A new health and wellness spa in Whitestone is offering red light and infrared therapy aimed at pain relief, skin rejuvenation and overall wellness.
Lighten Up Energy Spa, which opened in early April at 14-10 Clintonville St., provides noninvasive treatments designed to help clients manage chronic discomfort, improve circulation and enhance skin health in a calming, therapeutic setting.
“Everybody who’s come here and had a treatment left very happy and relaxed and pleased that the aches and pains they came in with were gone,” said Joan Laronga, the spa’s owner. “Red light is based on wellness with no drugs, so it’s all natural.”
The spa features three core services: a red light face and neck mask, a full-body infrared sauna and an infrared therapy blanket. Each targets various concerns, from wrinkles and sun damage to inflammation and chronic muscle pain, using low-level light therapy, which has seen growing popularity in recent years through at-home skincare devices and professional wellness services.
The red light face mask, a 10-minute session, uses a combination of red and near-infrared light to stimulate collagen production, reduce fine lines, minimize acne and even calm inflammation. The 45-minute sauna and infrared blanket treatments help detoxify the body, ease muscle tension and improve circulation.
The science behind the therapy dates back to the 1970s, when NASA began testing red light and near-infrared wavelengths for wound healing and plant growth in space. Today, its applications have expanded into medical and cosmetic fields, with studies pointing to benefits in cell repair, mitochondrial function and recovery from injuries.
“It’s been very popular in all the Scandinavian countries for well over 40 years,” said Laronga. “It seemed to get a little bit more popular here when NASA made their own discoveries, so NASA has been playing around with this for quite a long time.”
Inside the spa, the soothing ambiance complements the therapeutic offerings. Laronga says she designed Lighten Up as a stress-free zone where clients aren’t rushed, from booking longer appointments to encouraging post-treatment tea and relaxation time.
“I wanted it to be a place where people could come and relax,” she said. “We don’t rush anyone. If you have a sauna session for 45 minutes, I’m going to book you an hour and a half so that you have time to go in there, then wipe yourself down, change and have some tea, relax, and start your day — so I wanted it to have that whole calming effect.”
To introduce the Whitestone community to the spa’s offerings, Lighten Up is currently running introductory specials and package deals for new clients. For more information or to book a session, click here.
