Does pulsed red light therapy actually work better than continuous light and could the way light is delivered be just as important as the wavelength and dose?
In this episode, Alex Fergus sits down with Maysama founder Bev May Sanderon for a deep dive into the science of pulsed red light therapy. Bev explains why she believes pulsing can enhance the biological response to red light and introduces intelligent micro-pulsing, a technology designed around cells' natural response cycles.
They also examine research showing that certain pulse patterns produced up to three times more collagen in cultured human fibroblasts than in other conditions tested, while discussing the important limitations in translating laboratory findings into real-world skin results.
The conversation then turns to one of the most complex issues in red light therapy today: how LED masks should be tested. Alex and Bev discuss irradiance, dosing, integrating-sphere testing, spectroradiometers, LED placement, photon recycling, optical coupling, and why two different testing methods can yield dramatically different results.
Finally, they cover wavelength selection, red light therapy for different skin tones, skincare and serums, the Maysama Aura and Prana masks, and how often to use red light therapy.
Show Notes
Pulsing has become an increasingly common feature in red light therapy devices, but there is still plenty of confusion about whether it offers a meaningful advantage over continuous light.
Bev explains what initially led her to investigate pulsed light and walks through research comparing pulsed and continuous delivery. She discusses the theory that brief periods without light may give cells an opportunity to process the stimulus and potentially reduce the buildup of reactive oxygen species associated with prolonged continuous exposure.
Alex and Bev then explore intelligent micro-pulsing, which uses more complex pulse patterns rather than a simple 50% on/off duty cycle. They discuss laboratory research on human fibroblasts in which specific pulse patterns produced substantially greater collagen production—and what that may or may not mean for people using LED masks at home.
The second half of the conversation tackles Alex's testing of the Maysama Aura LED mask. Bev shares additional independent testing performed after Alex's review and explains why factors such as measurement aperture, mask shape, skin contact, and LED placement can dramatically affect irradiance readings.
This leads to a broader discussion about whether the red light therapy industry needs standardized testing for LED masks and why comparing a single irradiance number between devices may not tell the whole story.
They finish with practical advice on wavelengths, skincare products to use alongside red light therapy, treatment frequency, and choosing among different types of LED devices.
Episode Highlights
- Pulsed vs continuous red light therapy
- Why pulsing may change the cellular response to light
- The biphasic dose response and the "Goldilocks zone"
- What frequency and duty cycle actually mean
- Visible pulsing vs invisible pulsing
- What intelligent micropulsing is
- The study reporting up to 3X greater collagen production
- Whether laboratory collagen findings translate to human skin
- How pulsing affects irradiance, dose and treatment time
- Why LED face masks are so difficult to test accurately
- Integrating sphere vs spectroradiometer testing
- Why measurement aperture can dramatically change irradiance readings
- Photon recycling and why white silicone matters
- Optical coupling and the importance of mask-to-skin contact
- LED masks vs red light therapy panels
- Red and near-infrared light for different skin tones
- Which wavelengths actually make sense in an LED face mask
- Maysama Aura vs Prana
- Should skincare or serum be applied before red light therapy?
Resources Discussed
🔴 Maysama: Use discount code ALEX at https://aferg.co/maysama to get 15% off site-wide.
🔴 To get a panel, Aura LED Mask, Prana LED Mask, LED Hair Growth Comb, LED Light Therapy Hand Glove | Red Light Therapy for Hands, Maysama Green Rooibos Pressed Serum, or to read any of their research, go to: https://aferg.co/maysama, use code ALEX.
🔴 Green tea and red light--a powerful duo in skin rejuvenation:
🔴 Effect of Pulsing in Low-Level Light Therapy:
🔴 Professor Hamblin Interview: Red Light Science DEEP DIVE!
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