From head to toe, red light therapy has dozens of scientifically validated applications. Using red light therapy for foot hygiene is a great way to make sure that your hardworking (and often neglected) feet remain healthy so you can keep enjoying your favorite activities.
In this article, we’ll discuss common foot health issues that can be treated using light therapy and how you can add this natural treatment to your regular self-care routine.
Understanding Common Foot Health Issues
Feet work hard, every single day. From infections to chronic pain or neuropathy, at some point most people experience foot health issues. Foot pain leads to reduced mobility which is in itself a major problem.
Red light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that offers hope to people who suffer from acute or chronic foot problems.
Research has confirmed that red light therapy can be used to treat:
- Toenail fungus,
- Diabetic neuropathy and non-diabetic neuropathy
- Poor circulation
- Athlete’s Foot
- Cracked heels
- Plantar fasciitis
- Sprains
- Bone breaks
- Foot wounds
How Red Light Therapy Supports Skin and Nail Health on the Feet
Red light therapy (RLT) is well known for its anti-aging effects. It is also very efficient at reducing healing time from both internal and open wounds.
Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light that absorb into the skin and underlying tissues to stimulate cellular processes that reduce inflammation and accelerate healing.
The primary benefit of RLT is to increase ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production in the cells’ mitochondria. This supports cellular repair and regeneration and has a beneficial ripple effect on the foot as a whole.
Antimicrobial Effects of Red and Near-Infrared Light on Fungal and Bacterial Growth
Many people have suffered from foot fungus, whether it’s Athlete’s Foot or White Superficial Onychomycosis. These are similar but not the same.
Athlete’s Foot is a skin infection that affects the skin between the toes and causes peeling, severe itching, and redness.
White superficial onychomycosis (WSO) is a toenail fungus that causes white patches on the nail.
Other types of onychomycosis (another term for toenail fungus) can cause discoloration, nail thickening, and brittle nails.
Foot fungal infections are common, and contagious. And, they are notoriously difficult to treat.
Traditional treatments like topical or oral antifungal medicines require long-term use and often have side effects.
Red light therapy targets the nail fungus itself. As the light absorbs into the nail and the skin around and beneath the toenail, it disrupts fungal growth while supporting normal nail and skin growth.
Research on the effectiveness of red light therapy on WSO has been limited to the use of lasers. However, “how” red and near infrared wavelengths are delivered to the skin is not critical to the treatment.
Lasers concentrate the light to treat smaller areas and LEDs diffuse the light to treat larger areas. Laser treatments can only be administered in a clinic whereas LED treatments can be safely self-administred using a medical-grade red light therapy device.
In 2010, near infrared light was used to treat WSO with very encouraging results. After four laser treatments, 85% of the patients showed clear (uninfected) nail growth
These findings were confirmed by a 2019 review of 1723 patients, and 4278 nail infections where RLT showed a 63% cure rate.
Instead of using lasers along with photosensitizing drugs to kill foot fungus, red light therapy supports the body’s natural healing processes.
Red light therapy has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Reducing the presence of bacteria and fungi while promoting cellular health in the nails and skin supports the body in fighting off any remaining fungi or bacteria.
Increasing cellular energy production is one way that red light therapy goes beyond treating symptoms and addresses the underlying problem. For example, chronic inflammation creates a hospitable environment for bacteria, less so than chronic moisture.
Chronic inflammation can interfere with cellular energy production in the cells' mitochondria. Depleted cells are less successful in fighting off infections and repairing themselves. Red light therapy supports acute (short-term) inflammation to promote healing, but then curbs chronic inflammation that interferes with healing.
Reducing Symptoms through Circulatory and Cellular Support
Red light therapy supports health from within. It activates light-sensitive chromophores within the cells’ mitochondria to stimulate ATP synthesis, giving cells more resources to ward off pathogens and repair damage.
It also promotes circulation to the nail matrix by widening the diameter of circulatory vessels. This supports healthy nail growth by bringing immune cells to the area to help remove the infection. Diabetics especially can benefit from this, since poor peripheral circulation is a common problem that contributes to bacterial and fungal infections in the feet.
Red light therapy also boosts collagen and keratin production to help toenails and foot skin to grow back healthy and strong.
Many foot disorders are very painful. Red light therapy has analgesic properties that help relieve pain while it works “behind the scenes” to restore health, especially when used alongside doctor-prescribed treatments including stretching, proper recovery, and lifestyle modifications.
Using Red Light Therapy for Athlete’s Foot, Toenail Fungus, and Cracked Heels
You can self-administer red light therapy safely to support the treatment prescribed by a doctor for Athlete’s Foot, toenail fungus, or cracked heels.
To recap, the treatment supports healing from bacterial or fungal infections. It increases energy production within cells, reduces chronic inflammation, improves circulation, and promotes synthesis of keratin and collagen. It also helps kill bacteria and fungi on the skin and toenails.
What about cracked heels, which are not caused by bacterial or fungal infections?
Cracked heels can be caused by pressure, friction from footwear, standing for long periods, underlying medical conditions including diabetes, aging, harsh skincare products that strip away natural protective oils, and low humidity.
Red light therapy can’t fix the causes of cracked heels, but it can help the skin regenerate and relieve pain. We’ll go into the best practices for treating cracked heels in the next section!
Safe and Effective Home Use: Best Practices for Treating Feet with Light Therapy
Using red light therapy at home to improve foot health is simple!
First, choose a powerful red light therapy device. You may have seen recommendations for foot wraps and while these “can” be effective, they aren’t as effective as panels because they don’t deliver as much concentrated light energy to the affected area.
Specialized devices are also not as versatile. It makes sense to get a device that can treat more than just one isolated condition such as toenail fungus.
For example, diabetic neuropathy can also affect the hands. Or, you may wish to treat a widespread skin condition like psoriasis while you treat a toenail fungus. Neither of these can be treated with foot-wrap devices.
Full sized red light therapy panels are much more versatile than any specialized device, making them a much better value.
Next, treat the area consistently. Think of it as “feeding” your cells. This doesn’t have to take a lot of time! Just a few minutes a day, 3-5 times a week, can have dramatic results especially over time.
Sit or stand in front of the LED panel so that the light is shining directly on the affected area. If you have Athlete’s Foot, spread your toes to allow the light to illuminate the skin between them. If you have cracked heels, elevate the heels so the light can access all parts of the heel.
Again, just a few minutes every day or every other day is all it takes. And, you can treat other ailments at the same time!
We recommend an approach that combines red light therapy along with doctor-prescribed treatments including physical therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes.
Red Light Therapy with the BIOMAX Series
Which LED light therapy device is best for foot problems?
The BIOMAX Series panels offer the greatest light energy output and wavelength distribution (two red, three near-infrared, as well as traces of blue and infrared wavelengths) of any panels on the market.
They are also available in four size options so you can customize your treatment.
