One of the best things about good quality Light Therapy Pads is how you can connect them and mold them to light up almost any part of the body. There is no question that the best absorption of Light comes when the tool is directly against the skin. And, IMO, that the best regeneration of tissue and improvement of circulation and lymph comes with the low, slow delivery of light at a rate (fluency) that can be properly absorbed and passed along from saturated tissue to tissue still needing the energy boost from photons. When you can also deliver the benefits of more than one color of Light at a time, you also have better results for all depths of tissue and less plateauing of response.
Pads excel at those three features:
- Good pads mold to any part the body. They can be folded and overlapped and connected with velcro or straps to cover large areas. Can be used underneath or on top of or around any joint.
- With a typical fluency of only about 20 – 50 mW/cm2/second, pads deliver Light energy at a rate that doesn’t overheat tissue. As the top cells become saturated with sufficient photons, they pass the extra along to their adjacent neighbor cells. No need to use high levels to “push” the light deeper, faster.
- Polychromatic light – using more than one color (wavelength) has been demonstrated to offer the benefits of two or more colors and often results in a synergistic effect like 1+1=3. Red + NIR work together to stimulate greater ATP production AND change the permeability of the cell wall to improve tissue regeneration.
Don’t be afraid to get out the velcro if your pad has an appropriate fabric backing. Long stretchy bands are great for wrapping all the way around the body or a joint. But small short piece may fit the bill better when you need an exact fitting.
And it doesn’t have to be difficult to keep your pads clean. For general use no special cleaning is necessary. If they are made with neoprene, don’t use alcohol based cleaners, as they dry out and damage the neoprene. I use a disinfectant wipe, or spray with a light spray of Hypochlorus acid (anti-viral) and wipe down with my micro-fiber Norwex cloths.
When lighting a wound or something potentially messy, place your pad in a clear plastic bag or under a single layer of cling wrap. Once the session is done, simply toss the plastic cover.
After lighting anyone but myself, I also give each pad a 5 minute session in my UVC oven to sterilize it.
There are more pads coming on the market every day. Find ones that fit your needs and budget. Look for manufacturers that have been in business for more than 6 months and that have good customer service ratings. I have relied upon the InLight Systems for professional use for over a decade and have a few 6 port systems that have easily handled thousands of sessions at trade shows, horse shows, rodeos and even conventions.
