Everything You Need to Know About the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel

If you consider yourself a true skin-care aficionado, chances are you already have a red light therapy wand or LED mask on heavy rotation in your routine. But these devices aren’t really practical for treating much beyond your neck—which is where Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel comes in. As a fan of Sunlighten’s personal sauna system, I was first in line to try the brand’s newest device: a generously-sized, surprisingly attractive LED panel that boasts both red and near infrared lights. And while I was fully expecting the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel to transform my bedroom into a spa and my dull complexion into a radiant one (check, check), it turned out to be capable of so much more.

In This Story:

• About the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel
• How to use the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel
• My Experience With the Sunlighten RED Light Therapy Panel
• Is the Sunlighten RED Light Therapy Panel FDA-approved?
• How often should you use the Sunlighten RED Light Therapy Panel?
• Meet the Experts

Like a mask or wand, a red light therapy panel is a device made up of multiple light-emitting diodes that emit red light, generated at specific wavelengths to penetrate the skin at different depths, explains Dr. Connie Yang, board-certified dermatologist at PFRANKMD by Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank in New York, NY. “The light is absorbed by mitochondria, the energy powerhouse of the body, and stimulates production of ATP, which is the energy source for crucial cellular processes,” she says. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anetta Reszko, red light can penetrate about two to seven millimeters into the body. Not only is it scientifically proven to stimulate collagen and elastin production, “it can help with anti-aging, wound healing, and reducing redness and inflammation,” she says.

As a beauty editor, I’d really only used red light therapy, and specifically to treat my skin. But in addition to red lights, the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel also features near infrared lights. This means that treatment with this device can go deeper into the body—up to five centimeters, says Lisa Chevalier, PA-C and founder of So-Vous Medical Spa in New York, NY—to deliver more wellness benefits. “This allows the light to target not only the skin, but also underlying tissues, muscles, and joints, by enhancing blood flow, aiding in nutrient delivery, reducing inflammation, and further promoting healing,” she explains, adding that near infrared light can also help with lymphatic drainage.

Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel

• What It Is: A light therapy device with 200 lights (100 red, 100 near infrared) to help promote collagen production for firmer, smoother skin as well as reduce the appearance of cellulite, quell inflammation, relieve muscle soreness, improve sleep, and support the immune system.
• Device Type: LED panel
• Target Treatment Area: Full body
• Treatment Time: 5-15 minutes
• Specs: 200 LEDs (100 red, 100 near infrared), 35”H x 11”W x 2.76”D in size, 22 pounds in weight, includes protective goggles, a remote control, power cord, and pairs with an app.

Though all these benefits may sound too good to be true, they’re legitimate. According to board-certified internist and longevity medicine specialist Dr. Amanda Kahn, there are over 40 years of research proving red light’s efficacy in treating everything from sleep and muscle recovery to immune health—and scientists are still discovering new benefits. “University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Center, one of the top 15 hospitals in the nation, announced in January 2025 that red light therapy reduced the formation of deadly blood clots,” she says.

I admittedly didn’t know quite how profound the benefits of red light therapy could be, which is why I was stunned upon setting up my Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel. Upon installing the Sunlighten app, I found the device can be used not only for skincare, but also for improving your sleep, immunity, muscle recovery, energy levels, inflammation, and cellulite. These treatment options are then further broken down into basic, intermediate, and advanced programs for a total of 21 different ways to use the Sunlighten LED panel—a far cry from the basic on/off settings of the average LED face mask. (If you prefer, you can also manually control the panel with the included remote, but the app is definitely the way to go.)

In addition to a remote, the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel comes with a power cord, plus goggles to protect your eyes from the 200 lights (100 red, 100 near infrared). And, unlike most LED devices, which are predominantly plastic, the Sunlighten LED panel is framed with the eucalyptus wood used in many of the brand’s sauna designs. Translation: You’ll get spa vibes from the tech before you even turn it on.

Using the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel is very straightforward. You can use it right out of the box with the included remote, but as mentioned, you’ll get the most out of your experience if you pair it with the Sunlighten app. There you’ll find the many programming options. Each program specifies which area of the body to aim at the panel and the distance you should position yourself from the lights—anywhere from six inches to three feet. “When a patient is at closest proximity to the panel, light penetrates the tissues more deeply and is an ideal distance for those seeking effects such as muscle recovery and joint pain relief,” explains Dr. Kahn. “For general wellness, skincare, or sensitive skin, a distance of 18–36 inches is more suitable, offering a gentler treatment.”

To use it, simply turn it on, select your desired program on the app, and get comfortable. You’ll want to strip down before settling in, notes Dr. Reszko. “To achieve optimal results with LED therapy, it’s generally recommended that your skin be completely bare when using a red light therapy panel or mask,” she says. “Direct skin exposure ensures the best absorption and efficacy.” (Consider using it pre- or post-shower.) If you must be dressed for your red light session, she recommends choosing clothing made of light, thin, and loose fabric, which near infrared light can penetrate.

Truthfully, the biggest challenge delivered by the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel was getting it into my house! All of the packaging it arrived in was very bulky, so I needed help carrying it up the steps and inside, but once I unwrapped it, the device was very easy to use. After downloading the Sunlighten app, all I had to do was plug in the panel, pair it, and begin. For my first test, I opted for the advanced skincare setting, which is to be used for two 10-minute sessions—one facing it, one away to get both sides of your body—and positioned myself the recommended one foot away from the device before tapping the start button on the app. The panel’s 200 lights instantly lit up very brightly, so I reached for the included protective goggles, and waited for the session to end before repeating it with my back to the device. The lights emitted a gentle warmth that made it quite comfortable to use for this extended period on my bare skin.

Since my first experiment with the skincare setting, I’ve used the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel on a variety of treatment modes, with other favorites being “muscle recovery” and “sleep” which I often use back to back. My dedication to PureBarre has caused muscle tension that’s kept me up at night, and this device has gone a long way towards improving discomfort as well as my quality of rest. I’ll admit that I’m not the most consistent or frequent with devices in general—so while I’ve been using it once or twice a week for about two months and enjoying many of the panel’s benefits, it’s taking a little longer to see changes to my skin beyond a boost in radiance. Per our experts, that’s to be expected: “In my opinion, red light therapy works best as a complementary treatment to other skin treatments,” says Chevalier.

For context, the LED device that’s been on heavy rotation in my home before using the Sunlighten panel is another Vogue favorite, the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro. You might be curious to know if a red light panel is better than a red light mask, but comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges—they’re both beneficial, but totally different. “Choosing a panel versus a mask depends on your individual needs and treatment goals,” says Dr. Yang, who points out that masks tend to be easier to use and more portable. Considering you need to be consistent with using a red light device to see benefits, ease of use is important.

While I’d say that the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel is just as easy to use as any red light mask I’ve tested before, I wouldn’t recommend multitasking while using it. I cannot overstate how bright the lights are—when facing the panel, you absolutely have to wear the goggles. (For settings that you face away from the device, like “sleep,” you can definitely read a book or watch TV.) If you simply can’t sit still doing nothing (guilty!), you can consider buying goggles with specialized lenses that can filter red and near infrared wavelengths. Chevalier recommends seeking out eyewear with high-quality polycarbonate lenses that are rated for LED therapy use that fit comfortably and securely. “It is also important to look for optical density ratings that indicate the glasses’ effectiveness in blocking harmful light,” she says. “A higher optical density will filter more light.”

Because panels are often sizable, they’re ideal for anyone who wants to cover a larger surface area or wants to address concerns beyond skincare. “As a board-certified internist with a focus on whole-body longevity, I recommend the more comprehensive, stronger, and deeper level of treatment from a red light therapy panel,” Dr. Kahn says. But many have hesitations about investing in a red light therapy panel if they’re worried about storage. I can confirm that despite its generous size, the Sunlighten Red Light Therapy Panel is still compact enough to fit into smaller spaces—I’ve stowed mine away by sliding it under my bed. If you want to keep it out, Sunlighten sells a variety of accessories for the panel so you can mount it on a wall or hang it off the back of a door if standing it upright (either in a base, sold separately, or by leaning it against a wall) doesn’t work for your needs.

This device isn’t FDA approved, but rather FDA registered, which is a regulatory requirement for products that could be considered a medical device.

All of our experts agree that it’s ideal to use red light therapy three to five times a week to get the best results. “For wound healing or muscle recovery, you may use it as frequently as daily,” says Dr. Yang. Once you start experiencing the benefits of this luxe device, you’ll want to make it part of your everyday routine.

• Dr. Connie Yang is a board-certified dermatologist at PFRANKMD by Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank in New York, NY.
• Dr. Anetta Reszko is a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY.
• Lisa Chevalier, PA-C is the founder of So-Vous Medical Spa in New York, NY.
• Dr. Amanda Kahn is a board-certified internist and longevity medicine specialist in New York, NY.