Quick answer: Choose by the area you want to cover, not by output. A compact panel suits the face and neck, a medium one the face plus back or legs, a full-body panel whole-body routines. Use it 8–50 cm from the skin for 10–30 minutes, at most 30 minutes a day per area. Smart Series panels measure ≈100 mW/cm² at 15 cm.
Which panel size fits the area you want to cover?
Start with the routine you will actually keep. A panel that fits next to a mirror or in a corner of the bedroom gets used; one that needs ten minutes of setting up often doesn't. Size decides how much of your body one session reaches, so it is the first choice to make.
| Panel | Made for | Size (H × W × D) | Weight | Stand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Small | face, neck, shoulders, targeted areas | 300 × 260 × 60 mm | 3.5 kg | table stand |
| Smart Medium | face and body, medium areas such as the back or legs | 600 × 260 × 60 mm | 7.5 kg | floor stand and wall mount |
| Smart Max | full body | 1090 × 260 × 60 mm | 12.6 kg | foldable floor stand |
If your focus is the face, a compact panel is enough. If you also want to cover your back or legs, or share the panel at home, the medium size is the practical middle ground. A full-body panel makes sense when whole-body sessions are already part of your week. You can compare all three in the panel collection.
Does a higher output or LED count mean a better panel?
Not on its own. Irradiance, in mW/cm², tells you how much light reaches the skin, but only with the distance it was measured at. A figure without a distance can't be compared with anything. Ours are spectrometer readings at 15 cm, and the three Smart Series panels are almost the same, so the difference between them is coverage, not strength.
More light is not automatically better either. A 2009 review of light-dose research describes a biphasic dose response: in many experiments, lower doses of light had a better effect than higher ones. A panel you can use at a comfortable distance, for a session length you can repeat, is worth more than the highest number on a spec sheet.
For salons, gyms and wellness venues, the Pro Series is made for professional use: Beauty Pro measures 119 mW/cm² and Fitness Pro 122 mW/cm² at 15 cm.
Red, near-infrared or both: which wavelengths should a panel have?
Red light reaches the skin's surface layers; near-infrared, which you can't see, reaches deeper layers. Research into how photobiomodulation works points to cytochrome c oxidase, an enzyme in the mitochondria that absorbs red and near-infrared light, as the leading explanation.
Smart Series panels combine six wavelengths in two separately controlled channels: red (610, 630 and 660 nm) and near-infrared (810, 830 and 850 nm). With the near-infrared channel alone the panel looks dim even while it works, because that light is invisible. Separate channels let you use red light for a face routine and both channels for the body. Pulse settings are there if you want them; continuous light is the simpler place to start.
What does research explore for skin and for training?
For skin, a 2014 controlled trial with 136 volunteers explored twice-weekly sessions with large-area red and near-infrared light, 30 sessions in total, and measured skin roughness and collagen density against a control group. In that study the broader red-plus-near-infrared spectrum showed no advantage over red light alone, which is useful to know if your focus is the face.
For training, a 2016 review of 46 studies with 1,045 participants explores light used before or after exercise, with measures such as fatigue, repetitions and muscle recovery. These were study devices and protocols, not our panels, and research is still exploring which settings matter. Red light therapy can be part of your recovery routine; it doesn't replace training, sleep or food.
How far away and how long should a session be?
Stay within the distance and time in the quick answer above. Start at the far end of the distance range with a shorter session, and change one thing at a time. Regular sessions over weeks tell you more than one long session. Our guides on setting the distance and how often to use red light therapy go into more detail.
Close your eyes or wear the goggles; there's a pair in every box. More on this in our eye safety guide.
Important: It isn't recommended for children under 12, while breastfeeding, with epilepsy, with known tumours or metastases, or if you're sensitive to light. During pregnancy, only after talking to your doctor.
What should you check before you buy?
- Certification: the panel should be CE-certified (LVD and EMC) and RoHS-compliant, with the documents available.
- Who stands behind it: RedLightMed panels are made by a partner manufacturer to our specification and CE requirements, and every unit is checked in Hungary before it ships.
- Controls: Smart Series panels have voice control, touch keys and a display, 7 preset modes plus 1 custom mode, and dimming, a timer and pulse settings for each channel.
- Terms: 30-day returns from delivery and a 2–3-year warranty, depending on the panel.
- Space: measure where the panel will stand, and check that you can sit or stand in front of it comfortably.
Not sure which size fits? Call us on +45 71 58 55 64 or write to us through the contact page.
Sources
- Huang YY, Chen AC, Carroll JD, Hamblin MR. Biphasic dose response in low level light therapy. Dose Response, 2009.
- de Freitas LF, Hamblin MR. Proposed mechanisms of photobiomodulation or low-level light therapy. IEEE J Sel Top Quantum Electron, 2016.
- Wunsch A, Matuschka K. A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light … Photomed Laser Surg, 2014.
- Ferraresi C, Huang YY, Hamblin MR. Photobiomodulation in human muscle tissue: an advantage in sports performance? J Biophotonics, 2016.
