Does Red Light Therapy Help Eczema?

Eczema, with its dry, itchy patches and painful flare-ups, can make everyday life a constant struggle.

The discomfort can affect your sleep, confidence, and overall well-being. Ignoring these symptoms often leads to worsening skin damage and emotional distress.

But could red light therapy offer a breakthrough solution? Read on to discover how this treatment might help soothe your eczema. 

• Calm Your Skin Naturally: Red light therapy reduces inflammation and soothes eczema flare-ups.
  
  

• Support Healing from Within: It promotes collagen and skin repair to speed up recovery.
  
  

• Strengthen Your Skin Barrier: Regular use may help reinforce your skin’s natural defenses.
  
  

• Keep It Simple: Sessions are quick, non-invasive, and easy to do at home.
  
  

• Use with Care: Start slow, choose the right device, and monitor for any irritation.

Introduction to Eczema: “Eczema is a common skin condition. And while most people will know someone affected by its symptoms, many people do not understand there are many different types of eczema which require individual treatments,” says Dr. Jonathan Bowling, a Consultant Dermatologist and Senior Clinical Lecturer.

Why Eczema Is Difficult to Treat: This highlights the complexity of eczema and why treatment often needs to be tailored to the specific type and severity of the condition.

The Causes of Eczema: Eczema is a chronic skin condition caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

How Eczema Affects the Skin: The immune system overreacts to harmless triggers, causing inflammation that disrupts the skin barrier. This leads to dry, itchy, and sensitive skin.

Prevalence of Eczema: In the U.S. alone, about 31.6 million people roughly 10% of the population are affected by some form of eczema. It’s also surprisingly common, affecting around 10% of the U.S. population and up to 20% of children worldwide.

Environmental Triggers: Environmental factors like weather, soaps, and allergens can worsen symptoms in people who are genetically predisposed.

Mutations in certain skin barrier genes, like filaggrin, can make the skin more vulnerable to irritants.

These changes weaken the skin’s natural defenses, making it easier for allergens and irritants to trigger inflammation.

While some at-home genetic tests now claim to detect eczema-related mutations, understanding the results with a doctor’s help is important, as it can offer more clarity about your skin’s needs and future care.

A healthy skin barrier locks in moisture and keeps irritants out. In eczema, this barrier is often compromised—due to either genetics or environmental factors—leading to dry, cracked skin and increased sensitivity.

That’s where natural moisturizing factors (NMFs) come in. As highlighted in J Drugs Dermatol, these water-attracting compounds like amino acids, urea, and lactate—work deep within the skin to boost hydration and strengthen the barrier, helping it stay smooth, elastic, and better protected.

Recent research also suggests that dietary patterns play a crucial role in skin health, influencing the gut-skin axis and overall inflammation.

According to a review in The Open Dermatology Journal, a balanced diet can positively impact the skin barrier, helping to reduce eczema flare-ups and improve skin resilience.

The immune system in people with eczema often overreacts to non-threatening substances, triggering an inflammatory response in the skin that leads to flare-ups.

In particular, eczema is largely driven by Th2 dominance, a pathway that amplifies inflammation and skin sensitivity.

This overactive immune response causes T-cells and other immune cells to attack the skin, worsening the condition and making flare-ups more frequent.

Common triggers include allergens like pollen and dust mites, as well as pollutants, cigarette smoke, and harsh soaps.

Indoor air quality also plays a significant role—poor ventilation, VOCs, and mold can irritate the skin and trigger inflammation, worsening eczema. 

Improving air circulation and using air purifiers can help reduce these environmental triggers, providing relief.

Emotional stress can lead to flare-ups by increasing cortisol levels, which weaken the skin barrier and make the skin more reactive.

Poor sleep quality can intensify this by slowing down the skin’s natural repair process, making it harder for the skin to recover from stress-induced flare-ups.

To manage stress, it's helpful to practice techniques like mindfulness, set clear boundaries, and stay active through activities like walking. 

By prioritizing relaxation and self-care, you can reduce stress, improve sleep, and support your skin's ability to heal more effectively.

By calming the immune response and improving blood flow, red light therapy helps minimize swelling and redness associated with eczema flare-ups. It works by chasing away white blood cells that trigger inflammation, making it a powerful anti-inflammatory treatment, according to Dr. Elizabeth H.

Page from Harvard Medical School. This natural approach not only soothes irritated skin but also helps reduce the intensity and frequency of flare-ups over time.

The therapy stimulates collagen and cellular repair, speeding up the healing of damaged skin and potentially reducing flare-up frequency.

When used regularly, it can begin to calm inflammation and clear the skin within just a few weeks, making it easier to stick with the routine and see lasting change.

Red light therapy provides relief from the itching caused by eczema by reducing inflammation and soothing the irritated skin. It offers a drug-free solution to ease itching and discomfort.

It encourages the production of collagen and lipids that help strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, making it more resistant to irritants.

Sessions last just 10–20 minutes, making red light therapy an easy addition to a self-care routine.

At-home devices allow people to treat eczema without needing prescriptions or doctor visits, and studies show that even one consistent session per week can lead to noticeable improvements in itching, redness, and flaking over time.

While it’s generally safe for most people, some studies have reported side effects like skin irritation, UV burns, or even flare-ups when devices are overused or not properly regulated so it’s worth using them mindfully for the best results.

Light Therapy Isn’t Just for Mood: Just like sunlight can lift your mood, certain light therapies can soothe your skin.

Clinical Evidence Supports Light-Based Treatments: According to a Cochrane review of over thirty clinical trials, various forms of phototherapy—including narrowband UVB and UVA1—have shown promising results in calming eczema symptoms like redness, itching, and skin irritation.

Light Helps Regulate Skin’s Immune Response: This is likely because light exposure helps regulate the immune response in the skin, reducing inflammation and encouraging healing.

How Red Light Differs—Yet Still Helps: While red light therapy works differently than UV light, it shares that same potential to gently calm flare-ups and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier over time.

Quick Relief from Topical Creams: Topical creams like steroids provide fast symptom relief but don't address underlying causes.

Long-Term Benefits of Red Light Therapy: Red light therapy, on the other hand, supports long-term healing by calming inflammation and improving skin health over time.

Best of Both Worlds: A Balanced Approach: The best approach may involve using both methods as part of a holistic eczema care plan.

Yes, in some cases. People with very sensitive skin may experience increased redness or dryness, especially if treatments are too frequent or the light intensity is too high.

Certain skin conditions, like lupus, can also become more aggravated by red light therapy due to heightened sensitivity to light. Always start with shorter sessions and consult a dermatologist if unsure.

Choose an LED red light therapy device that emits light in the 600–650 nm range. LEDs are affordable, safe, and widely available.

For small areas, handheld devices work well, while full panels are ideal for larger flare-up zones.

Avoid overly intense devices without medical supervision. To ensure you're using the right intensity, measure your light's power density (in mW/cm²) at various distances with an optical power sensor.

This helps you adjust the dose based on your skin's needs, ensuring the light penetrates effectively for optimal results.