Lightstim - The First Red Light Bed, Ever!

Before we start - here are a few facts about Lightstim.

• Lightstim was the first red light bed, ever!
• This bed does not have a canopy. It is a one-sided slow-burn bed without a top where, for the best effects, the user needs to roll over (flip over) around 30 minutes, and needs to be on the best for an hour.
• It is the widest bed around - it can practially take 2 people together side-by-side, it is so wide.
• For half the cost of NovoTHOR, this practically has an irradiance around 12.6 mW/cm², which is just around 1 mW/cm² less than NovoTHOR. It is pretty effective as a red light bed.
• Like NovoTHOR, this is also used by reputed sportspersons, such as NFL participants.

So now let's head over to the full details - and thanks to my customers who have given their reviews. Since Lightstim has the highest number of beds in the spas and clinics all over the USA, (a) I have got many third-party reviews and (b) you can easily walk into a center and try it for a session before deciding to buy or not (you are likely to find one near your location - seek my help if you need).

Looks, many folks speak negatively about Lightstim. However, that's more often than not because they are ignorant about the slow burn process, and only think that fast burn is better and slow burn is a result of lack of device quality. They think, it does not make sense to buy a bed without a canopy, and then run the sessions for double the time, allowing for rolling over and doing 30 mins or so on each side.

And of course, for many businesses, the preference to buy one with a canopy over one with a single bed (no canopy, like Lightstim), is understandable as they would be able to handle twice the number of customers in the given time. I totally get it, and do not blame those businesses. But also let's appreciate that the benefits of fast burn and slow burn are not quite the same, and the impact on the physhology of the customers is also not the same - more on it later on this page.

In the meantime, let's take a look at Lightstim's specifications in the figure below.

Now my detailed review.

First, is Lightstim the right bed for you?

LightStim offers a slow-burn LED therapy experience, requiring two 20-minute sessions—one for the front and one for the back—for full-body treatment. If you're looking for a quick 10- to 15-minute session, this may not be the right bed for you. Personally, I stick to 60-minute sessions (30 minutes per side), but most clinics don’t have the capacity for such long treatments, as most beds are programmed for 20-minute sessions.

The immediate next question is how LightStim compares to other beds.

Despite competitors in the tanning bed industry trying to sway customers away, LightStim remains the most widely used brand in clinics. With newer models being stronger than before, session times have been reduced in the newer models over the older models. 30-40 minute sessions are now more prevalent. However, if one can afford the time, 60-minute sessions are comforting and relaxing for patients (users). They get a better sense of fulfilment when they go for a longer session.

Brand-new LightStim beds can be expensive, but I have access to discounted trade show models. If you're in a state where a trade show is happening, you may even be able to pick up a bed with no shipping cost, as extra units can be transported directly to the event. This applies to all major brands, not just LightStim.

If you're considering a LightStim bed for your clinic, I can help you determine whether it’s the best fit. Call me at 1-888-547-5296 to discuss your options.

People who have used both LightStim beds and canopy-style red light beds often have strong opinions—and for good reason. Many LightStim users know it requires about an hour for a full session, with two flips in between. But for those who love to relax, zoning out for an hour in soothing warmth is part of the appeal.

Some red light beds (OvationULT for example) can hit up to 68-70 mW/cm², while LightStim measures around 12.6 mW/cm² (for reference, NovoTHOR is only about 1 mW/cm² stronger but costs nearly twice as much). This difference affects how the session feels.

A study of treatment area and power (wattage) output of different beds

Fast Burn vs. Slow Burn: Which One Do Customers Prefer?

If your goal is to get clients in and out quickly, LightStim probably isn't the best choice. Many higher-powered 68mW models finish sessions in just 10 minutes, but that can leave clients feeling rushed—especially if they drove to the clinic expecting to relax. If customers feel like they’re getting kicked off the bed just when they’re starting to unwind, they might not be too happy.

That's why many clinics with LightStim beds charge more for the hour-long "slow burn" sessions. This gradual energy absorption is ideal for people with slower metabolisms—those who don’t respond well to intense, high-powered sessions. When cells are charged too quickly, the liver may struggle to supply enough glucose to keep up, which can make high-powered beds less effective for some users.

LightStim: Still One of the Most Popular Red Light Beds

Most people find red light therapy deeply relaxing—so much so that they rarely want to get off the bed after an hour. If LightStim wanted to make a canopy-style bed, they would have. But instead, they built one of the most widely used red light beds in clinics/spas today. By the way, quite a few centers charge higher (even twice) to make up for the extra time that the Lightstim sessions take, and customers happily pay that in exchange of the long and comfortable sessions.

If you’re interested in trying a LightStim session, I can check for locations near you. And if you want to buy one at a great price, I can help with that too.