Can light alone make skin blood flow rise? scientists put it to the test
NCT ID NCT07809464
First seen Sep 09, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
Researchers are studying whether near-infrared photobiomodulation, a non-invasive light therapy, consistently increases blood flow in the skin of healthy adults. Sixteen healthy volunteers aged 18 to 50 attend two identical sessions, receiving both the active light treatment and a placebo with the device's light turned off. A smaller group also completes a heat-control session to check whether any blood flow change comes from the light itself or from warmth given off by the device. The team measures skin blood flow with laser Doppler flowmetry before, during, and after treatment to see how reproducible the response is.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- near-infrared photobiomodulation light therapy
- What this could lead to
- If the light response proves consistent, it could support using near-infrared therapy as a reliable, non-invasive way to boost blood flow in skin and other tissue.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early study in 16 healthy adults, so results may not hold in larger groups or in people with poor circulation. The measured effect could turn out to come from device heat rather than the light.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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16 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2022
- Finished
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Oct 2023
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy adults aged 18 to 50 years. * In good general health. * No reported illness during the 3 months preceding enrollment. * Able and willing to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy. * Clinically unstable chronic disease. * Chronic dermatological conditions. * Any medical condition that, in the opinion of the study physician, would make participation unsafe or interfere with study procedures.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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NTNU, St Olavs Hospital
Trondheim, Norway