It’s one of the most common questions I get — right up there with “Which panel should I get?” or “What’s the best product for my needs?”
The email usually reads something like:
I hear it via my email, YouTube comments, and even on my website. And I get it — if you just unboxed your shiny new red light therapy device and notice that some of the LEDs look completely off, your first thought is probably: “This thing is broken!”
But here’s the good news: in most cases, your panel is working exactly as it should. Let me explain why.
The First Time You See It…
When you power on a red light therapy panel for the first time, you expect all the LEDs to glow. I mean, why wouldn’t you? It’s called red light therapy, after all.
So when you see entire rows of LEDs that look dark, your brain immediately jumps to “This is broken. Do I need to return it?”
I remember having this exact reaction years ago. I switched on my panel, saw patches of “dead” lights, and thought something was wrong. But once I learned what was actually happening, it made perfect sense — and it will for you too.
Two Types of Light, Two Very Different Appearances
When you think “red light therapy,” you probably picture a glowing wall of bright red LEDs. Red light therapy isn’t just “red” light. Most panels today use a combination of two wavelength groups:
- Red Light – Typically starting at 630nm. This is visible to the human eye and is the light you associate with that warm, glowing red panel.
- Near Infrared (NIR) Light – Typically starting around 810nm, this light is invisible to our eyes. You cannot see it, but your body still receives the therapeutic benefits.
Here’s the critical bit: Near infrared light doesn’t glow visibly. That means when a panel is emitting NIR light, those LEDs will look “off” to you — but in reality, they’re working just fine.
Seeing vs. Not Seeing the Light
To prove this, I’ve got two panels behind me. One is running both red and near-infrared light. The other is running only near infrared.
The second panel looks like nothing is happening — no glow, no sparkle — yet my spectrometer shows a clear peak at 850 nm. That’s solid evidence the panel is outputting strong therapeutic light… even though my eyes can’t see it.
So if you’ve ever looked at your panel and thought, “Those LEDs are dead”, there’s a very good chance they’re just the invisible near-infrared lights.
The Common “Broken Panel” Illusion
Let’s take the Platinum LED BioMax 600 as an example. If you switch it on and see entire lines of LEDs that don’t glow red, it’s natural to assume they’re faulty. But in reality, those rows are dedicated to NIR LEDs. They’re not meant to be visible.
In my early days with red light therapy, I made the same mistake — thinking something was wrong when in fact the panel was running perfectly.
If you’re still unsure, there are a few simple ways to check.
How to Confirm Your LEDs Are Working
Different Panel Controls — And How to Use Them
Now, this invisible light confusion can be made worse by the way different panels let you control red and NIR separately.
- Older panels with physical switches — For example, some older Mito Red units have two separate switches: one for red light, one for NIR. You can accidentally leave one off without realizing it. Make sure both switches are on if you want both wavelengths.
- Panels with digital controls — On some MitoRed models, you’ll see a “mode” button. “R” means red, “I” means infrared, and you can toggle between them or run both. If you only have “R” active, you’ll see glowing LEDs. If you only have “I” active, everything will look dark — but it’s still working.
- Touchscreen panels — Some panels, like the BioMax, let you set output levels for each wavelength group in a custom mode. If NIR is set to 0%, those LEDs will truly be off. Make sure both red and NIR are set to 100% for full output.
- Many of the latest generation panels allow you to control each wavelength, such as the Rojo 900, the Block Blue Light 5.0, and the Rouge G4. (My reviews are below)
Knowing how your panel’s controls work is the fastest way to avoid unnecessary panic.
When It Really Might Be a Fault
While 99% of “dead LEDs” are just invisible NIR, there are rare cases where a panel is genuinely malfunctioning. Signs to look out for:
- Entire blocks of both red and NIR LEDs are not working.
- Flickering, pulsing, or sparking lights.
- Physical damage to the housing or LED lenses may occur during shipping.
In those cases, it’s worth contacting the manufacturer right away. In my years of testing, I’ve only seen a couple of panels with actual LED failures, and almost all of them arrived that way from shipping damage.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve just unpacked your panel and notice “missing” lights, don’t panic. They’re probably your near infrared LEDs, and they’re working exactly as designed — invisible but powerful.
Double-check your control settings. Feel for warmth. If everything else seems fine, your device is most likely working exactly as designed.
And if you do notice something truly wrong, don’t stress — reputable companies will work with you to fix it.
Remember: in red light therapy, what you can’t see is often what’s doing the most good.
Products mentioned in this article:
✅ Mito Red panel: use this link: https://aferg.co/7d221 - A discount is automatically applied after you click the link
✅ PlatinumLED panel: https://aferg.co/redled - use the link for a discount
✅ For the Block Blue Light: https://aferg.co/BlockBlueLight The discount is automatically applied at checkout.
✅ For a Rouge Pro G4 panel, code ALEX : https://aferg.co/rouge-AUS
✅ For a Rojo panel, use code ALEX here: https://aferg.co/rojo-rlt
Found This Interesting? Then You Might Like:
🔴 Fire Vs Red Light Therapy: A Must-See Experiment
🔴 Sunlight Vs Red Light Therapy: Exciting Experiment!
🔴 Red Light Therapy Treatment Area: Do Bigger Panels Give Better Light Coverage?
🔴 Red Light Therapy Treatment Protocols: A Startling Revelation
Found This Interesting? Then You Might Like:
🔴 Red Light Therapy For Migraines 101: Why The Research Is Super Promising!
🔴 Red Light Therapy For Epilepsy: Current Science Explained
🔴 Red Light Therapy Vs Infrared Sauna: Everything You Need To Know
🔴 Gut Health & Red Light: A Surprising Connection
✨ Have you explored my website ✨
Discover guides, reviews, and insights to help you make the most of light therapy
Alex's Bio
Alex Fergus wrote this blog post. Alex is an ISSN Sports Nutrition Specialist, Fitness Professional, and certified Superhuman Coach who continues to expand his knowledge base and help people across the world with their health and wellness. Alex is recognized as the National Record Holder in Powerlifting and Indoor Rowing and has earned the title of the Australian National Natural Bodybuilding Champion. Having worked as a health coach and personal trainer for over a decade, Alex now researches all things health and wellness and shares his findings on this blog.
