If you're having surgery at Avery, you'll receive nine sessions of near-infrared LED light therapy as part of your surgical care with Avery. One session before your operation, and the additional sessions over the four weeks that follow. It's a protocol we've built deliberately, grounded in peer-reviewed clinical evidence — and it's worth understanding why.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) - the clinical term for LED light therapy in the red and near-infrared spectrum - is no longer an emerging or fringe treatment. A 2025 international expert consensus published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, developed by a panel of 21 specialists across dermatology & photomedicine, confirmed it as a safe, evidence-supported modality across wound healing and multiple clinical applications. That document sits alongside a growing body of randomised controlled trial data specific to surgical scars. This article explains what the therapy is, how it works, and why timing matters.
What is near-infrared light therapy?
Near-infrared (NIR) light therapy uses specific wavelengths of light in the near-infrared spectrum - the Healite II devices used at Avery deliver 830nm near-infrared light, a wavelength well within the established therapeutic NIR range and one of the most extensively studied wavelengths in photobiomodulation research - to stimulate skin cells at a deep level. It is completely non-thermal and non-invasive. It does not heat, cut, or damage tissue in any way.
The light is delivered via a medical-grade LED device positioned over the treatment area. Sessions are 15–20 minutes, quiet, and comfortable. There is no pain, no downtime, and nothing to recover from. This is a clinically guided therapy targeting the specific biology of your healing skin.
It's worth being clear about what this treatment is not. Ablative lasers work by creating controlled injury to trigger a healing response. NIR LED therapy is entirely non-destructive - it stimulates cellular repair signals photochemically, without damaging anything. These are fundamentally different approaches that can complement each other, but should not be confused.
It is also not the same as a consumer LED panel from a beauty retailer. The evidence for photobiomodulation is built on clinical-grade devices delivering specific wavelengths at calibrated, therapeutic energy levels. The dose-response relationship in PBM is real - under-dosing produces no effect, and over-dosing can be counterproductive. Device quality and treatment parameters matter significantly.
How does it work?
Every cell contains mitochondria - the energy-producing structures that power cellular repair. NIR light is absorbed by a specific enzyme within the mitochondrial respiratory chain (cytochrome c oxidase), triggering a cascade of beneficial effects in your healing skin.
The result is an increase in ATP - the energy currency cells use for repair - which supports active healing even months after surgery. At the same time, NIR light modulates the molecular signals that drive excess scar tissue formation, particularly TGF-β1, which is the key growth factor behind raised, firm, or thickened scars. It guides how collagen is laid down, supporting a flatter, softer, and more evenly structured scar over time.
Beyond collagen, the treatment promotes vasodilation and better microcirculation - helping bruising and swelling resolve more efficiently in the early post-operative weeks. It supports keratinocyte function, improving texture and barrier integrity in the skin surrounding the scar. And its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects reduce post-surgical wound sensitivity and tenderness during recovery.
This multi-pathway mechanism is part of what makes PBM particularly useful in the post-surgical context. It is not a single-target intervention, but a stimulus that engages several aspects of the healing biology simultaneously.
What does the evidence show?
The programme at Avery is informed by three specific bodies of clinical evidence.
The CURES trial (Cutaneous Understanding of Red-light Efficacy on Scarring) was a dose-ranging, split-face, randomised controlled trial evaluating LED red light for the reduction of post-surgical scarring in patients undergoing mini-facelift surgery. Treatments were administered three times per week from the first post-operative week, with scar assessment at 30 days, three months, and six months. While the primary endpoint of scar pliability did not reach statistical significance overall, at certain fluence levels treated scars showed greater reductions in induration and improved observer ratings compared to controls at six months, consistent with PBM's known anti-fibrotic mechanisms.²
Two randomised controlled trials have specifically examined LED photobiomodulation for thyroidectomy scars - a useful model because the scar is linear, accessible, and consistent in character across patients.
The first, by Park and colleagues, treated patients with 830/590nm LED-LLLT starting from post-operative day one, at daily application for one week then three times weekly for three further weeks. Compared with untreated controls, treated patients showed significant suppression of scar formation at one and three months. The protocol was safe across Asian skin types with no adverse effects reported.³
The second, a double-blind sham-controlled trial by Kim and colleagues, used 830nm LED therapy starting from one week post-operatively for four weeks. Treated patients showed significant improvements in validated scar scores and pain ratings at one, three, and six months post-surgery, along with directional improvements across 3D imaging assessments of colour, height, and vascularity.⁴
The 2×/week frequency in the Avery programme is consistent with the 2–3×/week protocols used across these published trials. This is where the evidence consistently sits for post-surgical scar management.
Your nine included sessions
The nine-session structure is designed around the biology of wound healing. Different phases of recovery involve different biological processes - and the timing of each session is matched to what your skin is doing at that point.
Your first session takes place on the few days before your operation. Before any wound exists, the treatment primes cellular energy reserves and establishes an anti-inflammatory baseline - supporting better healing from the moment surgery begins. Emerging evidence in photobiomodulation research supports the concept that tissue pre-conditioned with NIR light before an injury mounts a more regulated inflammatory response from day one.
Sessions two and three take place in week one, when bruising, swelling, and inflammation are at their peak. These sessions support the resolution of early post-surgical oedema and moderate the inflammatory signals that, if excessive, set a more difficult scar trajectory.
Sessions four and five in week two target the initial collagen framework as it forms. The body is laying down early scaffolding for the scar line, and this is when treatment begins directly targeting TGF-β1 — the key molecular driver of excessive scar formation.
Sessions six and seven, in week three, are the most critical window in the course. Fibroblast activity is at its peak - this is the highest-risk period for a raised or firm scar developing. These sessions directly target the biology driving excess scar bulk and support organised collagen deposition over disordered mass.
Sessions eight and nine complete the acute phase and transition into the early remodelling window. Session nine also serves as your scar trajectory review: your clinician will assess progress and advise honestly on whether further sessions or alternative treatments would add value for your specific scar.
Beyond your nine sessions
Your scar continues to actively remodel for up to two years post-surgery. The nine included sessions support the most critical early window. If your scar would benefit from further treatment, extended LED packages are available to purchase - covering the transition period (months two to four), the remodelling phase (months four to nine), and refinement and maintenance beyond that.
Not everyone will need extended phases. Many patients achieve excellent results within their nine included sessions. Your clinician will advise honestly at session nine and at any subsequent review. There is no pressure to purchase additional phases - the decision is always guided by your clinical picture.
What to expect
Sessions are 15–20 minutes. You lie comfortably while the device is positioned over your skin. You may notice a very subtle warmth, but no heat, pain, or discomfort. Most patients find the sessions restful.
There is no downtime. You can return to your day immediately, with no restrictions on skincare, exercise, or daily activities.
Early sessions support a biological process rather than produce an immediate visible result. Changes in texture, softness, redness, and scar elevation typically become more apparent over weeks and months. The full benefit of a course often unfolds two to three months after completing it.
The treatment is safe across all Fitzpatrick skin types. Clinical trials consistently confirm this, including for darker skin tones. There is no risk of pigmentation change from the treatment itself - and the anti-inflammatory effects may actively help reduce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with Fitzpatrick III–VI skin.
What we can and can't promise
We cannot guarantee a specific outcome for any individual. Scar response depends predominately on genetics, wound location, skin type, and other variables that sit outside anyone's full control. What the published research consistently supports is this: NIR LED therapy is a safe, evidence-informed modality that improves the odds of a better scar outcome when applied correctly and at the right time.
A scar that looks acceptable at four weeks may still be biologically active beneath the surface. Collagen structure and cross-linking continue to change for up to two years.
What we know is that the biology of healing is active long after a scar looks settled — and that applying the right stimulus, at the right time, with the right clinical oversight gives that biology the best possible conditions to do its work.
References
- Maghfour J, Mineroff J, Ozog DM, Jagdeo J, Lim HW, Kohli I, et al. Evidence-based consensus on the clinical application of photobiomodulation. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025;93(2):429–443. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.04.031.
- Kurtti A, Nguyen JK, Weedon J, et al. Light emitting diode-red light for reduction of post-surgical scarring: results from a dose-ranging, split-face, randomized controlled trial. J Biophotonics. 2021;14(7):e202100073. DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202100073.
- Park YJ, Kim SJ, Song HS, et al. Prevention of thyroidectomy scars in Asian adults with low-level light therapy. Dermatol Surg. 2016;42(4):526–534. DOI: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000000680. PMID: 26981718.
- Kim YH, Kim HK, Choi JW, Kim YC. Photobiomodulation therapy with an 830-nm light-emitting diode for the prevention of thyroidectomy scars: a randomized, double-blind, sham device-controlled clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci. 2022;37(9):3583–3590. DOI: 10.1007/s10103-022-03637-6. PMID: 36045183.
This article is for patient education only. Content is based on peer-reviewed clinical evidence current as of 2025–2026. For personalised recommendations regarding your scar management programme, speak with your Avery clinician.
Posted 3 June 2026