2 published verifications about Red-Light Therapy Red-Light Therapy ×
“Red-light therapy causes dark spots on the skin.”
Dark spots are a possible but conditional adverse effect of red-light therapy. The risk appears greater in darker skin tones and with higher exposures, while controlled treatment may instead improve melasma or other pigmentation. Presenting discoloration as a general outcome materially overstates the evidence.
“The American Academy of Dermatology warns that red-light therapy may cause hyperpigmentation in people with darker skin tones.”
Official AAD guidance supports the stated risk. It says darker skin tones can be more sensitive to visible light, including red light, and that this sensitivity can lead to hyperpigmentation. The effect is possible rather than inevitable and depends on exposure conditions.