Yes — many Planet Fitness locations offer red light therapy through a booth called Total Body Enhancement, and it’s included with a PF Black Card membership at no extra charge. Planet Fitness describes it on its own membership page as “a UV free application of red light, which pairs with vibra-shape technology.”

Two important catches, though. It’s a Black Card perk only, so the entry-level Classic membership doesn’t include it. And it’s marked on Planet Fitness’s official amenity list as available at participating locations only — clubs are independently owned and operated, so the booth at your friend’s gym might not exist at yours.

Here’s what the booth actually is, how it compares to a real red light therapy panel at a tanning salon, and whether it’s worth upgrading for.

Key Takeaways

Planet Fitness’s red light therapy is the Total Body Enhancement booth — a standing unit that combines non-UV red light with a vibrating platform.
It’s a PF Black Card amenity, not included with the Classic membership.
Black Card pricing starts at $24.99/month plus a $49 annual fee, but Planet Fitness states prices vary by location, and the company has signaled a move toward $29.99/month. Confirm with your club.
It is not available at every location — Planet Fitness footnotes it as “participating locations only.”
The equipment is typically a Beauty Angel-style booth using red light around 633 nm. That’s genuine red light, but generally lower intensity and a narrower wavelength range than a dedicated therapy panel or bed.
Red light therapy has real published support for skin texture and collagen, but results are gradual and modest — not dramatic, and not medical treatment.
It contains no UV, so it will not tan you. That’s the tanning bed, which is a separate Black Card amenity.

What Total Body Enhancement Actually Is

Total Body Enhancement is a standing booth — you step in, close the door, and stand on a platform surrounded by red light lamps. The platform vibrates while the lights run. A standard session is short, typically around 12 minutes, and the machine handles the timing for you.

The equipment most PF clubs use is the Beauty Angel line (models like the RVT 30) from JK Products, the same manufacturer family behind a lot of commercial tanning equipment. These booths use red light in the ballpark of 633 nanometers, delivered by lamps rather than a dense LED array.

Planet Fitness’s marketing calls the vibration component “vibra-shape.” Practically, it’s whole-body vibration: the plate oscillates and your muscles reflexively contract to stabilize. Note that Planet Fitness has been expanding its Black Card Spa lineup — massage chairs, HydroMassage, tanning, a Wellness Pod, and a Recovery Lounge now appear alongside Total Body Enhancement on the official amenity list — and which of those exist in your building varies club to club.

Is It “Real” Red Light Therapy?

Honestly? Yes and no, and the nuance matters.

Yes, in the sense that it’s genuine red light in a therapeutic wavelength range. Around 633 nm is squarely in the band that photobiomodulation research uses. The light is absorbed by structures inside your cells, which is the same basic mechanism described across the literature. __Red and near-infrared light in this range is absorbed by mitochondrial targets in skin cells and can influence repair and healing processes__ [Avci et al., Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 2013].

No, in the sense that it isn’t equivalent to a high-output therapy panel. Three practical differences:

Wavelength range. The standard booth delivers visible red only. Dedicated panels and red light beds at tanning salons often add near-infrared (roughly 810–850 nm), which penetrates deeper and carries most of the evidence for muscle and joint applications.
Intensity. Lamp-based booths generally deliver lower irradiance than a modern LED panel held a few inches from your skin. Manufacturers of these booths don’t typically publish power density figures, which makes an apples-to-apples comparison genuinely hard.
Dose. This is the one people miss. Light therapy follows a biphasic dose response — too little does nothing, and past a certain point more isn’t better. __Low-level light therapy shows a biphasic dose response, where an optimal dose exists and both underdosing and overdosing reduce the effect__ [Huang et al., Dose-Response, 2009]. A 12-minute standing session at moderate intensity, with your skin a foot or more from the lamps, is a real dose — just a modest one.

So: it’s not a gimmick, and it’s not a clinical device. It’s a consumer-grade version of the real thing. If you want the deeper dive on overdoing it, we covered that in can you do too much red light therapy.

What the Evidence Does and Doesn’t Support

Here’s the balanced version, without the wellness-industry gloss.

Reasonably supported: skin texture and collagen

This is the strongest area. __In a controlled trial, participants treated with red and near-infrared light showed improvements in skin roughness, fine lines and wrinkles, and measured intradermal collagen density compared with untreated controls__ [Wunsch & Matuschka, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 2014]. A broader clinical review reached similar conclusions for skin rejuvenation and wound healing applications [Glass, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2021].

Important caveat: those studies used specific devices at controlled doses over many sessions. They are not a study of the Planet Fitness booth. Directionally supportive, not proof of a specific outcome from this specific machine.

Mixed at best: the vibration plate and “toning”

Whole-body vibration gets marketed hard, and the data is more sober. __A meta-analysis of 23 trials in overweight and obese participants found whole-body vibration training produced a small reduction in fat mass that the authors judged not clinically significant, with no change in body weight, BMI, or muscle mass — though lower-limb strength and blood pressure did improve__ [Rubio-Arias et al., Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2021].

Translation: standing on the plate for 12 minutes is not a workout, and it will not reshape your body. Treat it as a pleasant add-on, not a fat-loss tool.

Thin evidence: recovery from a 12-minute booth session

Photobiomodulation for muscle recovery has a research base, but most of it uses targeted, higher-output devices applied directly to the working muscle, often with near-infrared. Extrapolating that to a red-only booth is a stretch. Plenty of members report feeling less sore — a real experience, but not the same as a demonstrated effect.

And not supported at all: detox, cellulite elimination, spot fat reduction, and “boosting metabolism.” Skip those.

How It Differs From Planet Fitness Tanning Beds

People conflate these constantly. They’re separate machines with separate purposes.

Total Body Enhancement: red light, zero UV. Will not darken your skin at all. No goggles required by the same rules, though the booth is bright.
Tanning beds/booths: UV output, designed to trigger melanin production. Also a Black Card perk, also location-dependent, and subject to state and local frequency restrictions.

UV tanning carries risk that red light doesn’t. __Use of indoor tanning devices is associated with increased risk of melanoma, with higher risk linked to first use at a younger age__ [International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group, International Journal of Cancer, 2007]. Red light therapy involves no UV, which is why the “does red light cause skin cancer” question has a very different answer — we unpacked it in can red light therapy cause cancer.

If the tanning side is what you’re actually after, our Planet Fitness tanning beds review covers what bed types you’ll typically find and how they stack up against a dedicated salon. And if you’re brand new to UV tanning, start with tanning bed tips for beginners and pick up a decent set of tanning goggles before your first session.

How Much Does It Cost?

Total Body Enhancement itself costs nothing extra — it’s bundled into the Black Card. The cost is the membership upgrade.

As of this writing, Planet Fitness’s official site lists Classic memberships starting at $15/month and PF Black Card starting at $24.99/month, subject to a $49 annual fee, with the explicit disclaimer that prices may vary depending on location. Planet Fitness has publicly signaled plans to move Black Card pricing toward $29.99/month, and some clubs already price differently. Memberships may also carry a 12-month commitment and a startup fee.

Because every club is independently owned and operated, treat any number you read online — including this one — as a ballpark. Call your specific location and ask two questions: what the Black Card actually costs there, and whether that club has a Total Body Enhancement booth at all.

How to Use the Booth as a Beginner

Book it at the front desk. Many clubs require you to sign up for a slot, and it’s often the busiest amenity in the building.
Skin needs to be exposed to benefit. Light doesn’t travel through fabric. Most people wear gym shorts and a tank or sports bra. Whatever you’re comfortable with — the booth door closes.
Take makeup and heavy lotion off your face if skin benefits are your goal — a thick occlusive layer just blocks the light.
Close your eyes or look down. The lamps are bright. It’s not UV, but staring into them is pointless.
Start with the lowest vibration level. Level 1 or 2 is plenty at first. Keep knees softly bent rather than locked.
Wipe the booth down after, and be consistent. Skin changes accumulate over weeks of regular sessions, not from one visit.

On sequencing with UV: if your club has both and you use both, the general reasoning behind ordering them is covered in red light therapy before or after tanning.

Is It Worth Upgrading For?

If Total Body Enhancement is the only reason you’d upgrade to Black Card, I’d say no — a decent at-home red light panel pays for itself against the price difference in under a year, and you’d get near-infrared wavelengths the booth doesn’t offer.

If you’d already benefit from the other Black Card perks — any-location access, bringing a guest, massage chairs, tanning — then the booth is a genuinely nice bonus. Free, low-risk, takes 12 minutes, and the skin-texture evidence is real even if the effect from this particular machine is modest.

FAQ

Do all Planet Fitness locations have red light therapy?

No. Planet Fitness footnotes Total Body Enhancement as available at participating locations only. Clubs are franchised and independently operated, so equipment varies. Call or check your specific club’s amenity list before joining for it.

Is Total Body Enhancement included with the $15 membership?

No. It’s a PF Black Card amenity. The Classic membership doesn’t include it, tanning, or the rest of the Black Card Spa.

Does the red light booth tan you?

No. It produces no UV, so it cannot trigger a tan or a burn. Planet Fitness explicitly describes it as UV-free.

How often can you use Total Body Enhancement?

Policies vary by club, but once per visit is standard and most clubs cap it at once a day. Two to four sessions a week is a reasonable rhythm for skin goals. More isn’t better — light therapy has an optimal dose, not an unlimited one.

What do you wear in the Total Body Enhancement booth?

Gym clothes that expose the areas you care about, or less if you prefer. The door closes and it’s private. This is different from UV tanning, where coverage decisions carry burn risk — see what to wear in a tanning bed for that side.

Do other gyms have red light therapy?

Some do, and offerings shift as gyms compete on recovery amenities. Availability is club-specific everywhere — for a comparison point, we looked at whether LA Fitness has tanning.

How long until you see results?

If you see anything, expect subtle skin texture changes over roughly 8–12 weeks of consistent use. Nobody notices a difference after one session, and anyone telling you otherwise is selling something.

The Bottom Line

Planet Fitness does have red light therapy, branded as Total Body Enhancement, bundled free into the Black Card at participating clubs. It’s a legitimate red light device with a vibration plate attached — lower intensity and narrower wavelength coverage than a dedicated panel, but genuinely red light, genuinely free with the membership, and genuinely low-risk.

Go in with calibrated expectations: possible gradual improvement in skin texture with consistent use, no meaningful body composition change from the vibration, and nothing that belongs in the category of medical treatment. Before you upgrade, make one phone call to your local club to confirm the booth exists there and what Black Card actually costs at that location. Franchise details change, and the answer for your gym is the only one that matters.

References

Red light therapy and skin:
Wunsch A, Matuschka K, 2014, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, “A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase” Participants treated with red/near-infrared light showed improved skin roughness, reduced fine lines and wrinkles, and increased intradermal collagen density versus controls.

Mechanism and dermatologic applications:
Avci P et al., 2013, Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, “Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring” Review describing how red and near-infrared photons are absorbed by mitochondrial chromophores in skin cells, with beneficial effects reported for wrinkles, scars, and wound healing.

Dosing:
Huang YY, Chen AC, Carroll JD, Hamblin MR, 2009, Dose-Response, “Biphasic dose response in low level light therapy” Establishes that light therapy follows a biphasic dose response — an optimal dose exists, and both insufficient and excessive exposure reduce the benefit.

Clinical review:
Glass GE, 2021, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, “Photobiomodulation: The Clinical Applications of Low-Level Light Therapy” Review of clinical evidence for low-level light therapy, including skin rejuvenation and wound healing applications.

Whole-body vibration:
Rubio-Arias JÁ et al., 2021, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, “Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Body Composition, Cardiometabolic Risk, and Strength in the Population Who Are Overweight and Obese: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis” Meta-analysis of 23 studies found a small, not clinically significant reduction in fat mass, no change in body weight, BMI or muscle mass, but improvements in lower-limb strength and blood pressure.

UV tanning risk (for contrast):
International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group, 2007, International Journal of Cancer, “The association of use of sunbeds with cutaneous malignant melanoma and other skin cancers: A systematic review” Systematic review finding increased melanoma risk associated with indoor tanning device use, particularly with first use at younger ages.

Planet Fitness membership and amenity details were taken from the official Planet Fitness memberships page and are subject to change; confirm current pricing and amenities with your local club.