondria that absorbs light. In the wrinkle study above, 660 nm was the comparison wavelength for 590 nm (Mota et al., 2023).
810 nm: near-infrared
Works mainly in: deeper tissue.
810 nm is widely used in brain research. In an animal study, daily exposure to 810 nm in older rats produced cytochrome c oxidase activity in the brain comparable to that of young rats (Cardoso et al., 2022). This is animal research, so it is not yet evidence for humans.
850 nm: near-infrared
Works mainly in: deeper tissue, such as muscle.
850 nm is one of the most widely used near-infrared wavelengths in home devices, often combined with red light. It strongly overlaps with 830 nm, a wavelength also frequently used in skin research.
940 nm: near-infrared
Works mainly in: deeper tissue.
940 nm falls within the range that cytochrome c oxidase can absorb. It has been studied less than 810 or 850 nm. We state this honestly: it is an addition, not a wavelength with many studies of its own.
1060 and 1072 nm: deep near-infrared
Works mainly in: the deepest tissue within the range of red light therapy.
These wavelengths are close to 1064 nm, the wavelength used in a series of human studies. Using spectroscopy, researchers measured that 1064 nm light increased the amount of oxidized cytochrome c oxidase, first in the forearm (Wang et al., 2016) and later in the prefrontal cortex (Wang et al., 2017). A controlled study of 68 adults aged 18 to 85 confirmed this effect in the cerebral cortex (Saucedo et al., 2021).
The studies used a laser rather than LEDs, and 1072 nm is not exactly the same as 1064 nm. However, it does show that light around this wavelength reaches the mitochondria.
Overview
| Wavelength | Type of light | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| 590 nm | Yellow-orange | Shallow |
| 630 nm | Red | Skin |
| 660 nm | Deep red | Skin and the tissue just beneath it |
| 810 nm | Near-infrared | Deeper |
| 850 nm | Near-infrared | Deeper |
| 940 nm | Near-infrared | Deeper |
| 1060 / 1072 nm | Deep near-infrared | Deepest |
Red and near-infrared: what is the difference?
Red light is visible and is absorbed mainly by the skin. That is why it is studied most extensively for skin quality.
Near-infrared light is invisible or barely visible. At most, you may see a faint red glow. It penetrates deeper and is therefore being studied for muscles, joints, and the brain.
Both are absorbed by the same enzyme in your mitochondria. The main difference lies in their depth. You can learn how this works in your cells in our explanation of mitochondria and ATP.
Do you need more wavelengths?
Not necessarily for the same area of skin. In the study with 136 participants, a broad spectrum from 570 to 850 nm produced no additional skin effect compared with red light alone (Wunsch & Matuschka, 2014).
The added value of multiple wavelengths lies in their depth. By combining red and near-infrared light, you reach both the skin and deeper tissue in a single session.
Why is there no blue light in a panel?
Blue light (around 415 nm) penetrates only a fraction of a millimeter into the skin. In an LED mask, it can be useful for the top layer of skin. In a panel designed to target deeper layers, it adds little and takes up space that could be used by red and near-infrared LEDs. That is why ATP Pro panels contain only red and near-infrared wavelengths.
What about the ATP Pro?
The ATP Pro 700 and ATP Pro 1500 have 8 wavelengths: 590, 630, 660, 810, 850, 940, 1060 and 1072 nm. The ATP Pro 350 has 7, without 1060 nm.
With Smart Placement, the 590 and 1072 nm LEDs are positioned at the top of the panel, so when the panel is standing, they are at the height of your face and head. Not sure which device is right for you? Use the selection guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: 660 or 850 nm?
Neither is better. 660 nm mainly works in the skin, while 850 nm reaches deeper. They complement each other, which is why they are often used together.
Can you see near-infrared light?
No, or only as a faint red glow. So the fact that an LED appears to be almost off does not mean it is not working.
Does the light get warm?
Red light therapy does not work through heat. You may feel slight warmth, but the effect comes from the light itself.
How many wavelengths do you need?
For your skin, red light alone may be enough. If you also want to reach deeper tissue, choose a device with both red and near-infrared light.
Read more
- Mitochondria and ATP: how red light works on your cells
- Explanation of red and infrared light
- Does an LED mask really work?
Sources
- Ash C, et al. Effect of wavelength and beam width on penetration in light-tissue interaction using computational methods. Lasers in Medical Science, 2017. View study
- Mota LR, et al. Photobiomodulation reduces periocular wrinkle volume by 30%: a randomized controlled trial. Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery, 2023. View study
- Couturaud V, et al. Reverse skin aging signs by red light photobiomodulation. Skin Research and Technology, 2023. View study
- Wunsch A, Matuschka K. 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. Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 2014. View study
- Cardoso FS, et al. Photobiomodulation of cytochrome c oxidase by chronic transcranial laser in young and aged brains. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2022. View study
- Wang X, et al. Interplay between up-regulation of cytochrome-c-oxidase and hemoglobin oxygenation induced by near-infrared laser. Scientific Reports, 2016. View study
- Wang X, et al. Up-regulation of cerebral cytochrome-c-oxidase and hemodynamics by transcranial infrared laser stimulation. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, 2017. View study
- Saucedo CL, et al. Transcranial laser stimulation: mitochondrial and cerebrovascular effects in younger and older healthy adults. Brain Stimulation, 2021. View study
Written by Chaya Bollebakker, founder of Panacea Light Therapy. Updated on October 15, 2026.
Red light therapy is a wellness application and not a substitute for medical care. Results vary from person to person. Consult a doctor if you have symptoms.
