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Full body red light therapy is the version most people picture when they hear the phrase. You lie on a bed, light pads are placed across the front and back of your body, and 20 to 35 minutes later you get up. That's the short answer. The longer answer covers what wavelengths actually do, what to wear, how often to come back, what the documented outcomes look like, and which clinics in Perth and Melbourne are running clinical-grade systems versus underpowered alternatives.
This article is written from Beyond Rest's experience running Contour Light beds at five centres across Australia: Hawthorn East, Moonee Ponds and Prahran in Melbourne, plus East Perth and Wembley in Perth. We've delivered tens of thousands of sessions. The patterns below come from that volume.
There are two ways clinics deliver full body red light therapy.
Bed-style systems (the better option): Contour Light, UltraSlim and similar FDA-cleared platforms. Reflective-coated flexible pads sit directly against the skin on the abdomen, hips, thighs, lower back, upper back and chest. The reflective coating bounces light back into the skin, so more photons reach the subcutaneous fat layer than with an uncoated panel. Because the pads contact the skin, irradiance is high and consistent. Sessions run 20 to 35 minutes. This is what Beyond Rest runs.
Standing booth or wall-panel systems: Wall arrays the user stands in front of, rotating to expose different body parts. The light intensity drops sharply with distance from the panel, so the effective dose is lower than a bed. Sessions tend to run 10 to 20 minutes per side.
For most outcomes (body contouring, lymphatic drainage, recovery, skin), the bed format outperforms standing booths because contact delivery means light isn't lost to room air or angle.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. For Contour Light, most clients strip down to underwear so the pads sit directly against the abdomen, hips and thighs. Sports bras are fine. We provide a towel or robe before and after.
Don't apply moisturiser, sunscreen or oils to your skin before a session. Anything between the pad and your skin reduces light penetration. Shower or wipe down first if you've come from the gym.
Bring a phone or book if you want, but most clients close their eyes for 20 minutes. There's no UV, no goggles required, and no heat sensation beyond a mild warmth.
Honestly: not much. That surprises people. A clinical-grade red light session feels like lying under a slightly warm blanket. There's no muscle stimulation, no tingling, no sound. Some clients fall asleep.
The mechanism is photobiomodulation. 635nm red light and near-infrared (810-850nm) penetrate the skin a few millimetres and are absorbed by mitochondria. ATP production rises, cellular energy increases, lymphatic flow picks up. In subcutaneous fat cells the cell membrane briefly opens micropores that release stored triglycerides into the interstitial fluid. The lymphatic system picks the triglycerides up and routes them to the liver, where they're processed via beta-oxidation - used for energy or excreted.
The fat cells themselves don't die. They deflate and resume normal function. That's the meaningful difference from cryolipolysis, which kills fat cells and relies on macrophage cleanup.
You won't feel any of that happening. The effect shows up across days, not minutes.
For body contouring, the documented average is 6.3cm circumferential reduction on the first session alone. Most Beyond Rest clients book an 8 to 16 session course over 6 to 12 weeks. That works out to two or three sessions per week.
Observed Beyond Rest client outcomes across 8-16 session courses range from 20cm to 150cm total circumferential reduction across treated areas, depending on starting body composition, consistency, hydration and movement between sessions.
For recovery and general wellness, single sessions can feel useful immediately but visible changes (skin texture, energy, sleep) typically need 4-6 weeks of consistency.
For maintenance, once a fortnight is enough. Most clients drop to a maintenance cadence after the initial course.
Session 1: relaxing, documented average 6.3cm circumferential reduction from this single session (Contour Light's published clinical data).
Sessions 2-3: some clients report better sleep that night or the next. Cumulative reduction continues.
Session 4-5: visible skin tone changes start showing, especially on the abdomen and thighs. Lymphatic drainage often produces a temporary increase in toilet trips (the body clearing metabolites and water weight, normal).
Session 6-8: cumulative circumferential reduction becomes obvious. Skin tightening starts to show.
Sessions 8-16: results compound. Clients in this range typically see 20cm to 150cm total reduction across treated areas. Specific stubborn zones (lower abdomen, inner thighs, upper arms) respond strongly in the back half of the course.
None of this is a promise about your individual outcome. Body composition, hydration, food intake and movement between sessions all affect the result. Some clients see 6.3cm from session one and another 3-4cm per session after. Others see modest changes per session and a larger cumulative result.
Red light is very safe but there are a few exceptions:
Outside those exceptions, red light is broadly safe. No UV means no skin cancer risk. No heat damage. No drug interactions for typical medications.
Beyond Rest runs Contour Light at East Perth (125 Edward Street) and Wembley (1/252 Cambridge Street). Both are private rooms (no shared space), both run the same Contour Light bed, both priced identically.
For FIFO clients and shift workers, Wembley opens at 6am Monday and East Perth runs flexible afternoon and evening slots. Pre-rotation recovery sessions are common. Both centres see significant athlete and corporate-team bookings.
Beyond Rest runs Contour Light at Hawthorn East (2/96 Camberwell Road), Moonee Ponds (14 Hinkins Street) and Prahran (26 Regent Street).
Hawthorn East is the only Beyond Rest centre that also runs the Cocoon Wellness Pod, which combines red light with infrared heat, chromotherapy and vibration. If you want to stack modalities in one visit, Hawthorn East is the only centre that does it.
Collingwood, our fourth Melbourne centre, runs contrast therapy (sauna and ice bath) rather than red light. North-east of the CBD, Hawthorn East is the closest Contour Light option.
Beyond Rest Contour Light pricing:
For a typical body-contouring course of 8 to 16 sessions, the 8-pack ($1,272) or 16-pack ($2,064) are the value plays. Most contouring goals are best served by the 16-pack.
Cocoon Wellness Pod (Hawthorn East only) is priced separately for a 45-minute session combining red light, infrared heat, chromotherapy and vibration.
Yes. Many clients pair them. Order doesn't matter much, though we typically suggest sauna first (sweat) then Contour Light (no heat) so you're not dripping during the red light session.
The documented per-session average is 6.3cm circumferential reduction on session one. Cumulative course outcomes across 8-16 sessions range from 20cm to 150cm total reduction. Individual results vary.
Yes. The lymphatic system needs hydration to clear triglycerides through to the liver. Drink an extra litre on session days. Skip alcohol for 24 hours after to keep the liver focused on processing the released fat.
Yes. It increases collagen and elastin production rather than damaging skin (Avci 2013). No UV exposure. Long-term users typically see improved skin tone rather than degradation.
Different mechanism, different fat-clearance route. Contour Light deflates fat cells via membrane permeability, triglycerides exit through lymphatic and liver. CoolSculpting kills fat cells via cold, macrophages clear them. The cosmetic-surgery literature flags redistribution to non-treated areas as a documented concern with cryolipolysis. Contour Light's waste-routing avoids that. Full breakdown: Contour Light vs CoolSculpting vs Cryolipolysis.
Pick the centre closest to where you live or work. The Contour Light service page has full clinical details and links to each centre's booking calendar. Or call any centre directly and we'll help you decide which suits your schedule.