FAQs

Does Photizocome with a warranty?

Yes. There’s a full 24-month warranty from the day you buy your Photizo Homecare or Photizo Vetcare. (Excludes battery - see Terms and Conditions for full details)

Is myPhotizo device a laser?

No, your Photizo is not a laser device and uses light emitting diodes or LEDs which
produce a diffuse beam more like a light bulb or torch. That’s how safe they
are.

Do I need to wear goggles or protective eyewear?

As we mentioned above, the Photizo is not a laser device. However, we would advise
you not to stare straight into the lens when the Photizo is lit up. This is because the red wavelength is extremely bright and this may temporarily affect your vision. It’s similar to looking at any bright light for a while.

 What’s the difference between the various Photizo models?

Across the handheld Photizo Homecare range, there is no difference in the wavelengths which the diodes produce. The only difference is the timed dose which sets the level of light therapy applied to your skin.

This means that the lower Blush model dose is designed for superficial application, e.g.
on your face for improving skin tone and, and to reduce the effects of ageing.
In addition, you might want to use a lower dose for superficial tissue and a
stronger dose for deeper lying conditions and pain relief.

What mode should I choose?

We often
receive requests about which model to purchase. To help you decide which device to choose, and the differences between the models, please check out our Quick Reference Comparison chart below.

  • Photizo Pain Relief, as the name
    implies, has a Medical CE for treating chronic pain / pain which has
    lasted 3 months or more and ongoing
  • Photizo Sport has Medical CE for
    non chronic pain, which means a sudden onset of pain normally associated
    with an injury
  • Photizo Skin Care has Medical CE
    approval for wound healing and has won the Beauty & Home award 2020
    for best skin care treatment device.
  • Photizo Blush has a Beauty CE
    for skin rejuvenation, anti-ageing/fine line smoothing etc. Best results
    use daily and results are normally visible once skin renews in 28 days
  • Photizo Vetcare CE marked for
    use on animals, effective across many different conditions including
    wounds, musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries/conditions and pain
    relief

Can the same device be used on both human and animal?

Another common query is whether the same Photizo device may be used on both human and animal. For example: for someone suffering with chronic arthritic knee pain which is not expected to get better then the Photizo Pain Relief model would be a good choice. However, this person may have a pet dog who also has chronic arthritic pain. The Photizo Pain Relief model would still be suitable for use on your pet depending on the size of your pet. If you have a toy breed dog, for
example, the dose is stronger than is needed. To solve this, we recommend
holding the lens slightly off the body by no more than 2cm/1inch. For medium
and large pets, the pain relief model will be fine for managing pain and
inflammation from arthritis.



Alternatively, the Sport or Vetcare model are of similar specification, so
either of these models will still be beneficial for stiff arthritic knees. The
Pain Relief model is slightly stronger which is a better choice for chronic
pain in humans.  

My Vetcare Photizo lens feels warm during use, and my dog seems uncomfortable – is this normal?

It’s normal for the Photizo lens to feel warm after several repeated doses in one session, especially on larger dogs or areas with less fur. The warmth will never burn your pet, but some animals may be more sensitive to it than others. If your pet seems uncomfortable, you can pause treatment and let the lens cool before continuing or spread treatments across different times of day.

If the lens feels excessively hot, try using it on yourself in the same way – if it
still feels unusually hot, there may be an issue with the heat protection, and
you should contact us for advice. Every animal is different, and it’s important
your pet is happy and relaxed during treatment.

My Photizo isn’t working properly. What should I do?

In the extremely unlikely event that you need to return your Photizo device, please
check out our Photizo red light therapy Troubleshooting Guide.

FAQs Photobiomodulation

What are the side-effects of light therapy?

Photizo has been specially designed to deliver a highly effective dose of red light to
treat a range of conditions in humans and animals. There are no known side
effects. However, there is some evidence that over-use of your product for
wound healing (more than recommended in the user guide) may inhibit the healing
process by overstimulating your cells.

How deep does Photizo light penetrate?

The effectiveness of Photobiomodulation (PBM)/aka Red Light Therapy isn’t about how deeply the light penetrates the body, but rather how it interacts with living
cells at a molecular level.

Red and near-infrared light stimulate the mitochondria—your cells’ energy
centres—regardless of depth. This triggers a range of beneficial cellular
responses like improved energy production, reduced inflammation, and faster
healing. So, it's not about how far the light goes, but what it activates when
it gets there.

Is it possible to overdose with Photizo if I use the Pain device device where the Sport device might be more appropriate, or if I apply too much light?

The concept of "overdosing" on light comes from lab studies on cell cultures, but when using Photizo’s medical-grade LEDs in real-life applications, there’s no
risk of causing harm with excessive doses. Both the Pain Relief and Sport
models are designed to safely promote healing, pain relief, and tissue repair.
The main difference between the two devices is a small variation in dosage-only 2 joules-and both use the same wavelengths to deliver positive effects at the cellular level.

It’s important to adjust treatment to your body’s specific needs. Many users find
that they actually under-apply the device, especially in instances of inflammation and pain, leading to less effective results. The key is to apply the correct number of doses, especially for deep tissue or chronic pain, as the light needs to reach all affected areas for best results.

The only time we advise closely following the guidelines is for acute post-operative
wound healing, to ensure the outer tissue doesn’t heal too quickly before deeper tissue has a chance to fully recover. If your primary focus is on sports recovery, injury treatment, or muscle warm-up, the Sport model may be the better choice. Both devices allow for multiple doses per spot to ensure enough energy is delivered for effective healing.

Contraindication Questions

Will redlight therapy cause cancer?

Light therapy doesn’t cure or cause cancer. However, we recommend that you don’t use
red light therapy on any cancer or suspected cancerous mass. Light therapy
cannot cause cancer. LED-based red light therapy devices haven’t been
demonstrated to cause any mutational effects in any medical or scientific
literature to date. Our Photizo devices are useful in helping you gain relief
from many of the side effects of cancer treatment, such as mucositis - a
painful side effect of radiation therapy.

Can Photizo be used by cancer patients?

Light therapy doesn’t cause or promote the growth of cancers. However, Photizo light
therapy is very helpful in relieving many of the side-effects of cancer
treatment such as mucositis, which can be caused by radiation therapy.

Can Photizo be used during pregnancy?

The effects of Photizo red light therapy haven’t been tested on pregnant women or animals. Our Photizo device only penetrates to 12mm depending on the type of tissue, so
the foetus cannot be negatively affected by the light. However, we wouldn’t
recommend using Photizo on areas close to the growing fetus.

Can Photizo be used to relieve arthritis pain?

Our Photizo devices provide very effective pain relief to most people suffering from
degenerative joint diseases like arthritis. Not only does Photizo light therapy relieve pain, but it helps replace the chondrocytes which actively help to rebuild the joint.

Can light therapy affect the thyroid gland?

Recent studies have shown that Red and Near-Infrared light therapy may actually have positive effects on thyroid health, especially in cases of hypothyroidism or
Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Research has suggested improvements in thyroid function, reduction in symptoms, and even a decreased need for medication in some individuals.

Because the thyroid gland is close to the surface of the skin, it responds well to gentle light exposure. That said, it's always best to follow professional guidance when treating near the thyroid area, especially if you have a known thyroid condition.

Can Photizo be used on or by diabetic patients?

Yes, Photizo was first designed to help heal venous ulcers in diabetics. In fact, diabetics
with slow healing or non-healing wounds, and people suffering from loss of sensation in their hands or feet tend to benefit enormously. However, it is important to treat other wounds, cuts or scratches immediately to ensure quick healing and to minimize the risk of infection.

Can Photizo be used by epilepsy sufferers?

Some scientific studies have suggested that pulsed or strobed visible light at frequencies in the 5-10 Hz range can cause epileptic attacks. Photizo devices do not pulse in the 5-10 Hz range, but epileptics like anyone else, should avoid looking straight at the light beam coming from the device.

Can Photizo be used if I have a pacemaker?

Yes - Photizo is explicitly safe to use if you have a pacemaker.

Photizo devices use infrared, non-ionising LED light, not electrical stimulation or electromagnetic fields. They do not generate electrical currents in the body and do not interfere with pacemakers or other implanted electronic devices. This is very different from modalities like TENS or diathermy, which can affect implanted devices.

You can safely treat areas near or even over the region of a pacemaker if clinically needed. As with any treatment, simply follow the user guide.

Can Photizo be used on children or small animals?

No harmful effects have been demonstrated when treating growth plates in young animals. So young children and animals can be treated safely with Photizo red light therapy as long as the treatment guidelines are strictly followed.

Training

  • I’d like to know more - is there a course on phototherapy?

    Yes, there is a CPD course we run for practitioners, see our Training page. Alternatively, we often co-teach the animal phototherapy courses offered by Jo Rose Holistic Therapies and Training. These are also listed on our LINK --- Events Calendar.

  • Do I need to have training to use Photizo?

    No, our Photizo devices have been specially pre-programmed with carefully calculated doses to enable you to use the device correctly and benefit from faster healing and less pain. If you’re a qualified practitioner who would like training on phototherapy to improve your background knowledge or for insurance purposes, there are a range of options available, such as our in-house CPD Phototherapy course accredited through Thinktree, an independent accreditation body.

If have a specific question that hasn’t been covered here, use this form to ask us.