What is the NovoTHOR actually cleared for?

The temporary relief of minor muscle and joint pain, minor arthritis pain and muscle spasm, and increasing local blood circulation. That is the whole of it. Anything else you read about red light therapy, here or elsewhere, sits outside that clearance.

Does it use UV light?

No. The bed emits 660nm red and 850nm near-infrared light. There is no ultraviolet, so it does not tan and it does not carry the skin cancer risk that a tanning bed does.

Are there side effects?

Uncommon and mild when they happen: temporary warmth, mild lightheadedness on standing up, or feeling tired for a few hours afterwards. Eye protection is provided and should be worn.

Can I use it if I am on medication?

Usually, but photosensitizing medications are the exception and they are more common than people expect — some antibiotics, isotretinoin and other retinoids, certain diuretics, some antipsychotics and St John's wort among them. Check with the prescriber or a pharmacist first.

Will it interfere with a condition I already have?

It might, and we are not the right people to judge that. If you are managing a diagnosed condition, are pregnant, or are under active treatment for anything, ask your doctor before booking rather than asking us.

Safety, side effects, and who should not use the bed

Red light therapy is low-risk, and low-risk is not the same as no-risk. This page is the short list of reasons not to book, written plainly rather than buried.

Do not use the bed if

Active malignancy in the treatment area
Pregnancy, as a precaution
Photosensitizing medications, including some antibiotics, retinoids and St John's wort
Photosensitivity disorders such as lupus or porphyria
Recent steroid injections in the treatment area

If any of these apply, talk to your doctor before booking. If you are unsure whether one applies, that is also a conversation for your doctor rather than for us — we run a light therapy studio, we are not a medical practice and we do not diagnose.

What it is cleared to do

The NovoTHOR is an FDA-cleared Class II device. Its clearance covers the temporary relief of minor muscle and joint pain, minor arthritis pain and muscle spasm, and increasing local blood circulation.

"Cleared" and "approved" are different words with different legal meanings, and we try to use the right one. Clearance means the FDA accepted the device as substantially equivalent to one already on the market. It is not a finding that the device treats any disease.

Red light therapy is not a treatment or cure for any disease, and nothing on this site should be read as medical advice.

What a session is like

You lie in an open bed for 15 to 20 minutes. Nothing touches you, nothing is injected, and there is no recovery time — people go straight back to their day. Eye protection is provided. You wear as little as you are comfortable in, because the light only does anything where it reaches skin.

Common questions

What is the NovoTHOR actually cleared for?: The temporary relief of minor muscle and joint pain, minor arthritis pain and muscle spasm, and increasing local blood circulation. That is the whole of it. Anything else you read about red light therapy, here or elsewhere, sits outside that clearance.
Does it use UV light?: No. The bed emits 660nm red and 850nm near-infrared light. There is no ultraviolet, so it does not tan and it does not carry the skin cancer risk that a tanning bed does.
Are there side effects?: Uncommon and mild when they happen: temporary warmth, mild lightheadedness on standing up, or feeling tired for a few hours afterwards. Eye protection is provided and should be worn.
Can I use it if I am on medication?: Usually, but photosensitizing medications are the exception and they are more common than people expect — some antibiotics, isotretinoin and other retinoids, certain diuretics, some antipsychotics and St John's wort among them. Check with the prescriber or a pharmacist first.
Will it interfere with a condition I already have?: It might, and we are not the right people to judge that. If you are managing a diagnosed condition, are pregnant, or are under active treatment for anything, ask your doctor before booking rather than asking us.

Still not sure whether it is right for you? Call or text (732) 702-1136 and ask. We would rather talk someone out of booking than take money for a session that was never going to suit them.