The Hooga Dot Is The Travel-Friendly Red Light Therapy Device You Can’t Leave Home Without

I’ve always been into the latest woo-woo wellness trends, and when I can buy a product that allows me to skip expensive spa visits that require multiple sessions, I’m all for it. Enter Hooga Health, one of the leading players in the light therapy space, that’s very busy disrupting the day spa industry with its line of easy-to-operate red, blue, green, and orange light therapy devices, among others. 

Hooga offers popular products like panels (I have one of those, too, but we can save that review for another day) and facemasks to assist with both defying the effects of aging and assisting with bodily repair. But, there’s one tiny-but-mighty device that really caught my eye: the Hooga Dot. 

Hooga Dot

$79.99 from Amazon

What Is Hooga?

When it comes to red light therapy devices, it’s important to do your homework and shop for reputable brands. Unfortunately, we’ve all succumbed to a good deal, and oftentimes, that means you get what you pay for — especially when you’re buying electronics. To start, I like that Hooga (which is a Danish word for coziness, contentment, and well-being) is a US-based company, out of Berlin, Wisconsin. The brand is dedicated to product education, which makes me feel way more secure about buying their products.

I did a lot of research about red light therapy devices when I was first shopping, and I went with Hooga because their Instagram was loaded with light therapy education (and they are great at responding to DMs). Plus, their product pages on Amazon were authored in perfect English (maybe I’m biased as a writer, but when a product page is loaded with typos and errors, it’s harder for me to trust them).

Can You Travel With A Red Light Therapy Device? 

I first purchased one of Hooga’s red light and near-infrared light therapy panels a year ago. I was hard at work treating a burn wound before a lengthy trip to Europe. I didn’t want my treatment to be disrupted, so once I confirmed the panel was doing decent healing work, I decided to purchase the Hooga Dot. In case you’re wondering if it’s TSA-friendly, I made it through five airports in the US and Europe with my trusty Dot last summer and have cruised and flown in and out of Mexico with it. It’s the size of a standard store-bought spice jar lid (measuring 1.75 inches by 0.8 inches) — just make sure you remember where it’s packed and be careful not to place heavy objects on top of this fragile little device. 

What Can It Treat?

Hooga advertises the Dot as a good treatment option for skin issues, inflammation, and pain, and that it also boosts collagen production. Personally, I’ve used the device to treat burns, blemishes, cuts and pain in small areas. 

Some examples: 

• My hands after a long day of typing.
• My toes if they’re in pain from my shoes or after a long run.
• A bug bite on my ankle.
• A blemish on my face. 
• My wrist if I’m having trouble falling asleep.

How the Hooga Dot Works 

To use the Hooga Dot, it should be fully charged. It takes about two hours to charge the device, which holds six 15-minute sessions at a time. You can secure the device with a wristband or an adhesive sticker, or simply sit it on your treatment area (that’s usually what I do). You press and hold the center of the device for three seconds to turn it on and then choose between red, near-infrared, or combination mode for a 15-minute treatment session. The automated timer will beep once the 15-minute session is up. If you want to do a double treatment or use the device on a different area, Hooga suggests letting the Dot cool off for five minutes before starting your next session. I think it’s also good practice to let it cool off before packing it away.

The only downside I’ve experienced is that the device is very sensitive. I’ve accidentally bumped the center several times and had to restart the session. This is especially annoying if you’re pressed for time, because you can’t track how many minutes have passed from start to finish.

Additionally, a few times, the last session in the charge has cut short on me, so I’ve learned to recharge the device when I’ve reached the fifth session (you can tell by the six lights indicated on the top of the Dot; one disappears after each session, so you start with six lights and then go down to one, which is when you know to recharge it).

The Price is Right 

Red light therapy devices are not cheap. On Hooga’s website, the most expensive device is the ULTRA4500 Red Light Therapy panel, which runs you $3,999. Prices range mostly based on product size, the number of LED bulbs, and their strength. You’ll find devices like the Red Light Therapy Pod ($1,399) or the Red Light Therapy Acupressure Mat ($179), in addition to those growing in popularity, like the Red Light Therapy Face Mask ($169) and the Red Light Therapy Belt ($299). So, when you’re thinking about whether or not the Hooga Dot for $79.99 is a good price, I personally think it is. The Dot comes with a one-year warranty and (knock on wood), mine just made it to the year mark. I have zero buyer’s remorse here. 

Hooga Red Light Therapy Dot

$79.99 from Amazon

Sign On The Dotted Line 

If the Dot required a contract, I would’ve signed it long ago. Even though I’m not a religious daily user, I love the Hooga Dot as a convenient, powerful tool to help me spot treat skin issues, minor injuries, pesky scabs, and small areas with joint or muscle soreness. I’ve felt immediate relief from integrating the Dot and recommend it as an affordable, travel-friendly device for those interested in testing out red and near-infrared light therapy on a small scale. It’s a mandatory item on my packing list, and should be on yours, too.