Photobiomodulation and Cranioplasty: Can Red Light Therapy Work with a Prosthetic Skull?

If you’ve had a cranioplasty — meaning part of your skull has been replaced with a prosthetic implant (titanium, PMMA, PEEK, or other materials) — you might be wondering:

👉 Can photobiomodulation (red light therapy) still work for me, or could it damage my skull implant?

This is a powerful and important question, and while many doctors don’t talk about it, I’m going to break it down for you in plain language. We’ll look at what the science says, how red light therapy interacts with bone and implants, and what this could mean for your recovery, brain health, and long-term healing.

So if you’ve been Googling “red light therapy after cranioplasty” or “photobiomodulation prosthetic skull safety”, you’re in the right place. Let’s dig in.

Photobiomodulation, often called red light therapy or low-level laser therapy (LLLT), uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared (NIR) light to stimulate cellular repair and reduce inflammation.

Here’s the short version:

• Red light (600–700 nm) → mostly helps surface tissue (skin, hair, shallow healing).

• Near-infrared light (800–1100 nm) → penetrates deeper, including through bone, to reach muscles, joints, and even parts of the brain.

PBM is being studied for:

• Brain injuries and concussions

• Neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s)

• Wound healing and bone repair

• Pain reduction and anti-inflammatory effects

So naturally, someone with a cranioplasty (where part of the bone has been replaced with a prosthetic piece) wonders: will the light even get through? And if so, will it cause harm?

To answer this, you need to know what’s actually in your head right now. The three most common prosthetic skull materials are:

• Titanium mesh or plates – strong, durable, widely used.

• PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate, aka bone cement) – lightweight, moldable plastic-like material.

• PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) – biocompatible plastic, increasingly popular.

Each of these interacts with light differently.

• Titanium → metal, opaque to light, meaning red/NIR light won’t pass through it.

• PMMA & PEEK → polymer-based, and depending on thickness, can allow some red/NIR wavelengths to pass through.

So the effect of red light therapy really depends on what kind of implant you have and how thick it is.

Here’s the straightforward answer:

✅ There is no evidence that red light therapy damages titanium, PMMA, or PEEK implants. These materials are designed to withstand surgical conditions, sterilization, and years of wear in the human body. The energy output of therapeutic PBM devices is far too low to cause any thermal or structural damage.

Think of it this way: PBM devices typically deliver 10–100 mW/cm². That’s less than the sunlight your head is exposed to on a summer day. If your prosthetic skull can handle direct sun, it can handle PBM.

So if your concern is “Will red light therapy melt or weaken my implant?” → the answer is no.

This is where it gets interesting.

• If you have titanium mesh/plates → light will not pass through the metal. So PBM aimed directly at that area won’t reach your brain tissue. However, peripheral light exposure (around the edges, through remaining bone, or transnasally/transcranially in other locations) could still have systemic or regional benefits.

• If you have PMMA or PEEK → these materials may allow some transmission of red or near-infrared light. Studies show that PMMA has partial optical transparency to NIR light, and PEEK can transmit certain wavelengths depending on thickness. This means PBM may still work, although with reduced penetration compared to natural bone.

Here’s what current science tells us:

• Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) through bone

  • Multiple studies confirm that near-infrared light (810 nm, 1064 nm) penetrates several millimeters through human skull bone and can reach cortical tissue.

  • For example, Tedford et al. (2015, Journal of Biomedical Optics) demonstrated that 1064 nm light can penetrate up to 3 cm into brain tissue.

• Light transmission through prosthetic materials

  • Research on PEEK and PMMA shows they are partially transparent to near-infrared.

  • A 2020 study in Lasers in Medical Science found that NIR light can pass through PMMA and PEEK implants, with transmission levels depending on thickness (thin implants = more light passes).

  Titanium and photobiomodulation

  • Titanium is opaque, but studies show that PBM can still help wound healing around titanium implants (e.g., dental implants). That means you can still get benefits to soft tissue and bone healing around the implant, even if light doesn’t pass through the metal.

If you’re someone with a cranioplasty and you’re exploring PBM, here’s how to think about it:

• Know your material – Ask your surgeon: Do I have titanium, PMMA, or PEEK? That answer shapes how effective PBM might be in your case.

• Titanium implants – Light won’t penetrate the plate itself. But you may still benefit by targeting other skull areas (forehead, temporal sides, nasal cavity, or even intraoral light devices). PBM can still influence blood flow, inflammation, and mitochondria in surrounding tissue.

• PMMA or PEEK implants – Light can pass through, especially NIR wavelengths (800–1100 nm). While transmission isn’t perfect, PBM could still reach brain tissue underneath.

• Safety is not a concern – No study or clinical report has shown that PBM damages prosthetic skull implants. The energy levels are far below anything that could harm these materials.

• Look at systemic effects – Even if penetration is reduced, PBM has systemic effects (stimulating nitric oxide release, improving circulation, reducing inflammation). That means you may feel benefits even if only part of the brain tissue receives light directly.

Here’s where mindset comes in (and I know Ray Higdon would push this hard):

Stop obsessing over the obstacle — “My implant is blocking the light” — and start focusing on the opportunity:

• What if you could use different PBM methods (like intranasal or helmet-style devices) to bypass the implant?

• What if you stacked PBM with oxygen therapy, nutrition, or exercise for compounded effects?

• What if your implant wasn’t a limitation but actually a reminder that you need to double down on recovery and regeneration strategies?

The truth is, too many people get stuck on the “perfect” condition instead of moving forward with the possible.

Here’s the bottom line:

• No, PBM will not damage your prosthetic skull.

• Yes, PBM can still be effective, but results depend on your implant material.

• Titanium blocks light, but benefits can still come from other areas.

• PMMA and PEEK transmit some light, meaning therapy may directly reach brain tissue.

• Research is still limited, but early evidence and physics strongly suggest PBM remains safe and potentially beneficial.

If you’re serious about trying PBM after cranioplasty, consult with your neurosurgeon, know your implant material, and consider devices that use near-infrared wavelengths (810–1064 nm) for deeper penetration.

And remember — healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about stacking every tool, every advantage, every bit of science you can get your hands on.

Your implant doesn’t define your future. Your actions do.