Follow the step-by-step processes that connect light exposure to biological effects. From UV-triggered vitamin D synthesis to the cellular mechanisms of red light therapy.
Click on any node to learn about each step
• UV-B light (290-315nm) initiates the process by converting 7-dehydrocholesterol to previtamin D3.
• Body heat converts previtamin D3 to vitamin D3 over several hours.
• The liver and kidneys perform two hydroxylation steps to create the active hormone form.
• Active vitamin D affects thousands of genes throughout the body.
UV-B light triggers a photochemical reaction in skin that begins the multi-step process of vitamin D synthesis, requiring liver and kidney processing.
Red and NIR light enhances mitochondrial function by improving electron transport efficiency, resulting in increased cellular energy production.
Spray tan works through the Maillard reaction—the same chemistry that browns food—creating pigments in the outermost layer of dead skin cells.
