Affiliate & partner disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission if you buy through them at no extra cost to you. As an authorised LifeWave Brand Partner, I have a financial interest in promoting LifeWave products. Testimonial/editorial given by a LifeWave brand partner with financial interest in promoting the product. Full disclosure at the end.
A note before we start. This is an editorial piece on the history and science of light therapy, not medical advice. Medical phototherapy is prescribed and supervised by doctors. If you have a skin condition, a mood or sleep problem, or any other health concern, talk to your doctor first.
LifeWave X39 is a non-transdermal, general-wellness phototherapy patch that gently stimulates the skin with light to support the body’s natural energy flow for strength and stamina. It is not a medical device and is not a treatment for any condition.
When people first hear about LifeWave patches, the natural reaction is scepticism: how can a small patch that contains no drugs and puts nothing into your body do anything at all? I had the same reaction.
The idea behind them comes from a field that is far older and more established than most people realise: phototherapy, the use of light to influence the body. Light therapy has more than a century of serious science behind it, including a Nobel Prize. That doesn’t mean every light-based product does what it says — but it does mean the underlying principle is real.
In this guide I’ll explain what phototherapy is, where it’s used in mainstream medicine, what the research on red and near-infrared light shows, and how LifeWave describes its patches — keeping a clear line between established medicine and general-wellness products.
Key takeaways
- Phototherapy is the use of specific wavelengths of light to produce a biological effect — a field with over a century of study behind it.
- Doctors use light therapy routinely, for newborn jaundice, seasonal affective disorder and some skin conditions.
- Red and near-infrared light (photobiomodulation) is an active research area, with much still being worked out.
- LifeWave describes its patches as passive phototherapy: they use body heat and reflect light, and nothing enters the body.
- X39 is a general-wellness product for energy, strength and stamina — not a medical treatment.
What is phototherapy?
Phototherapy — literally “light therapy” — is the use of specific wavelengths of light to produce a biological effect. Light is electromagnetic radiation, and different wavelengths carry different amounts of energy. Some are absorbed at the surface of the skin, some penetrate a little deeper, and some are absorbed by particular molecules in the body that then trigger downstream effects.
The idea that light affects health is ancient; sunlight was used therapeutically thousands of years ago. The modern scientific field took off in 1903, when Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for using concentrated light to treat a form of skin tuberculosis. Light therapy has had a place in medicine ever since. For a plain-English primer, see what is phototherapy?
How is phototherapy used in mainstream medicine?
Far from being fringe, light therapy is used routinely in hospitals and clinics — always prescribed and supervised by doctors:
- Newborn jaundice: blue light is the standard treatment, helping the body break down excess bilirubin.
- Seasonal affective disorder: bright light therapy is an established option for winter depression. See the winter blues.
- Skin conditions: controlled UV phototherapy is used for psoriasis, eczema and vitiligo.
- Circadian rhythm: the timing of light exposure is a cornerstone of sleep medicine. See morning sunlight and your body clock.
What these have in common is that a specific wavelength, delivered in a controlled dose, produces a measurable effect. That is the established foundation. Consumer wellness products sit in a different category and shouldn’t borrow the credibility of medical treatments.
What does the research say about red and near-infrared light?
One of the most active areas of modern light research is red and near-infrared light, often called photobiomodulation. The leading proposed mechanism involves the mitochondria — the energy-producing structures inside cells. Research suggests specific wavelengths are absorbed by an enzyme in the mitochondria called cytochrome c oxidase, which may influence how efficiently cells produce energy. See mitochondria explained and photobiomodulation and longevity.
The research is promising in places and mixed in others. Results depend heavily on wavelength, dose and device, and many studies are small. It’s a field worth following, but not one to overstate. If you’re curious about home devices, see red light therapy at home.
How does LifeWave describe its patches?
LifeWave’s patches take a different approach from a red light panel. There are no batteries, LEDs or electrical parts. LifeWave describes them as passive phototherapy: the patch is warmed by your body heat and reflects specific wavelengths of light back to the skin. Nothing crosses the skin and nothing enters the body — they are drug-free and non-transdermal.
For X39, the patch I wear every day, I use only this description: a non-transdermal, general-wellness phototherapy patch that gently stimulates the skin with light to support the body’s natural energy flow for strength and stamina. LifeWave makes other patches for different general-wellness purposes, which you can read about on my LifeWave store. For the full product overview, see what is the X39 patch?
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Join free →Is phototherapy scientifically proven?
It’s worth being precise. Phototherapy as a broad field is well established — the medical uses above are evidence-based and routine. Red and near-infrared light has a growing but still developing research base. Individual consumer wellness products are something else again: they are general-wellness tools, not medical devices, and they shouldn’t be judged by the evidence for hospital treatments.
The sensible way to think about a patch like X39 is as an optional extra on top of the fundamentals that have the strongest evidence for ageing well: training, sleep, protein, daylight and staying active.
What actually comes first?
For me the big levers are training and movement — I lift every second day and walk 10,000+ steps daily — plus sleep, cold plunge and sauna, and enough protein. I take 10 PerfectAmino tablets a day, I track body composition monthly on the Hume Body Pod, and I use the Operator Standard app to keep the routine consistent.
Where does X39 fit?
X39 is a daily general-wellness habit in my routine, alongside — not instead of — the basics above. If you’d like to try it, you can find it at my LifeWave store.
Shop X39 at my LifeWave store →
Frequently asked questions
What is phototherapy?
Phototherapy is the use of specific wavelengths of light to produce a biological effect. It has more than a century of research behind it and is used in medicine for newborn jaundice, seasonal affective disorder and some skin conditions.
Is light therapy scientifically proven?
Medical phototherapy is well established for specific conditions. Red and near-infrared light therapy has a growing but still developing research base. Consumer wellness products should be treated as general-wellness tools.
How is phototherapy different from red light therapy?
Red light therapy is one type of phototherapy using red and near-infrared wavelengths, usually from LED devices. Phototherapy is the broader category that also includes blue, UV and bright white light.
How do LifeWave patches work?
LifeWave describes its patches as passive phototherapy that uses body heat and reflects light to the skin. They contain no batteries or drugs, and nothing enters the body.
Does phototherapy put anything into the body?
No. Phototherapy works with light, not substances. LifeWave patches are non-transdermal — nothing crosses the skin.
Does X39 treat any condition?
No. X39 is a non-transdermal, general-wellness phototherapy patch that gently stimulates the skin with light to support the body’s natural energy flow for strength and stamina. It is not a medical treatment and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Related reading
What Is Phototherapy? · What Is the X39 Patch? · Photobiomodulation and Longevity · Red Light Therapy at Home · Biological Age vs Chronological Age
Full disclosure. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. LifeWave X39 is a non-transdermal, general-wellness phototherapy patch and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements about LifeWave products have not been evaluated by the FDA. As an authorised LifeWave Brand Partner I have a financial interest in promoting LifeWave products. Links to PerfectAmino, Hume Health and Operator Standard are affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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