Red light therapy, honestly answered.
Starting with the big one — is red light therapy legit? These are the questions patients actually ask us, answered the way Dr. Andras Iso, MD and his team answer them in the clinic. Including the answers that occasionally cost us a booking.
- ★ 4.9 · 96 Google reviews
- Dr. Andras Iso, MD
- 12 questions answered
- No borrowed testimonials
The honest questions
Is red light therapy legit?
Fair question — it's the one we'd ask first too. Red light therapy is the everyday name for photobiomodulation: delivering specific bands of visible red and near-infrared light to the body, where they are absorbed by structures inside your cells — including the mitochondria that produce cellular energy. Red light works mostly at the level of the skin; near-infrared reaches deeper tissue. That mechanism is real, measurable, and has been studied for decades.
The evidence base is large and growing, and we'll be straight with you: it's mixed in quality. There are thousands of published studies, but many are small and protocols vary widely, which makes sweeping claims impossible to defend. The strongest signals so far are in recovery, skin health and circulation — which is exactly where we position it.
Our position as a physician-led clinic: red light therapy is a legitimate supportive therapy with honest limits. It is not a treatment or cure for any disease, and anyone who tells you otherwise is overselling. Every patient here is screened first and supervised throughout, and when it doesn't fit your goals, we'd rather under-promise and say so.
If you want the mechanism itself — chromophores, wavelengths, penetration depth and why dose matters — we explain it in full here.
Will it help me lose weight?
We'll answer this the way we'd want it answered: no light bed is a weight-loss treatment, and nobody should sell you one as if it were. If a clinic promises dramatic fat loss from lying under lights, take our five questions with you and ask every one of them.
Where light therapy can honestly fit: supporting circulation and recovery so training feels more sustainable, and giving a demanding routine a fixed, restful anchor each week. Body composition changes come from nutrition, movement and, where appropriate, medical care — light can support that work; it cannot replace it.
How does a whole-body medical bed differ from my at-home mask?
Your mask isn't a scam — for spot use on the face, a decent mask does real work, and we'll never tell you to throw it out. The differences are scale and intelligence. A mask covers one area with one or two wavelengths at consumer output; the Elysium surrounds your whole body with six clinical wavelengths and layers pulsed light with PEMF, TENS microcurrent and scalar fields. It also starts from an AI-guided scan of you, with the protocol reviewed by Dr. Iso's team — and before any of that, a medical intake decides whether light therapy is even appropriate for you. No home device screens you.
Keep the mask for the days between sessions; they do different jobs.
Mask vs. whole-body bed, at a glance
| Feature | At-home mask or panel | ARRC Elysium™ at Glow |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | One area at a time | Whole body, head to toe |
| Wavelengths | Typically one or two | Six clinical wavelengths — visible red, deep red, near-infrared |
| Beyond light | Light only | Pulsed light layered with PEMF, TENS microcurrent and scalar fields |
| Personalization | One setting for everyone | AI-guided body scan; protocol reviewed by Dr. Iso's team |
| Medical screening | None | Physician-led intake before your first session |
| Best for | Spot use between sessions | Full-body sessions inside a supervised program |
See the full device page — what the Elysium is and how a session runs →
Practical questions
What should I wear?
Whatever you're comfortable in. The practical rule is simple: more exposed skin means more light reaches it, so most patients undress to underwear or less. Your session is in a private room — you set your own comfort level and nobody will push it. Eye protection is provided and worn for the full 20 minutes.
Does it tan me or burn me?
No on both counts. Tanning and sunburn come from ultraviolet light. The Elysium emits visible red and near-infrared light — a different part of the spectrum entirely, with no UV. You'll feel gentle warmth during the session, nothing more. There's no darkening of the skin, no peeling, and no downtime afterward.
How many sessions before I notice anything?
Honestly: it varies, and we won't pretend otherwise. Photobiomodulation is cumulative — the typical protocols in the research involve multiple sessions per week sustained over several weeks, not one dramatic visit. After your first scan, Dr. Iso's team recommends a cadence for your goals, and we review how you're responding as you go. Some people report feeling more rested early on; changes in skin or recovery generally take longer. If a timeline sounds too good, it probably is.
Who shouldn't do red light therapy?
Most healthy adults tolerate it very well, but there are situations where we say not yet, or no: pregnancy, active cancer, medications that increase light sensitivity, and a history of seizures or light-triggered conditions among them. Some of these are firm lines; others are judgment calls that depend on your history — and that judgment is a medical one, which is exactly why every first visit starts with an intake instead of a sales pitch. The full screening details are on the Elysium page.
Can I combine it with my other treatments at Glow?
Yes — that's one of the advantages of doing this inside a full medical clinic. Red light sessions are commonly paired with Morpheus8, HydraFacial, IV therapy and hormone care, among other treatments here. What matters is sequencing: some pairings work best in a particular order or with spacing between them, so the medical team maps it out rather than leaving you to guess. Tell us everything you're doing — including treatments elsewhere — and we'll build the schedule around it.
Money & policy
Is it covered by MSP or my extended benefits?
Generally no. Red light therapy is a wellness service, not an insured medical treatment, so MSP does not cover it, and most extended benefits plans don't either — though you're welcome to check yours. What we do instead is keep pricing simple and public: every rate is posted on our pricing page before you walk in, and if you'd like to spread a larger program over monthly payments, ask us when you book.
Why does a doctor need to be involved in light therapy?
Strictly speaking, it doesn't have to be — plenty of places will sell you sessions without one. Here's what a physician adds. Screening: someone qualified decides whether light therapy is safe and sensible for you before you pay. Honesty: a doctor bound by professional standards has to make defensible claims, not marketing ones. Integration: if you're on medications or doing other treatments, your protocol accounts for it. And accountability: there's a named physician — Dr. Andras Iso, MD — attached to every protocol in this program. If something matters to your health, someone here is answerable for it.
How do I know your reviews are real?
Because you can check them yourself. Our 4.9-star rating comes from 96 reviews on our public Google profile — browse them, note the dates and the names, and judge for yourself. We never import, purchase or borrow testimonials. You'll also notice we don't publish patient outcome quotes anywhere on this site: BC's physician-advertising rules restrict testimonials in medical advertising, and we follow them. The star rating and review count are facts we can state; individual health stories are not ours to market.
Can I just come look at the machine?
Yes — and we mean it. Come see the actual machine. What you see is what you'll lie in: the same ARRC Elysium, in the same room, at 15388 24 Ave in South Surrey. There's no appointment needed just to look, though we'd suggest calling ahead at (604) 571-6464 so we can make sure the room is free between sessions. Ask anything while you're here — including the five questions we think you should ask everyone.
Still deciding? Start with one honest session.
Book the Elysium Experience — medical intake, body scan and a full 20-minute session — or call first and ask us anything.