EP 1379
1379. The Home Laser That Reverses Skin Age By 20 Years
In this episode of The Human Upgrade, Host Dave Asprey travels to London to sit down with Lucy Goff, founder of LYMA, for a deep dive into cold laser light, mitochondrial signaling, and why the right wavelength can drive real biological repair without damaging tissue. They break down how coherent 808nm laser light differs from typical LED “red light” devices, why penetration and dose matter, and how mitochondrial activation can support collagen quality, circulation, and recovery in skin, scars, and deeper tissue. The conversation covers LYMA’s patented diffusion lens and safety design, Dave’s early light hacking experiments for cognition, practical uses for joints, pigmentation, and post-surgery scars, and a published gene expression study in human dermis that reported a sixfold increase in SIRT1, linking light therapy to longevity pathways. .
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In this Episode of The Human Upgrade™...
Your skin is not just a cosmetic surface. It’s a living organ that responds to signals, and the right light signal can flip your biology into repair mode.
-Get a discount from LYMA by using code ‘DAVE10’ at: https://lyma.life/
*Offer not valid on LYMA Laser PRO or LYMA Youth System*
In this episode, Host Dave Asprey goes to London to meet Lucy Goff, founder of LYMA, at the LYMA headquarters. Lucy and her scientific team engineered a rare kind of at-home cold laser that delivers precise 808nm light with deep penetration, without burning, cutting, or “damaging to rebuild.” Their work is backed by published research in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, and they’ve tested gene expression in human dermis, including a reported sixfold increase in SIRT1, a major longevity pathway. This is why you can trust this conversation. It’s not vibes, it’s engineering, biology, and data.
Most “red light” products are basically glorified LEDs. They can be fine for the surface, but they do not deliver the kind of coherent, polarized, monochromatic light that your cells actually respond to in deep tissue. That matters because your mitochondria run the whole show. When mitochondria get a clean signal and more usable energy, your body suddenly has budget for repair, collagen, circulation, and recovery. That is the real mechanism behind anti-aging that does not rely on controlled injury.
We get into how this kind of light hacking can change skin quality, muscle support under the skin, and even scars and fascia. We talk cartilage, knees, jowls, pigmentation, and the weird reality that you might not feel anything while it’s working. Dave also shares his early biohacking experiments using light for brain optimization, including the time he overdid it and temporarily scrambled his speech. That story will make you respect the power of light as a biological tool.
We also talk human performance and travel. Dave breaks down how he uses light management for sleep optimization and jet lag, and why controlling light is as important as controlling food, fasting, ketosis, and metabolism. There’s also a practical angle here that most people miss: with AI, you can now take dense PubMed research and translate it into usable decisions without needing a PhD, which changes how fast you can learn, test, and personalize.
If you care about longevity, neuroplasticity, recovery, and looking younger without trashing your tissue, this episode gives you a smarter way to think about lasers, supplements, nootropics, and the whole functional medicine stack. This is Smarter Not Harder biohacking, with a laser.
You’ll Learn:
- Why LED “red light therapy” is not the same as laser-based mitochondrial activation
- How coherent light influences mitochondria, collagen quality, and anti-aging repair
- What gene expression changes like SIRT1 suggest about longevity signaling
- How light may support brain optimization, circulation, and neuroplasticity
- Why scars and fascia can disrupt performance, and how light can support remodeling
- How Dave uses light and lifestyle hacking for sleep optimization, travel, and metabolism
- How AI makes research-driven biohacking more accessible and more personal
Keywords: cold laser therapy, 808nm laser, LYMA laser, infrared light therapy, red light vs laser, mitochondrial activation, SIRT1 gene expression, longevity biohacking, anti aging skin tech, collagen regeneration, fascia repair, scar healing laser, pigmentation removal light, brain optimization light therapy, neuroplasticity support, circulation enhancement, human performance recovery, functional medicine tools, Dave Asprey biohacking
Resources:
- LYMA Website (Use Code ‘DAVE10’ For A Discount: https://lyma.life/
- Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/
- Dave Asprey’s Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/tojoin Inside Track today.
- Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15
- My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs(15% Off)
- Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark(15% Off)
- Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com
- Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated
- Join My Substack (Live Access ToPodcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/
- Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com
“It works epigenetically within each cell to just stimulate surplus collagen production completely naturally, and the light will go all the way down to the bone.”
Lucy Goff
- 0:00 — LYMA Laser Origin
Lucy explains how a cartilage regeneration study in Germany unexpectedly revealed dramatic skin rejuvenation, leading to the creation of the LYMA Laser.
- 1:20 — Dave’s Early Light Experiments
Dave shares his early biohacking days using primitive light devices on his brain, including a story about temporarily scrambling his speech.
- 5:15 — Laser vs LED
They break down why most LED devices lack coherence and penetration, and how true laser light delivers a deeper biological effect.
- 10:54 — Safety and Diffusion Lens
Lucy explains the patented diffusion lens technology that disperses laser energy safely while maintaining coherence and power.
- 16:37 — 808nm and the Brain
Dave and Lucy explore the 808nm wavelength, mitochondrial activation, and potential applications for cognition and blood flow.
- 19:36 — Intimate Performance Effects
The discussion expands into circulation benefits, intimate health, and how infrared light may influence performance through improved blood flow.
- 26:03 — Knee Before and After
Lucy shares her personal knee transformation photos and how consistent use led to dramatic visible tightening and regeneration.
- 29:25 — Vampire Bat and Veins
Dave tells the story of a childhood vampire bat bite and connects it to spider veins and collagen damage.
- 37:36 — 6x SIRT1 Activation
They review the published gene expression study showing a sixfold increase in SIRT1 in human dermis treated with the laser.
- 42:42 — Mitochondrial Signaling
Dave explains mitochondrial quorum sensing and how localized light exposure may create systemic energy signaling effects.
- 45:04 — Veins and Pigmentation
They discuss results with thread veins, sun spots, and pigmentation, and how laser light disperses excess pigment.
- 52:14 — Scar Recovery
The episode closes with practical applications for scar remodeling, C-section recovery, fascia repair, and post-surgical healing.
Thank you to our sponsors!
• KILLSwitch | If you’re ready for the best sleep of your life, order now at https://www.switchsupplements.com/ and use code DAVE for 20% off
• BEYOND Biohacking Conference 2026 | Register with code DAVE300 for $300 off https://beyondconference.com
• fatty15 | Go to https://fatty15.com/dave and save an extra $15 when you subscribe with code DAVE.
• EMR-Tek | https://www.emr-tek.com/DAVE and use code DAVE for 40% off.
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