Radiofrequency vs infrared vs red light therapy for cellulite and skin tightening: what is best?

RF vs infrared vs red light

  • Radiofrequency vs infrared/red light therapy = High frequency electricity vs light

  • Superficial tissue heating vs deep tissue heating

  • Red/Infrared = always superficial. RF = usually deep.

  • Infrared/red light and tissue healing at low intensity (low level light therapy / LLLT)

  • Fat release and cellulite removal with infrared/red LED light? Meh, it never worked in real life.

  • How about high intensity infrared/red light for skin tightening?

  • Radiofrequency is far better for cellulite and skin tightening, because it is deeper

  • Have a skin tightening / cellulite treatment in London with the experts

Radiofrequency vs infrared/red light therapy = High frequency electricity vs light

Both infrared/red light and radiofrequency treatment are based primarily on heating the tissues in order to achieve therapeutic results (in physiotherapy) or aesthetic results (in beauty).

  • Infrared is defined as electromagnetic radiation (light) at frequencies of 300 GHz to 400 THz

  • Red light is as electromagnetic radiation (light) at frequencies of 400-480THz

  • Radiofrequency is defined as electrical currents at frequencies of 20 kHz to 300 GHz

In this article we examine the merits of each technique in relation to skin tightening and cellulite reduction.

Superficial tissue heating vs deep tissue heating

Red/infrared light treatments (in the form of IPL/intense pulsed light, laser or LLLT/low level laser therapy), as well as radiofrequency treatments, are used to heat the body for therapeutic/aesthetic reasons.

In aesthetics, intense heating can improve circulation, boost fat release and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin for a gradual skin tightening and cellulite reduction effect.

Intense heating can also stimulate the contraction of existing collagen fibres, for an immediate as well as long term skin tightening/lifting effect.

Red/Infrared = always superficial. RF = usually deep.

The main difference between radio frequency and infrared/red light treatment is that radio frequency (RF), depending on the equipment used, the products applied and the settings/protocol applied, can selectively heat the deeper layers of the skin (dermis and hypodermis), without overheating the epidermis (most superficial layer of the skin).

(A well-trained, knowledgable and experienced therapist would know how to make the most of the two variables above (equipment and treatment product) to ensure treatment is at the exact depth: the hypodermis and the dermis, not too deep, not too superficial.)

In contrast, red light / infrared treatment focuses on the epidermis, penetrating very little beyond the uppermost layer of the skin, and as a result it cannot reach the deeper layers of the skin in therapeutic amounts, without first overheating (burning) the epidermis first.

Infrared/red light and tissue healing at low intensity (low level light therapy / LLLT)

Infrared / red light treatment is known to stimulate tissue healing and collagen synthesis via its action on chromophores (light absorbing compounds) inside the skin, even at the very low levels of red/infrared radiation that reach the dermis and hypodermis.

However, this effect is very subtle and very slow and therefore far inferior to radiofrequency for skin tightening, which is much faster and much more pronounced.

The problem of not enough infrared/red light intensity reaching the dermis and hypodermis is further compounded by the fact that the vast majority of infrared/red light therapy treatments are of very low intensity to start with. This means that almost no infrared/red light reaches the dermis and especially the hypodermis, where cellulite and the large collagen structures are found.

Proponents of infrared/red light therapy maintain that very little light intensity is needed to provide results, as evidenced by the use of this technology in tissue healing in physiotherapy.

However, SKIN TIGHTENING, as well as fat release / adipocyte apoptosis (fat cell death) for CELLULITE REDUCTION, are quite different to tissue healing for physiotherapy.

In fact, red/infrared radiation never worked for cellulite/fat reduction and skin tightening, as we will see below.

Fat release and cellulite removal with infrared/red LED light? Meh, it never worked in real life.

In theory, low-level infrared/red radiation also stimulates the release of fat from fat cells IN VITRO, IN THE LAB, but unfortunately this has never translated into the same results in the real world, as the surface of the skin does not allow enough red/infrared light to reach the fat cells.

Indeed, millions of women bought into the red/infrared LED light treatment craze a few years ago. After the initial hype the whole thing died down in 2-3 years, as people realised the truth behind the hype, but only after hundreds of millions of £££/$$$ changed hands unnecessarily.

On the other hand, even a highly hyped, super expensive, very high intensity infrared laser technology for fat reduction never really worked in real life, despite what “research” has shown and the whole hype also died down very quickly.

All in all, light, red, infrared, green or any other colour - low intensity or high intensity - does not reduce cellulite or fat. Period.

How about high intensity infrared/red light for skin tightening?

Yes, high intensity infrared/red light can stimulate some skin tightening on the dermis (not deeper) but its effect is much inferior to high-power, deep-acting RF, which penetrates deeper and is way stronger. And given that both types of treatments cost roughly the same, deep tissue radiofrequency wins hands down.

On the other hand, bipolar radiofrequency (and its iterations, tripolar, tetrapolar and octipolar radiofrequency), which is very superficial and therefore not much different to red/infrared light therapy: they both act very superficially, so both are of not much use in cellulite reduction and deep skin tightening.

Radiofrequency is far better for cellulite and skin tightening, because it is deeper

In conclusion, we could say that infrared/red light treatment is largely limited to the epidermis (very superficial treatment) and in some cases the dermis (superficial-medium deep treatment).

On the other hand, quality radiofrequency treatment can work on different skin depths, from superficial to very deep, depending on the design of the treatment.

Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts

At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.

This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.

As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.

Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.

Our radiofrequency/ultrasound treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, microneedling-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.

And our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service, with a smile.

We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1)