Red light therapy and nails

therapy has been demonstrated to offer benefits for skin health, potentially due to its ability to activate mitochondria and reduce reactive oxygen species, which improves skin quality and aids in wound healing 1. These effects are achieved by directed illumination of specific patches of skin, not by whole-body illumination 2.

While the data on red light therapy and its effects specifically on nails has not been explicitly mentioned, similar principles may apply given the overall effects on the skin and associated cellular mechanisms.

Red light therapy can affect nails positively by enhancing cellular function in the layers of the skin responsible for nail growth. As discussed by Andrew Huberman, UVB light exposure plays a crucial role in the turnover of stem cells in nails, skin, and hair. This exposure accelerates wound healing, promotes faster growth, and generally enhances the health of nails 1.

Thus, though primarily investigated in the context of skin and wound healing, the benefits of red and near-infrared light, which improve cellular functions and reduce reactive oxygen species, likely extend to improving nail health by similar cellular mechanisms.