The use of cold laser therapy is growing in traditional medical practice and as a complementary or alternative therapy. It’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a number of conditions.

Cold laser therapy is considered safe when performed under the care of a doctor or qualified practitioner. On the plus side, it’s also noninvasive and painless. It doesn’t require medication or other preparation either.

That being said, cold laser therapy shouldn’t be used on carcinomas or cancerous lesions. It should also be avoided on the thyroid or eyes for home use. Since the effect of cold laser therapy on unborn children is unknown, it’s suggested that pregnant women avoid this type of treatment.

One of the drawbacks of this therapy may be time. While each cold laser therapy session only takes a 15-45 minutes, it may take as long as months (with as many as four treatments a week) before you can gauge its effectiveness.