Medical-Grade Devices vs Fabric Red Light Therapy Wraps – What’s the Difference?
Photobiomodulation, also known as red-light therapy, is becoming increasingly popular as a natural, non-invasive therapy for animals and people. In the equestrian market, a growing number of fabric wraps and other red-light products—many manufactured in China—are now being introduced.
If I had £1 for every email I receive from a Chinese manufacturer offering to make a red-light product for me…
My Experience with Photizo
The Photizo was launched in the UK in 2013, and I have been using, selling and hiring out the Photizo Vetcare since 2015. I also offer the Photizo Pain Relief and Photizo Sport for people. The Pain Relief and Sport hold Medical CE certification, while all three devices use high-output, medical-grade LEDs.
Why Medical-Grade LEDs Matter
It is important to distinguish between the LEDs used in fabric wraps and the high-output medical-grade LEDs used in devices such as the Photizo. The Photizo’s LEDs are housed within a purpose-built handheld device, while fabric wraps use much lower-output LEDs embedded in fabric or neoprene.
LEDs delivering the same power output as the Photizo cannot be incorporated into fabric wraps because of the heat generated and the construction required to manage that output safely.
Power Output and Treatment Time
Manufacturers frequently advertise wavelengths of approximately 660 nm and 850 nm. However, wavelengths alone do not tell you whether a product delivers a meaningful therapeutic dose. You also need to know its irradiance, treatment area, delivered energy and treatment time.
For example, the Photizo Pain Relief has a total power output of 1300 mW, a peak irradiance of 340 mW/cm² and an average irradiance of 194 mW/cm² across a 4.7 cm² treatment area. Each pre-programmed treatment delivers eight joules using 633 nm red light and 850 nm near-infrared light simultaneously. The output is 30% pulsed and 70% continuous.
As light passes through skin, hair and other tissue, it is progressively scattered and absorbed, so the amount available decreases rapidly with depth. Low-output fabric wraps predominantly deliver their light to the skin and superficial tissue. They do not deliver the same level of usable energy into deeper muscles, tendons and joints as a higher-output device such as the Photizo.
Leaving a low-output wrap in place for 15 minutes does not turn it into a high-output device or demonstrate that it delivers an equivalent therapeutic dose at depth. The Photizo’s higher output and calculated, pre-programmed dose allow it to deliver useful red and near-infrared light beyond the surface in a treatment lasting only seconds.
Reliability and Repairs
Because the LEDs in fabric wraps are integrated into the material, they cannot be individually repaired when they fail. A two-year warranty may sound reassuring, but once that warranty has expired, the entire wrap may need replacing.
Photizo has a UK service centre, so its battery and other components can be replaced. The battery is covered for one year and manufacturing faults for two years. My first Photizo lasted nine years before it needed a replacement battery.
Concerns About Some Low-Power Devices
I was surprised to see a supplier’s disclaimer stating that it could not be held responsible if its red-light product did not work. Statements like this risk undermining confidence in the wider photobiomodulation market, including established LED and low-level laser therapies.
Without verified irradiance and dose information, customers cannot know whether a wrap delivers a meaningful therapeutic dose or merely produces warmth and visible red light. They may be spending hundreds of pounds without being given the information needed to make a proper comparison.
Real-World Results from Customers
The Photizo is supported by more than 13 years of real-world use and customer feedback from people using it daily on themselves and their animals. It is trusted by animal practitioners and vets and, at its carefully calculated pre-programmed output, is completely safe and straightforward to use at home.
One customer contacted me because he was sceptical that the Photizo would help his wife’s arthritis. He had already bought a red-light device from Amazon without seeing any improvement. He hired a Photizo Pain Relief from me for two weeks—and subsequently chose to keep it.
The Future of Photobiomodulation
We are only beginning to uncover the full potential of properly delivered photobiomodulation for people and animals.
Not sure which Photizo is right for you?
The Vetcare is designed for animals, while the Pain Relief and Sport are designed for people. I am happy to help you choose the appropriate model and explain how it differs from lower-output red-light products.
You can also try a Photizo at home for two weeks before deciding whether to keep it. Two week home trial.
Medical Evidence for Near-Infrared Therapy Alleviating Pain
Biological effects and medical applications of infrared radiation
Have a look at my Trustpilot Reviews, on there, Photizo customers who have posted about their results.
About the author
Susannah Secrett is the founder of Equestrian Hire and has spent more than a decade helping horse and pet owners use medical-grade LED red light therapy at home. She has supported owners using the Photizo for conditions including arthritis, IVDD, soft tissue injuries and rehabilitation.