Red light therapy has exploded across the wellness industry. You’ve seen the panels in gyms, LED masks on Instagram, and even full-body beds in high-end spas. But behind the scenes? It’s a legal minefield.
Most of the devices flooding the market today are untested, unregulated, and in many cases, technically illegal.
But LightStim, a family-owned company based in California, is building something different: a science-backed, FDA-cleared device that’s set a new bar for the entire industry. 
And they didn’t just clear the bar.
They engineered it.
The Industry Problem: “Everyone Has a Device”
With post-pandemic wellness booming, consumers are desperate for solutions.
But according to CEO Steve Marchese, many red light therapy brands “slap some LEDs on a panel,” add sleek marketing, and sell hope without proof.
The FTC has started cracking down. Class action lawsuits are mounting. And the FDA is watching.
The problem? Most of these red light beds can’t pass the FDA’s efficacy test, which requires skin tissue to be heated to a specific temperature and sustained there for 10 minutes across the entire body.
Few devices even attempt it.
LightStim did it 30 times.
The Innovation: Science, Sensors, and $1 Million
Steve Marchese wasn’t just trying to build a wellness product, he was trying to help his son.
After experiencing a severe spike in blood pressure, Steve’s son was unresponsive to standard treatment. Desperate, Steve and his wife turned to red light therapy.
But the devices on the market didn’t meet their standards. So they built their own.
LightStim spent over $1 million and ran 30 rounds of rigorous FDA testing at a designated lab.
Their device, the LightStim LED Bed, uses 30 custom LED modules embedded with proprietary sensors that calibrate temperature in real time for each part of the body.
The result: a red light therapy bed that actually passes the FDA’s requirements and has cleared the 510(k) process.
The Business Advantage: FDA-Cleared = Trust
Most red light therapy companies try to skate by under the FDA’s “exemption” for general wellness products. But exemption doesn’t mean approval.
And when regulators and lawyers come knocking, those shortcuts get expensive fast.
By securing FDA clearance and patenting their core technology, LightStim is now one of the only companies legally allowed to make medical claims about its red light bed. That alone sets it apart in an oversaturated industry.
Add in their list of clients, from elite athletes to national wellness franchises and it’s clear LightStim isn’t just another wellness brand. It’s a biotech company with the receipts.
Bonus for Readers: Exclusive Offer from LightStim
LightStim is offering foorum Insider readers 10% off all of their devices, including the LED Bed.
Use the code FOORUM at checkout on LightStim’s retail site.
What’s Next?
LightStim isn’t done. The company is currently working with the FDA on a new indication to lower high blood pressure.
In early trials, the LightStim Bed has shown a 30–40 point drop in systolic blood pressure in just three sessions.
As red light therapy moves from luxury wellness trend to regulated medical tech, companies like LightStim are showing what it takes to lead with science, not hype.
