To Pulse or Not to Pulse
The Real Skinny on Pulsed Full Body LED Red Light Therapy
More and more full body red light bed companies are adding pulsing with all kinds of proprietary protocols and gimmicky marketing jargon. If the trend continues most red light beds will offer pulsed modes and unsuspecting consumers will assume that pulsing is a standard feature of red light therapy. But is there any evidence to substantiate pulsing in full body panels and beds? Are there any risks or downsides to pulsing? Is pulsing even better than no pulsing (or continuous wave)? In this appendix we'll take a deep dive into pulsing and answer all these burning questions.
The Real Skinny on Pulsed Full Body LED Red Light Therapy
More and more full body red light bed companies are adding pulsing with all kinds of proprietary protocols and gimmicky marketing jargon. If the trend continues most red light beds will offer pulsed modes and unsuspecting consumers will assume that pulsing is a standard feature of red light therapy. But is there any evidence to substantiate pulsing in full body panels and beds? Are there any risks or downsides to pulsing? Is pulsing even better than no pulsing (or continuous wave)? In this appendix we'll take a deep dive into pulsing and answer all these burning questions.
What is Pulsed Light?
Pulsing is typically a rapid "on" and "off" of a device. In contrast, most PBM studies use continuous wave (CW) light therapy, simply meaning the light is "on" for the entire time of the treatment. The pulse frequency refers to the the interval between the "on" time to the next "on" time. This is measured and communicated in units of Hertz, or Hz. Hertz is simply the cycles per second. So if we say 10 Hz, then the light is flashing on and off 10 times per second. With pulsed red light therapy there is typically a "duty cycle" of 50%. Which means there is an equivalent amount of time in the "on" position and "off" position. Hopefully it is clear that with a 50% duty cycle being off half the time compared to continuous wave, a pulsed light at this duty cycle will have an average intensity of half of the continuous which means you would have to do it twice as long to get the same "dose" (J/cm^2) that we looked at in chapter 12. That is already one strike against pulsing!
Pulsing is typically a rapid "on" and "off" of a device. In contrast, most PBM studies use continuous wave (CW) light therapy, simply meaning the light is "on" for the entire time of the treatment. The pulse frequency refers to the the interval between the "on" time to the next "on" time. This is measured and communicated in units of Hertz, or Hz. Hertz is simply the cycles per second. So if we say 10 Hz, then the light is flashing on and off 10 times per second. With pulsed red light therapy there is typically a "duty cycle" of 50%. Which means there is an equivalent amount of time in the "on" position and "off" position. Hopefully it is clear that with a 50% duty cycle being off half the time compared to continuous wave, a pulsed light at this duty cycle will have an average intensity of half of the continuous which means you would have to do it twice as long to get the same "dose" (J/cm^2) that we looked at in chapter 12. That is already one strike against pulsing!
Why Even do pulsing at all?
There are 3 main "claims" we have seen in marketing materials by red light companies as to why pulsing light is beneficial (emphasis on the word "claims").
Claim #1: Reduce tissue heating and increase penetration depth?
The first benefit of pulsing is probably the most well-studied in clinical literature. In the origins of red light therapy they were using lasers, but they needed to be low enough power to be safe and not cause tissue heating or burns. One of the most effective techniques to reduce tissue heating and still get great benefits is by pulsing. The short "off" times can help the tissue cool to thermoregulate and prevent overheating.
Big Problem with this "claim": The problem here is that ALL the studies done on pulsing light to reduce heating and increase penetration depth were done with LASERS! LASERS are a different type of light than the light in LED panels and beds namely the beam area is much smaller, the energy is much more focused and LASER light is collimated and coherent unlike LED light. So while for lasers this may have some benefit to lower tissue heating (which even here studies are inconclusive on penetration depth for example), for panels and beds it is not beneficial because it is much easier and more efficient to simply lower the irradiance to prevent heating (if necessary). But because most red light beds are UNDERPOWERED, pulsing FURTHER lowers the overall dosage of light in a session and makes it even LESS therapeutic as we'll see!
Claim #2: Brainwave entrainment (1-40 Hz)?
The second claimed benefit of pulsing is to induce brainwave entrainment. We know that our neurons can synchronize with the frequencies of lights and sounds around us. Using frequencies like 10 Hz (for alpha brainwaves) and 40 Hz (for gamma brainwaves) may help the brain synchronize with beneficial brain states. These brainwave entrainments has possible implications help with disease states like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's and restoring the brainwaves to a natural order. This is easiest to implement with very dim flashing lights to the eyes (various light and sound system on the market), or even intranasal application of red light therapy. For example Vielight has successfully marketed "Alpha" and "Gamma" intranasal and transcranial lights for years. But again this research IS NOT with beds or panels but with a small intranasal LED [1]!
The Big Problem with Pulsing for brain entrainment with full body beds is that you can create what is call flicker vertigo and hallucination effects which we will discuss later. Unfortunately the brain entrainment benefits overlap with the strobing contraindications and even induced hallucinations as we'll see. Solution - Use proper brain entrainment goggles and headphones/sound like braintap where you have a proven company with brain entrainment technology and research (or intranasal like Vielight). Also, it turns out brain entrainment only requires a very dim and faint amount of light which is much safer and more effective. Full body red light panels and beds are not the tool for the job!
There are 3 main "claims" we have seen in marketing materials by red light companies as to why pulsing light is beneficial (emphasis on the word "claims").
Claim #1: Reduce tissue heating and increase penetration depth?
The first benefit of pulsing is probably the most well-studied in clinical literature. In the origins of red light therapy they were using lasers, but they needed to be low enough power to be safe and not cause tissue heating or burns. One of the most effective techniques to reduce tissue heating and still get great benefits is by pulsing. The short "off" times can help the tissue cool to thermoregulate and prevent overheating.
Big Problem with this "claim": The problem here is that ALL the studies done on pulsing light to reduce heating and increase penetration depth were done with LASERS! LASERS are a different type of light than the light in LED panels and beds namely the beam area is much smaller, the energy is much more focused and LASER light is collimated and coherent unlike LED light. So while for lasers this may have some benefit to lower tissue heating (which even here studies are inconclusive on penetration depth for example), for panels and beds it is not beneficial because it is much easier and more efficient to simply lower the irradiance to prevent heating (if necessary). But because most red light beds are UNDERPOWERED, pulsing FURTHER lowers the overall dosage of light in a session and makes it even LESS therapeutic as we'll see!
Claim #2: Brainwave entrainment (1-40 Hz)?
The second claimed benefit of pulsing is to induce brainwave entrainment. We know that our neurons can synchronize with the frequencies of lights and sounds around us. Using frequencies like 10 Hz (for alpha brainwaves) and 40 Hz (for gamma brainwaves) may help the brain synchronize with beneficial brain states. These brainwave entrainments has possible implications help with disease states like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's and restoring the brainwaves to a natural order. This is easiest to implement with very dim flashing lights to the eyes (various light and sound system on the market), or even intranasal application of red light therapy. For example Vielight has successfully marketed "Alpha" and "Gamma" intranasal and transcranial lights for years. But again this research IS NOT with beds or panels but with a small intranasal LED [1]!
The Big Problem with Pulsing for brain entrainment with full body beds is that you can create what is call flicker vertigo and hallucination effects which we will discuss later. Unfortunately the brain entrainment benefits overlap with the strobing contraindications and even induced hallucinations as we'll see. Solution - Use proper brain entrainment goggles and headphones/sound like braintap where you have a proven company with brain entrainment technology and research (or intranasal like Vielight). Also, it turns out brain entrainment only requires a very dim and faint amount of light which is much safer and more effective. Full body red light panels and beds are not the tool for the job!
Claim #3: Some Special Mechanism or Magical Protocols [Buyer Beware!]
Now we get into some dubious and poorly substantiated claims. Some companies use frequencies in other areas of energy medicine and think that translates to pulsing light when there is no research to back it up. Examples would be devices that claim Nogier frequencies (sound/vibration frequencies on ear acupoints measuring a person's pulse), Rife Frequencies (radio or microcurrent frequencies hz-kHz), microcurrent frequencies, Solfeggio frequencies (174-963), Scalar wave frequencies, PEMF frequencies, tissue and organ frequencies, and all sorts of "exclusive" or "custom" protocols that have no shred of experimental evidence.
For example, using Nogier frequencies in full body panels or beds really emphasizes the ignorance of some red light panel and bed companies. These frequencies were developed by Paul Nogier in the 1960s for a precise auricular (ear) acupuncture method and protocol that requires extensive training. To simply pulse these frequencies with LED panels or beds shows a massive ignorance of Paul Nogier's intentions. But if we are going to be critical and refer to research, there is nothing substantial on pubmed at all verifying the efficacy of Nogier frequencies anyway; if anything conflicting studies. [2[!
The problem is these are frequencies using in sound (solfeggio), vibration (nogier), micro currents, PEMF, radio/electromagnetic (rife machines), scalar, and all sorts of exclusive and custom protocols claimed have NO credible research translating to LEDs! As for peer reviewed research using LEDS, there are ZERO studies/published papers with any of these pulsing frequencies when we did an extensive search of nearly 7800 PBM studies!
Now we get into some dubious and poorly substantiated claims. Some companies use frequencies in other areas of energy medicine and think that translates to pulsing light when there is no research to back it up. Examples would be devices that claim Nogier frequencies (sound/vibration frequencies on ear acupoints measuring a person's pulse), Rife Frequencies (radio or microcurrent frequencies hz-kHz), microcurrent frequencies, Solfeggio frequencies (174-963), Scalar wave frequencies, PEMF frequencies, tissue and organ frequencies, and all sorts of "exclusive" or "custom" protocols that have no shred of experimental evidence.
For example, using Nogier frequencies in full body panels or beds really emphasizes the ignorance of some red light panel and bed companies. These frequencies were developed by Paul Nogier in the 1960s for a precise auricular (ear) acupuncture method and protocol that requires extensive training. To simply pulse these frequencies with LED panels or beds shows a massive ignorance of Paul Nogier's intentions. But if we are going to be critical and refer to research, there is nothing substantial on pubmed at all verifying the efficacy of Nogier frequencies anyway; if anything conflicting studies. [2[!
The problem is these are frequencies using in sound (solfeggio), vibration (nogier), micro currents, PEMF, radio/electromagnetic (rife machines), scalar, and all sorts of exclusive and custom protocols claimed have NO credible research translating to LEDs! As for peer reviewed research using LEDS, there are ZERO studies/published papers with any of these pulsing frequencies when we did an extensive search of nearly 7800 PBM studies!

FOMO (fear of missing out) in Marketing: Scarcity Sells
FOMO marketing uses psychology to tap into consumers' emotional responses and triggers, making them want to act quickly to avoid missing out on an opportunity. Words like "exclusive", "proprietary" or "patented" which have nothing to do with actual research, but work in marketing.
Pulsing gives red light panel and bed companies a lot of creative ways to capitalize on FOMO because there are so many possibilities: "we have this pulsing program for this condition", this "special pulsing for that", but NONE OF IT IS SCIENCE, it is all marketing hype and FOMO! Lots of smoke and mirrors to dazzle the unsuspected prospect: Nogier, Rife, Brain Entrainment, Solfeggio, exlusive pulsing protocols for this and that condition.
The truth is that red and near infrared is very simple, it's all about the wavelength, irradiance and dosage. Pulsing has ZERO research with full body red light panels and beds. If you want to quiet companies that have pulsing on their red light therapy panels or beds, ask them for clinical studies to back up their claims - studies done with LED Panels and Beds not lasers! Currently there are no such studies but perhaps there will be in future? Regardless ask! Without clinical studies, a salesman cannot be trusted because their motive is to make money selling their product, not the truth.
FOMO marketing uses psychology to tap into consumers' emotional responses and triggers, making them want to act quickly to avoid missing out on an opportunity. Words like "exclusive", "proprietary" or "patented" which have nothing to do with actual research, but work in marketing.
Pulsing gives red light panel and bed companies a lot of creative ways to capitalize on FOMO because there are so many possibilities: "we have this pulsing program for this condition", this "special pulsing for that", but NONE OF IT IS SCIENCE, it is all marketing hype and FOMO! Lots of smoke and mirrors to dazzle the unsuspected prospect: Nogier, Rife, Brain Entrainment, Solfeggio, exlusive pulsing protocols for this and that condition.
The truth is that red and near infrared is very simple, it's all about the wavelength, irradiance and dosage. Pulsing has ZERO research with full body red light panels and beds. If you want to quiet companies that have pulsing on their red light therapy panels or beds, ask them for clinical studies to back up their claims - studies done with LED Panels and Beds not lasers! Currently there are no such studies but perhaps there will be in future? Regardless ask! Without clinical studies, a salesman cannot be trusted because their motive is to make money selling their product, not the truth.
The Dosing Problem
A big problem with pulsing is that it totally changes the dosing parameters. Sadly most companies not only measure the irradiance incorrectly but fail to realize that pulsing lowers the dosage. For example if you have a 50% duty cycle for pulsing light at ANY frequency that means the light is OFF half of the time. This means your dose gets cut in half and you need to do your full body red light panel or bed session for twice the time!! In some cases companies ONLY pulse the near infrared light which means if that was half of the LEDs used the dosage would be reduced by 25%, so you would have to increase your session time by 25% to get the same dose. Why? Because unlike lasers pulsed red light panels and beds do NOT increase the irradiance during the pulsing mode which means you are getting shortchanged with a gimmick that has no research legs to stand on!
Also this flies in the face of many red light bed and panel companies that claim higher irradiance and thereby a shorter session time. It's usually a double whammy because not only do most companies overinflate their irradiances by upwards to 400% or more, but adding pulsing to the mix, effectively lowers the dosage even more. So unsuspecting clinics/practioners or busy professionals that are sold on the shorter session times, are in reality under-dosing themselves and/or their patients! This is because pulsed LED panels or beds theoretically require one to increase the exposure time to offset the loss of average intensity and power. Otherwise we could expect getting less benefits if they are dosed incorrectly.
If all this isn't bad enough, most companies selling pulsed full body red light panels or beds are conveniently omitting re-taking all of these measurements again during the pulsed light mode. All of this is a surefire sign they are only interested in gimmicks, pseudoscience and FOMO marketing tactics. What they are doing knowingly or unknowingly is that they are hiding that the intensity and dosing can dramatically decrease while pulsing! And this leads to decreased penetration and lowered efficacy!
A big problem with pulsing is that it totally changes the dosing parameters. Sadly most companies not only measure the irradiance incorrectly but fail to realize that pulsing lowers the dosage. For example if you have a 50% duty cycle for pulsing light at ANY frequency that means the light is OFF half of the time. This means your dose gets cut in half and you need to do your full body red light panel or bed session for twice the time!! In some cases companies ONLY pulse the near infrared light which means if that was half of the LEDs used the dosage would be reduced by 25%, so you would have to increase your session time by 25% to get the same dose. Why? Because unlike lasers pulsed red light panels and beds do NOT increase the irradiance during the pulsing mode which means you are getting shortchanged with a gimmick that has no research legs to stand on!
Also this flies in the face of many red light bed and panel companies that claim higher irradiance and thereby a shorter session time. It's usually a double whammy because not only do most companies overinflate their irradiances by upwards to 400% or more, but adding pulsing to the mix, effectively lowers the dosage even more. So unsuspecting clinics/practioners or busy professionals that are sold on the shorter session times, are in reality under-dosing themselves and/or their patients! This is because pulsed LED panels or beds theoretically require one to increase the exposure time to offset the loss of average intensity and power. Otherwise we could expect getting less benefits if they are dosed incorrectly.
If all this isn't bad enough, most companies selling pulsed full body red light panels or beds are conveniently omitting re-taking all of these measurements again during the pulsed light mode. All of this is a surefire sign they are only interested in gimmicks, pseudoscience and FOMO marketing tactics. What they are doing knowingly or unknowingly is that they are hiding that the intensity and dosing can dramatically decrease while pulsing! And this leads to decreased penetration and lowered efficacy!
Engineering Issues with Pulsing
As the images below show, most full body LED panel and bed electronics do not have the ability to pulse much above 400-500 Hz. Any bed claiming to have over 1000 Hz pulsing is selling you swampland in Florida. The reason it is a scam is that above a certain threshold, you simply get only continuous light because the electronics cannot pulse that fast. Notice in the images below that 400 Hz never comes fully back to zero (does not completely turn off), so it is by definition not pulsing at all. What happens is the light gets very slightly dimmer and then slightly brighter. Above 500 Hz in this example, it does not even get dimmer, it stays the same = NO PULSING.
Also, the pulsing modes on LED panels or beds surges LEDs on and off which lowers the lifespan of the LEDs and places more stress on them so the led panel or bed is more likely to break down (more complications and complexity causes more issues!). This results in a less reliable bed that statistically won't last as long.
As the images below show, most full body LED panel and bed electronics do not have the ability to pulse much above 400-500 Hz. Any bed claiming to have over 1000 Hz pulsing is selling you swampland in Florida. The reason it is a scam is that above a certain threshold, you simply get only continuous light because the electronics cannot pulse that fast. Notice in the images below that 400 Hz never comes fully back to zero (does not completely turn off), so it is by definition not pulsing at all. What happens is the light gets very slightly dimmer and then slightly brighter. Above 500 Hz in this example, it does not even get dimmer, it stays the same = NO PULSING.
Also, the pulsing modes on LED panels or beds surges LEDs on and off which lowers the lifespan of the LEDs and places more stress on them so the led panel or bed is more likely to break down (more complications and complexity causes more issues!). This results in a less reliable bed that statistically won't last as long.

And here (below) is a study to confirm what engineering can measure: That higher frequency pulsing has the same effects are continuous wave (no pulsing). The reason is as we just explained, is the higher frequency pulsing literally IS nothing but continuous wave because the electronics used in most pulsing LED panels and beds cannot turn the light on and off fast enough! So don't believe the hype! Higher frequency pulsing is a scam. If these companies are actually pulsing at higher frequencies demand proof from a calibrated flicker meter or properly measured with an oscilloscope.
Pulsed light in Red light therapy is INCONCLUSIVE
Perhaps the biggest reason to avoid pulsing on full body panels and beds is there is no conclusive research -ZERO! In fact there is no conclusive research pulsing works for even LASERS. There was a review of nine studies that compared pulsed to continuous wave lasers, 6 of the 9 did show favorable results to pulsing WITH LASERS, but one study showed no difference two studies showed continuous lasers worked better. The article concluded the benefits from pulsing LASERS are inclusive. Additionally this was done with lasers and not LEDs [3]. Not only is pulsed light research inconclusive there are good studies showing continuous wave LED red light therapy works better!
Perhaps the biggest reason to avoid pulsing on full body panels and beds is there is no conclusive research -ZERO! In fact there is no conclusive research pulsing works for even LASERS. There was a review of nine studies that compared pulsed to continuous wave lasers, 6 of the 9 did show favorable results to pulsing WITH LASERS, but one study showed no difference two studies showed continuous lasers worked better. The article concluded the benefits from pulsing LASERS are inclusive. Additionally this was done with lasers and not LEDs [3]. Not only is pulsed light research inconclusive there are good studies showing continuous wave LED red light therapy works better!
Evidence that Continuous Wave Red Light is BETTER than Pulsed Light
A 2021 pulsed light study showed precisely what happens when researchers use pulsing but don't increase the intensity output to compensate for the dosage lost [6]. The continuous wave light in the study delivered 65.8 J/cm^2 of dose while the pulsed wave delivered only 21.7 J/cm^2 at 10Hz and 33% duty cycle. Hopefully it should be no surprise that a 33% duty cycle delivers 1/3 the dose! Yet both used the same exact intensity of 54.8 mW/cm^2, but due to the nature of pulsing the dose was slashed down 1/3 according to its duty cycle. The study was looking for modulation of cerebral electrical activity and cerebral blood flow in regards to Alzheimers. What researchers found was there was no significant improvement in the pulsed group. In fact, it didn't even perform significantly better than placebo. Meanwhile the continuous wave light in this study actually induced natural Gamma Waves in the brain, showing that there was beneficial brainwave activity from continuous wave light!
A 2021 pulsed light study showed precisely what happens when researchers use pulsing but don't increase the intensity output to compensate for the dosage lost [6]. The continuous wave light in the study delivered 65.8 J/cm^2 of dose while the pulsed wave delivered only 21.7 J/cm^2 at 10Hz and 33% duty cycle. Hopefully it should be no surprise that a 33% duty cycle delivers 1/3 the dose! Yet both used the same exact intensity of 54.8 mW/cm^2, but due to the nature of pulsing the dose was slashed down 1/3 according to its duty cycle. The study was looking for modulation of cerebral electrical activity and cerebral blood flow in regards to Alzheimers. What researchers found was there was no significant improvement in the pulsed group. In fact, it didn't even perform significantly better than placebo. Meanwhile the continuous wave light in this study actually induced natural Gamma Waves in the brain, showing that there was beneficial brainwave activity from continuous wave light!
Another Study: Continuous Light beats Pulsing for Brain application!
Another study compared different intensities and doses of pulsed red light therapy for treating Major Depressive Disorder - obviously a brain-related disorder. [7] What they found was ONLY the Low-Dose Continuous Wave group showed statistically significant improvement. While the pulsed groups did not even show any significant improvement over the control group. This is important to keep finding that there are indeed many cases where continuous wave is superior to pulsed wave, especially in these cases for the brain where most people falsely assume they need pulsing to treat the brain. Finally one last topic on research with pulsing is that it has been shown to actually decrease the penetration depth (remember we want red light to penetrate as far as possible into the body).
Another study compared different intensities and doses of pulsed red light therapy for treating Major Depressive Disorder - obviously a brain-related disorder. [7] What they found was ONLY the Low-Dose Continuous Wave group showed statistically significant improvement. While the pulsed groups did not even show any significant improvement over the control group. This is important to keep finding that there are indeed many cases where continuous wave is superior to pulsed wave, especially in these cases for the brain where most people falsely assume they need pulsing to treat the brain. Finally one last topic on research with pulsing is that it has been shown to actually decrease the penetration depth (remember we want red light to penetrate as far as possible into the body).
Pulsing does not increase penetration depth (it actually DECREASES it in full body panels and beds)!
Some dubious marketers claim that pulsing increases the penetration of light. Again there is no evidence to substantiate this, actually quite the contrary for the main reason we already mentioned is the pulsing full body LEDs and panels lowers the dosage thereby giving your body less light which equates to statistically less penetration depth! Increased penetration depth with pulsing is not even conclusive with lasers that DO compensate by increasing irradiance on the pulsed modes! In one study pulsed laser light yielded no statistically significant penetration through sheep skin, intact sheep head, and living human tissue compared to continuous light [4]. In another study with fixed human cadaver heads, there was no difference between pulse- and continuous-wave laser light [5]. But again to keep emphasizing there are ZERO studies done with full body LED panels or beds with pulsing light - ZERO! Our advice is do not get suckered into any pulsing light LED propaganda.
Some dubious marketers claim that pulsing increases the penetration of light. Again there is no evidence to substantiate this, actually quite the contrary for the main reason we already mentioned is the pulsing full body LEDs and panels lowers the dosage thereby giving your body less light which equates to statistically less penetration depth! Increased penetration depth with pulsing is not even conclusive with lasers that DO compensate by increasing irradiance on the pulsed modes! In one study pulsed laser light yielded no statistically significant penetration through sheep skin, intact sheep head, and living human tissue compared to continuous light [4]. In another study with fixed human cadaver heads, there was no difference between pulse- and continuous-wave laser light [5]. But again to keep emphasizing there are ZERO studies done with full body LED panels or beds with pulsing light - ZERO! Our advice is do not get suckered into any pulsing light LED propaganda.
The Dark Side to Pulsing Red Light panels and beds.
It gets worse for pulsing red light LEDs. Not only does pulsing it lower the dosage, lower the lifespan of the unit, and there is no evidence to support it, there are health and safety concerns why you should avoid pulsing full body red light panels and beds. Unlike lasers or intranasal LEDs, pulsing full body red light panels or beds, especially 1-40 Hz and even more-so 10Hz, will create a powerful strobing effect that can cause severe reactions in those that are sensitive to flashing lights.
Strobing or pulsing LEDs lights, especially red lights, can cause a condition called flicker vertigo, which can cause nausea, disorientation, rapid blinking, rapid eye movement, and muscle rigidity. These symptoms are temporary and usually disappear immediately after the strobing effect stops. Now even though we might desire 10Hz or 40Hz pulsing for brain entrainment or some alleged benefits, we must exercise caution with pulsed red light panels in how they relate to strobing and flicker-induced distress.
It gets worse for pulsing red light LEDs. Not only does pulsing it lower the dosage, lower the lifespan of the unit, and there is no evidence to support it, there are health and safety concerns why you should avoid pulsing full body red light panels and beds. Unlike lasers or intranasal LEDs, pulsing full body red light panels or beds, especially 1-40 Hz and even more-so 10Hz, will create a powerful strobing effect that can cause severe reactions in those that are sensitive to flashing lights.
Strobing or pulsing LEDs lights, especially red lights, can cause a condition called flicker vertigo, which can cause nausea, disorientation, rapid blinking, rapid eye movement, and muscle rigidity. These symptoms are temporary and usually disappear immediately after the strobing effect stops. Now even though we might desire 10Hz or 40Hz pulsing for brain entrainment or some alleged benefits, we must exercise caution with pulsed red light panels in how they relate to strobing and flicker-induced distress.

A closer look at Flicker Vertigo
Flicker vertigo, sometimes called the Bucha effect, is "an imbalance in brain-cell activity caused by exposure to low-frequency flickering (or flashing) of a relatively bright light." It is a disorientation-, vertigo-, and nausea-inducing effect of a strobe light flashing at 1 Hz to 20 Hz, approximately the frequency of human brainwaves.[8][9] The effects are similar to seizures caused by epilepsy (in particular photosensitive epilepsy), but are not restricted to people with histories of epilepsy.
This phenomenon has been observed during helicopter flight; a Dr. Bucha identified the phenomenon in the 1950s when called upon to investigate a series of similar and unexplained helicopter crashes. Flicker vertigo in a helicopter occurs when the pilot or front passenger looks up through the blades of the main rotor as it turns in the sun causing the light to strobe.
The strobe light effect can cause persons who are vulnerable to flicker vertigo to experience symptoms such as:
These effects are typically very minor and will most often subside within seconds once exposure to the strobe effect has ceased, though residual nausea and minor disorientation may be felt for several minutes.
In extremely rare cases, severe reactions can happen including:
Flicker vertigo has been considered as a principle for various forms of non-lethal weapons.[10][11] A related crowd-control device was invented by Charles Bovill, which "employed a combination of ultra-sonic waves and strobe lights to induce acute discomfort, sickness, disorientation and sometimes epilepsy"[12]. We also know that tactical flashlights use 8 Hz pulse to disorient assailants.
The famous Pokemon incident caused seizures in hundreds of children - which they determined was a 12 Hz flashing of colors and images - particularly responding to deep red. So we must be careful especially in the visible range of strobe-like flashing not to induce seizures or distress. This is why even certain Netflix shows will provide warnings of flashing lights because even that can cause seizures like the Pokeman incident. The IEEE has determined that any flicker at 100% modulation is considered "high risk" for causing health issues.
Flicker vertigo, sometimes called the Bucha effect, is "an imbalance in brain-cell activity caused by exposure to low-frequency flickering (or flashing) of a relatively bright light." It is a disorientation-, vertigo-, and nausea-inducing effect of a strobe light flashing at 1 Hz to 20 Hz, approximately the frequency of human brainwaves.[8][9] The effects are similar to seizures caused by epilepsy (in particular photosensitive epilepsy), but are not restricted to people with histories of epilepsy.
This phenomenon has been observed during helicopter flight; a Dr. Bucha identified the phenomenon in the 1950s when called upon to investigate a series of similar and unexplained helicopter crashes. Flicker vertigo in a helicopter occurs when the pilot or front passenger looks up through the blades of the main rotor as it turns in the sun causing the light to strobe.
The strobe light effect can cause persons who are vulnerable to flicker vertigo to experience symptoms such as:
- Become disoriented and/or nauseated
- Blink rapidly
- Experience rapid eye movements behind closed eyelids
- Lose control of fine motor functions
- Experience muscle rigidity
These effects are typically very minor and will most often subside within seconds once exposure to the strobe effect has ceased, though residual nausea and minor disorientation may be felt for several minutes.
In extremely rare cases, severe reactions can happen including:
- Total persistent loss of bodily functions
- Loss of muscle/motor response
- Loss of control of aircraft or other moving vehicles
- Seizure
Flicker vertigo has been considered as a principle for various forms of non-lethal weapons.[10][11] A related crowd-control device was invented by Charles Bovill, which "employed a combination of ultra-sonic waves and strobe lights to induce acute discomfort, sickness, disorientation and sometimes epilepsy"[12]. We also know that tactical flashlights use 8 Hz pulse to disorient assailants.
The famous Pokemon incident caused seizures in hundreds of children - which they determined was a 12 Hz flashing of colors and images - particularly responding to deep red. So we must be careful especially in the visible range of strobe-like flashing not to induce seizures or distress. This is why even certain Netflix shows will provide warnings of flashing lights because even that can cause seizures like the Pokeman incident. The IEEE has determined that any flicker at 100% modulation is considered "high risk" for causing health issues.

Pulsed-Light Induced Hallucinations:
It is well-studied that flickering or pulsed light can induce hallucinations. This is not anything scary like using psychedelic drugs, but the user can start seeing geometric patterns and colors that should not be there. Many studies have shown that even closed-eyes exposed to pulsing or flicker between 5Hz to 30Hz will bring about visual hallucinations. Research further suggests that pulsed light frequencies closest to the alpha frequency (10Hz) is the most likely to cause hallucinations. Do a search on pubmed on "flicker-induced hallucinations" and you'll find around 34 of which a couple are referenced here [13-17].
This is important information for both buyers and sellers of full body red light LED beds with pulsing options to know, especially if the light is pulsed in the visible spectrum. Consumers need to be warned of potential flicker vertigo and hallucinatory effects that can arise by pulsing LED light, especially those consumers that are sensitive to strobed light or that have any history of seizures.
It is well-studied that flickering or pulsed light can induce hallucinations. This is not anything scary like using psychedelic drugs, but the user can start seeing geometric patterns and colors that should not be there. Many studies have shown that even closed-eyes exposed to pulsing or flicker between 5Hz to 30Hz will bring about visual hallucinations. Research further suggests that pulsed light frequencies closest to the alpha frequency (10Hz) is the most likely to cause hallucinations. Do a search on pubmed on "flicker-induced hallucinations" and you'll find around 34 of which a couple are referenced here [13-17].
This is important information for both buyers and sellers of full body red light LED beds with pulsing options to know, especially if the light is pulsed in the visible spectrum. Consumers need to be warned of potential flicker vertigo and hallucinatory effects that can arise by pulsing LED light, especially those consumers that are sensitive to strobed light or that have any history of seizures.
Conclusion
So in conclusion, there is no reason to use pulsed light for full body LED red and near infrared light therapy. In fact there are SEVERAL reasons to use a continuous wave LED which includes safety from flicker vertigo, longevity of device, a higher and more therapeutic dosage, and even studies that support continuous wave over pulsed light. The truth is there is ZERO research done with pulsing light on full body LED panels or beds, ZERO! It turns out that is pure marketing propaganda with no scientific foundation.
[1] Zomorrodi, Reza & Loheswaran, Genane & Pushparaj, Abhiram & Lim, Lew. (2019). Pulsed Near Infrared Transcranial and Intranasal Photobiomodulation Significantly Modulates Neural Oscillations: a pilot exploratory study. Scientific Reports. 9. 10.1038/s41598-019-42693-x.
Lim, Lew & Yip, Kam & Lim, Teng. (2013). Method and portable system for non-invasive, in-vivo blood irradiation light therapy.
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37609769/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2933784/
[4] Henderson, T.A., Morries, L.D., 2015. Near-infrared photonic energy penetration: can infrared phototherapy effectively reach the human brain?
Neuropsychiatr. Dis. Treat. 11, 21912208.
[5] Tedford, C.E., DeLapp, S., Jacques, S., Anders, J., 2015. Quantitative analysis of transcranial and intraparenchymal light penetration in human cadaver brain tissue. Lasers Surg. Med. 47 (4), 312322.
[6] Spera V, Sitnikova T, Ward MJ, Farzam P, Hughes J, Gazecki S, Bui E, Maiello M, De Taboada L, Hamblin MR, Franceschini MA, Cassano P. Pilot Study on Dose-Dependent Effects of Transcranial Photobiomodulation on Brain Electrical Oscillations: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2021 Jun 3. doi: 10.3233/JAD-210058. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34092636.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34092636/
[7] https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(22)00618-7/fulltext#relatedArticles
[8]Bunker, Robert J. (July 1997), Nonlethal Weapons: Terms and References, DIANE, p. 17, ISBN 9781428991934
[9] Lyell (September 1997), Non-lethal Weapons: Draft General Report (PDF), p. 3, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-22, retrieved 2012-04-16
[10] Bertomen, Lindsey (May 2007), "You Strobe, I Strobe, We All Strobe Together", Law Enforcement Technology
[11] Patel, Prachi (2007-08-06). "The Incapacitating Flashlight; An LED flashlight makes culprits vomit". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
[12] Charles Bovill Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, November 2001
[13] Bartossek MT, Kemmerer J, Schmidt TT. Altered states phenomena induced by visual flicker light stimulation. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 1;16(7):e0253779.
[14] Amaya IA, Behrens N, Schwartzman DJ, Hewitt T, Schmidt TT. Effect of frequency and rhythmicity on flicker light-induced hallucinatory phenomena. PLoS One. 2023 Apr 11;18(4):e0284271.
[15] Billock VA, Tsou BH. Neural interactions between flicker-induced self-organized visual hallucinations and physical stimuli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 May 15;104(20):8490-5.
[16] Amaya IA, Behrens N, Schwartzman DJ, Hewitt T, Schmidt TT. Effect of frequency and rhythmicity on flicker light-induced hallucinatory phenomena. PLoS One. 2023 Apr 11;18(4):e0284271.
[17] Rule M, Stoffregen M, Ermentrout B. A model for the origin and properties of flicker-induced geometric phosphenes. PLoS Comput Biol. 2011 Sep;7(9):e1002158.
So in conclusion, there is no reason to use pulsed light for full body LED red and near infrared light therapy. In fact there are SEVERAL reasons to use a continuous wave LED which includes safety from flicker vertigo, longevity of device, a higher and more therapeutic dosage, and even studies that support continuous wave over pulsed light. The truth is there is ZERO research done with pulsing light on full body LED panels or beds, ZERO! It turns out that is pure marketing propaganda with no scientific foundation.
[1] Zomorrodi, Reza & Loheswaran, Genane & Pushparaj, Abhiram & Lim, Lew. (2019). Pulsed Near Infrared Transcranial and Intranasal Photobiomodulation Significantly Modulates Neural Oscillations: a pilot exploratory study. Scientific Reports. 9. 10.1038/s41598-019-42693-x.
Lim, Lew & Yip, Kam & Lim, Teng. (2013). Method and portable system for non-invasive, in-vivo blood irradiation light therapy.
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37609769/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2933784/
[4] Henderson, T.A., Morries, L.D., 2015. Near-infrared photonic energy penetration: can infrared phototherapy effectively reach the human brain?
Neuropsychiatr. Dis. Treat. 11, 21912208.
[5] Tedford, C.E., DeLapp, S., Jacques, S., Anders, J., 2015. Quantitative analysis of transcranial and intraparenchymal light penetration in human cadaver brain tissue. Lasers Surg. Med. 47 (4), 312322.
[6] Spera V, Sitnikova T, Ward MJ, Farzam P, Hughes J, Gazecki S, Bui E, Maiello M, De Taboada L, Hamblin MR, Franceschini MA, Cassano P. Pilot Study on Dose-Dependent Effects of Transcranial Photobiomodulation on Brain Electrical Oscillations: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2021 Jun 3. doi: 10.3233/JAD-210058. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34092636.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34092636/
[7] https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(22)00618-7/fulltext#relatedArticles
[8]Bunker, Robert J. (July 1997), Nonlethal Weapons: Terms and References, DIANE, p. 17, ISBN 9781428991934
[9] Lyell (September 1997), Non-lethal Weapons: Draft General Report (PDF), p. 3, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-22, retrieved 2012-04-16
[10] Bertomen, Lindsey (May 2007), "You Strobe, I Strobe, We All Strobe Together", Law Enforcement Technology
[11] Patel, Prachi (2007-08-06). "The Incapacitating Flashlight; An LED flashlight makes culprits vomit". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
[12] Charles Bovill Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, November 2001
[13] Bartossek MT, Kemmerer J, Schmidt TT. Altered states phenomena induced by visual flicker light stimulation. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 1;16(7):e0253779.
[14] Amaya IA, Behrens N, Schwartzman DJ, Hewitt T, Schmidt TT. Effect of frequency and rhythmicity on flicker light-induced hallucinatory phenomena. PLoS One. 2023 Apr 11;18(4):e0284271.
[15] Billock VA, Tsou BH. Neural interactions between flicker-induced self-organized visual hallucinations and physical stimuli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 May 15;104(20):8490-5.
[16] Amaya IA, Behrens N, Schwartzman DJ, Hewitt T, Schmidt TT. Effect of frequency and rhythmicity on flicker light-induced hallucinatory phenomena. PLoS One. 2023 Apr 11;18(4):e0284271.
[17] Rule M, Stoffregen M, Ermentrout B. A model for the origin and properties of flicker-induced geometric phosphenes. PLoS Comput Biol. 2011 Sep;7(9):e1002158.
******END OF CHAPTER*****
NO MORE EDITING OR ILLUSTRATIONS PAST THIS POINT
Making false claims
Amazingly consumers still get good results from red light therapy panels. Not "because of" the diligent evidence-based products and protocols, but "in spite of" their blatant manipulation of science and falsely representing their products.
One author notes that the selection of pulse frequencies seem mostly arbitrary.[3] If the goal is to reduce heating by cutting the average intensity in half, this can be achieved with any random Hz frequency at a 50% duty cycle.
We could create a Pulse frequency of 777 Hz, and start experimenting on people by making outrageous claims for it. Some of those people will get good results, and we will start cherry-picking those testimonials to reinforce our magical healing protocol
[3] Tunér J, Hode L. Low-level laser on hearing: is there an effect? ISRN Otolaryngol. 2013 Nov 11;2013:839256.
Amazingly consumers still get good results from red light therapy panels. Not "because of" the diligent evidence-based products and protocols, but "in spite of" their blatant manipulation of science and falsely representing their products.
One author notes that the selection of pulse frequencies seem mostly arbitrary.[3] If the goal is to reduce heating by cutting the average intensity in half, this can be achieved with any random Hz frequency at a 50% duty cycle.
We could create a Pulse frequency of 777 Hz, and start experimenting on people by making outrageous claims for it. Some of those people will get good results, and we will start cherry-picking those testimonials to reinforce our magical healing protocol
[3] Tunér J, Hode L. Low-level laser on hearing: is there an effect? ISRN Otolaryngol. 2013 Nov 11;2013:839256.

The zero field and flicker fusion frequency in humans
In human subjects, who for reasons of safety were only allowed to remain in the zero field for a few weeks, important deficits in neurophysiology were noted.
The flicker fusion frequency is the point at which the eye sees an increasingly rapid flashing light as a continuous beam. Put another way, flicker fusion frequency, also known as flicker merging frequency or flicker fusion rate) is the number of frames per second required to reproduce motion in movie film or video. Early movies were typically shot at 16 frames per second (16 Hz), and the flicker was very noticeable. Today’s movies are typically shot at 24 frames per second (24 Hz) and high definition television (HDTV) is shot at 60 full frames per second (60 Hz).
Humans have a maximum flicker fusion frequency of 60 Hz (or 60 “pictures per second” seen by the eye,) (Winkler 2005/34) and a minimum flicker fusion frequency just above 14 Hz (or 14 frames per second). In other words, at frequencies of 14 Hz, most people can detect flicker. It gets more difficult to detect flicker at higher frequencies. For example, TV is broadcast at 60 half frames per second in the United States.
The effect of the zero field on the visual system in humans is this: when exposed to a zero field, the flicker fusion frequency sank to a mere 8 frames per second (8 Hz) within a very short period of time. (Warnke 1994b/33)
In human subjects, who for reasons of safety were only allowed to remain in the zero field for a few weeks, important deficits in neurophysiology were noted.
The flicker fusion frequency is the point at which the eye sees an increasingly rapid flashing light as a continuous beam. Put another way, flicker fusion frequency, also known as flicker merging frequency or flicker fusion rate) is the number of frames per second required to reproduce motion in movie film or video. Early movies were typically shot at 16 frames per second (16 Hz), and the flicker was very noticeable. Today’s movies are typically shot at 24 frames per second (24 Hz) and high definition television (HDTV) is shot at 60 full frames per second (60 Hz).
Humans have a maximum flicker fusion frequency of 60 Hz (or 60 “pictures per second” seen by the eye,) (Winkler 2005/34) and a minimum flicker fusion frequency just above 14 Hz (or 14 frames per second). In other words, at frequencies of 14 Hz, most people can detect flicker. It gets more difficult to detect flicker at higher frequencies. For example, TV is broadcast at 60 half frames per second in the United States.
The effect of the zero field on the visual system in humans is this: when exposed to a zero field, the flicker fusion frequency sank to a mere 8 frames per second (8 Hz) within a very short period of time. (Warnke 1994b/33)
III. Synchronizing with Ion Channels
There is a lot of literature on the kinetics of various classes of ion channels but in broad summary it can be claimed that the time scale or kinetics for opening and closing of ion channels are of the order of a few milliseconds. Potassium and calcium ion channels in the mitochondria and the sarcolemma may be involved in the cellular response to PBM (Chow 2007; Karu, 2008; Karu et al., 2004).
Chow, R.T., David, M.A., Armati, P.J., 2007. 830 nm laser irradiation induces varicosity formation, reduces mitochondrial membrane potential and blocks fast axonal flow in small and medium diameter rat dorsal root ganglion neurons: implications for the analgesic effects of 830 nm laser. J. Peripher. Nerv. Syst. 12 (1), 2839.
Karu, T.I., 2008. Mitochondrial signaling in mammalian cells activated by red and near-IR radiation. Photochem. Photobiol. 84 (5), 10911099.
Karu, T.I., Pyatibrat, L.V., Afanasyeva, N.I., 2004. A novel mitochondrial signaling pathway activated by visible-to-near infrared radiation.Photochem. Photobiol. 80 (2), 366372.
IV. Photodissociation of NO Enhanced
Thirdly there is the possibility that one mechanism of action of PBM on a cellular level is the photodissociation of nitric oxide from a protein binding site (heme or copper center) such as those found in cyctochrome c oxidase (Lane, 2006). If this process occurs it is likely that the NO would rebind to the same site even in the presence of continuous light. Therefore, if the light was pulsed multiple photodissociation events could occur, while in CW mode the number of dissociations may be much smaller.
Lane, N., 2006. Cell biology: power games. Nature 443 (7114), 901903.
The Hamblin Laboratory published a study that compared the same dose of 810 nm PBM (36 J/cm2 at 50 mW/cm2) delivered either by CW, pulsed at 10 Hz, or pulsed at 100 Hz in a mouse TBI model (Ando et al., 2011). A single PBM dose was delivered 4 hours post-TBI; and the beneficial effect on cognitive function was statistically better with 10 Hz than it was with either CW and 100 Hz, which were both equally effective, but in turn were statistically better than TBI controls.
There is a lot of literature on the kinetics of various classes of ion channels but in broad summary it can be claimed that the time scale or kinetics for opening and closing of ion channels are of the order of a few milliseconds. Potassium and calcium ion channels in the mitochondria and the sarcolemma may be involved in the cellular response to PBM (Chow 2007; Karu, 2008; Karu et al., 2004).
Chow, R.T., David, M.A., Armati, P.J., 2007. 830 nm laser irradiation induces varicosity formation, reduces mitochondrial membrane potential and blocks fast axonal flow in small and medium diameter rat dorsal root ganglion neurons: implications for the analgesic effects of 830 nm laser. J. Peripher. Nerv. Syst. 12 (1), 2839.
Karu, T.I., 2008. Mitochondrial signaling in mammalian cells activated by red and near-IR radiation. Photochem. Photobiol. 84 (5), 10911099.
Karu, T.I., Pyatibrat, L.V., Afanasyeva, N.I., 2004. A novel mitochondrial signaling pathway activated by visible-to-near infrared radiation.Photochem. Photobiol. 80 (2), 366372.
IV. Photodissociation of NO Enhanced
Thirdly there is the possibility that one mechanism of action of PBM on a cellular level is the photodissociation of nitric oxide from a protein binding site (heme or copper center) such as those found in cyctochrome c oxidase (Lane, 2006). If this process occurs it is likely that the NO would rebind to the same site even in the presence of continuous light. Therefore, if the light was pulsed multiple photodissociation events could occur, while in CW mode the number of dissociations may be much smaller.
Lane, N., 2006. Cell biology: power games. Nature 443 (7114), 901903.
The Hamblin Laboratory published a study that compared the same dose of 810 nm PBM (36 J/cm2 at 50 mW/cm2) delivered either by CW, pulsed at 10 Hz, or pulsed at 100 Hz in a mouse TBI model (Ando et al., 2011). A single PBM dose was delivered 4 hours post-TBI; and the beneficial effect on cognitive function was statistically better with 10 Hz than it was with either CW and 100 Hz, which were both equally effective, but in turn were statistically better than TBI controls.
Does Pulsing Improve Penetration Part 2 - Usually NO!
To avoid dramatic tissue heating and damaging the skin caused by increasing the intensity, some studies employ pulsing.
Pulsing is a rapid “on” and “off” of the LED or Laser. According to one study:
“The “quench period” (pulse OFF times) reduces tissue heating, thereby allowing the use of potentially much higher peak power densities than those that could be safely used in CW” (CW is continuous wave)[9]
So indeed, pulsing does potentially enable greater penetration but only when it is combined with higher peak power. Be wary of companies making claims out of context that just pulsing their light will magically increase penetration, they need to vastly increase the peak power too.
In fact, in studies where they do NOT increase the peak power of the pulsed mode, it is clear there is a loss of penetration.
For example, one study on the "Mean Output Power" (MOP) through living dog tissue found that CW (continuous) offered better penetration than PW (Pulsed).
"Regarding the operation mode, the MOP of the CW mode was obviously greater than the PW mode. This result is consistent with a study on the penetration of LILT in anesthetized rabbits. Thus, the CW mode of LILT is recommended for the treatment of deeper organs excluding thermal side effects." [14]
So it was concluded from this study that deeper treatments should be done with Continuous Wave unless heating becomes a problem due to too much intensity.
Which skin heating generally isn't a problem with standard LED panels, so adding pulsing to panels is generally unnecessary, and may even detract from the dosage and penetration.
[9] Hashmi JT, Huang YY, Sharma SK, et al. Effect of pulsing in low-level light therapy. Lasers Surg Med. 2010;42(6):450-466. doi:10.1002/lsm.20950
[14] Kampa N, Jitpean S, Seesupa S, Hoisang S. Penetration depth study of 830 nm low-intensity laser therapy on living dog tissue. Vet World. 2020;13(7):1417-1422.
To avoid dramatic tissue heating and damaging the skin caused by increasing the intensity, some studies employ pulsing.
Pulsing is a rapid “on” and “off” of the LED or Laser. According to one study:
“The “quench period” (pulse OFF times) reduces tissue heating, thereby allowing the use of potentially much higher peak power densities than those that could be safely used in CW” (CW is continuous wave)[9]
So indeed, pulsing does potentially enable greater penetration but only when it is combined with higher peak power. Be wary of companies making claims out of context that just pulsing their light will magically increase penetration, they need to vastly increase the peak power too.
In fact, in studies where they do NOT increase the peak power of the pulsed mode, it is clear there is a loss of penetration.
For example, one study on the "Mean Output Power" (MOP) through living dog tissue found that CW (continuous) offered better penetration than PW (Pulsed).
"Regarding the operation mode, the MOP of the CW mode was obviously greater than the PW mode. This result is consistent with a study on the penetration of LILT in anesthetized rabbits. Thus, the CW mode of LILT is recommended for the treatment of deeper organs excluding thermal side effects." [14]
So it was concluded from this study that deeper treatments should be done with Continuous Wave unless heating becomes a problem due to too much intensity.
Which skin heating generally isn't a problem with standard LED panels, so adding pulsing to panels is generally unnecessary, and may even detract from the dosage and penetration.
[9] Hashmi JT, Huang YY, Sharma SK, et al. Effect of pulsing in low-level light therapy. Lasers Surg Med. 2010;42(6):450-466. doi:10.1002/lsm.20950
[14] Kampa N, Jitpean S, Seesupa S, Hoisang S. Penetration depth study of 830 nm low-intensity laser therapy on living dog tissue. Vet World. 2020;13(7):1417-1422.
Loss of Penetration and Dose with Pulsing!
When we modulate the intensity through pulsing, then several studies noticed that technically you would have a loss of penetration in alignment with the loss of dosage.
Only in the cases where the intensity is dramatically increased for the pulsed mode would offset the loss of penetration, which likely isn't being done with the LED Light Panels that are being marketed for pulsing.
Also for LASERS that use super-pulses (high intensity but short burst pulses), the laser is pointed directly into the skin so there is no interaction with the eyes (unlike LEDs).
It seems pulsing is ONLY potentially beneficial for high intensity lasers to reduce heating, something that is not needed in LED beds, not to mention the terrible issues and discomfort of the flickering effect!
When we modulate the intensity through pulsing, then several studies noticed that technically you would have a loss of penetration in alignment with the loss of dosage.
Only in the cases where the intensity is dramatically increased for the pulsed mode would offset the loss of penetration, which likely isn't being done with the LED Light Panels that are being marketed for pulsing.
Also for LASERS that use super-pulses (high intensity but short burst pulses), the laser is pointed directly into the skin so there is no interaction with the eyes (unlike LEDs).
It seems pulsing is ONLY potentially beneficial for high intensity lasers to reduce heating, something that is not needed in LED beds, not to mention the terrible issues and discomfort of the flickering effect!
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