NovoTHOR is a full-body red light therapy bed. Rather than treating one area with a panel or handheld device, you lie inside an enclosure lined with LEDs and the whole body is treated at once, typically in 10 to 20 minutes.
It is made by THOR Photomedicine, which also produces the THOR Laser probes used for targeted treatment. The obvious question before booking: is there real evidence behind it, or is this an expensive tanning bed with better marketing?
Here is a straight answer.
First: it is not a sunbed
This confusion is common enough to address immediately.
Sunbeds emit ultraviolet light. UV carries enough energy to damage DNA directly, which is how it causes skin cancer. That risk is real and well established.
NovoTHOR emits red and near-infrared light. These wavelengths sit at the opposite end of the spectrum, with longer wavelengths and lower energy per photon, well below the threshold needed to break chemical bonds in DNA. The device produces no meaningful UV, and it does not tan the skin.
They are fundamentally different technologies. The mechanism by which sunbeds cause harm is simply not available to red light.
How photobiomodulation is thought to work
The proposed mechanism involves light absorption by chromophores within the cell, particularly cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria, influencing cellular energy production and downstream signalling.
Different wavelengths penetrate to different depths. Red light is absorbed relatively superficially, which is why it is discussed for skin. Near-infrared penetrates further, which is why it is used for deeper tissue such as muscle and joints.
NovoTHOR uses both, which is the rationale for whole-body treatment covering superficial and deeper targets at once.
What the evidence actually shows
This deserves care, because photobiomodulation is frequently marketed by citing the overall size of the research literature as though that proved any specific claim.
On the size of the literature: photobiomodulation and low-level laser therapy have been studied extensively, with thousands of published papers spanning laboratory work, animal studies and clinical trials. That is genuinely a large body of research. But quantity is not quality, and it includes a great deal of small, methodologically limited work alongside better-designed trials.
Where evidence is more established: aspects of tissue repair and wound healing, and certain musculoskeletal pain presentations, have the more substantial support. Photobiomodulation is also used in some oncology settings under specialist supervision to manage side effects of cancer treatment, notably oral mucositis, where it appears in some clinical guidance.
Where it is weaker: many of the broader wellness claims, including general performance enhancement, weight loss and systemic effects, rest on thinner ground.
An important complication: results across studies are genuinely inconsistent, and much of that inconsistency is thought to reflect differences in dose rather than the treatment simply not working. Studies delivering doses outside the effective range would not be expected to show an effect. This makes the literature harder to summarise than it first appears.
Why dose matters more than power
The single most useful thing to understand about red light therapy, and the most commonly ignored.
Photobiomodulation appears to follow a biphasic dose-response. There is a range within which effects are observed, and exceeding it does not increase the effect and may reduce it. Too little does nothing. Too much can be counterproductive.
This is unusual and counterintuitive. With most things, more feels better. Here it is not.
It also explains a common experience with consumer devices. A cheap panel whose real output falls well below its advertised figure delivers a dose below the effective range. The user concludes red light therapy does not work, when in fact they never received a therapeutic dose.
Why a full-body bed differs from a panel
Fixed distance. In a bed, the gap between LEDs and skin is set by the design. With a panel you estimate it, and intensity falls off sharply with distance, so small errors substantially change the dose received.
Even coverage. Panels are strongest directly in front and weaker toward the edges. Whole-body systems are engineered for more uniform delivery.
Controlled timing. A clinical system runs a defined protocol rather than leaving you to decide when to stop.
Verified output. Clinical devices are specified and calibrated. Independent testing has repeatedly found consumer devices delivering considerably less than advertised.
Practicality. Treating the whole body with a panel means repositioning repeatedly and takes a long time. A bed does it in one session.
What a session involves
You complete a health screen before your first session covering medication, skin conditions and contraindications.
Most people treat with minimal clothing, since light does not pass through fabric and covered areas are not treated. You lie inside the bed with eye protection provided, and the session runs for a set duration, typically 10 to 20 minutes.
It is not hot in the way a sauna or sunbed is. Mild warmth is normal. Many people find it relaxing and some fall asleep. There is no downtime and you can return to normal activity immediately.
How often, and when would you notice anything?
Protocols vary, but treatment several times a week within a block of several weeks is typical rather than isolated sessions.
Effects associated with photobiomodulation are generally reported as cumulative rather than immediate. A single session is not a fair test, and any provider promising dramatic results from one visit is overselling.
NovoTHOR compared with THOR Laser
These are complementary rather than alternatives.
NovoTHOR treats large areas at relatively low intensity. It suits general recovery, widespread soreness, or where broad coverage is the goal.
THOR Laser delivers coherent, concentrated light to a small specific point, generally achieving greater depth. It suits a localised target, particularly a deeper structure such as a joint, and is applied hands-on by a clinician as part of a wider treatment session.
Treating a deep, specific target with broad low-intensity coverage means the tissue you care about receives very little. Treating a whole body with a probe is impractical. The delivery method should match the target.
Side effects and contraindications
The safety profile is good and side effects are generally mild and uncommon: brief redness or warmth, occasional mild fatigue, and eye strain or headache where eye protection was not used properly.
Speak to a clinician before booking if you:
- Take photosensitising medication, including some antibiotics, retinoids, certain diuretics and some antipsychotics
- Have an active cancer diagnosis or an unassessed lesion
- Have a photosensitive condition such as lupus or porphyria
- Are pregnant, where avoiding treatment over the abdomen is the sensible default
- Have epilepsy triggered by light
- Have a thyroid condition, where practitioners commonly avoid treating directly over the thyroid
Our guide to red light therapy safety covers the cancer question and eye safety in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Does NovoTHOR hurt?
No. Most people feel nothing beyond mild warmth.
Will it tan me?
No. Tanning requires ultraviolet light, which these systems do not emit.
Do I need to be undressed?
Light does not penetrate clothing, so covered areas are not treated. Most people treat with minimal clothing, alone in a private room.
How is it different from an infrared sauna?
Entirely different. A sauna heats the body. Photobiomodulation delivers specific wavelengths at low intensity without meaningful heating. The mechanisms are unrelated.
Can I use it every day?
Some protocols allow it, but more is not necessarily better given the dose-response relationship. Follow the protocol your provider sets.
Is it claustrophobic?
Designs vary and many are open or partially open. Ask to see the system before booking if you are concerned.
What should I ask a provider?
What wavelengths the device uses, what irradiance it delivers and at what distance, what dose the protocol delivers and why, and whether the device is certified. A provider who can answer these understands what they are doing.
Red light therapy in Chiswick
We use a full-body NOVOTHOR system and THOR Laser at Omnia Lifestyle, 8-9 Bedford Corner, The Avenue, Chiswick, London W4 1LZ, a short walk from Turnham Green station. Limited parking is available on request when booking.
Having both means we can match the delivery method to what is actually being treated rather than applying one approach to everything. Every client completes a health screen first so we can confirm the treatment is appropriate and set a sensible protocol.
Learn more about red light therapy, read about laser versus LED delivery, or book a consultation.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition or take regular medication, discuss photobiomodulation with your doctor before starting.
.jpg)
.jpg)
