Top Tips for Starting LifeWave Patches| How to use X39, build your routine, and start with confidence
How to Start LifeWave X39 Patches: Your Complete Guide to Phototherapy Success
If you're just getting started with LifeWave patches or thinking about it, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know. After two years of using these patches personally and guiding over 1,100 clients through their phototherapy journey, I've learned what actually works and what doesn't.
This isn't medical advice. These are practical, experience-based insights from someone who's been exactly where you are: curious, maybe skeptical, and wanting to do this right from day one.
If you're looking for someone who will support you with expert guidance, grounded experience, and no pressure, I'd love to walk this journey with you.
Why Documentation Matters: Taking Your Before Photos
Before and after photos can be incredibly powerful, but most people skip this step. Don't make that mistake.
The changes from phototherapy are often subtle and gradual. You won't wake up one morning and suddenly feel like a different person. Instead, you'll notice small shifts over weeks and months: better sleep quality, more stable energy, improved skin texture, less stiffness in the morning.
Without documentation, you'll forget where you started. Three months from now, when someone asks "Is it working?", you'll struggle to articulate the difference because you won't have a clear baseline.
Here's my exact protocol for before photos:
Face a window in natural light. Avoid overhead or artificial lighting, which creates harsh shadows and inconsistent color. Take your photo at the same time of day each time. If you take your "before" in the morning, take all your progress photos in the morning too.
Use the same spot every time. Stand in the same position, same distance from the window, same angle. Consistency is everything when you're tracking subtle changes.
Take photos from multiple angles: front view, both side profiles, and any specific areas you're focusing on (skin, posture, whatever matters to you).
Beyond photos, track your symptoms:
I provide my clients with a detailed tracker that helps them log:
How to Start LifeWave X39 Patches: Your Complete Guide to Phototherapy Success
Energy levels throughout the day
Sleep quality and duration
Pain or discomfort levels
Mood and mental clarity
Skin appearance
Any other specific concerns they're addressing
Without tracking, you might miss the real progress you're making. A lot of the changes are subtle, especially in the first 30 to 60 days.
Understanding GHK-Cu: Why This Peptide Matters
GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper peptide found in human blood. We produce high levels of it in our youth and significantly less as we age. Understanding what this peptide does helps explain why phototherapy can be so effective.
Research on GHK-Cu shows it:
Supports tissue repair and regeneration
Promotes collagen and elastin production
May help improve skin firmness and reduce the appearance of fine lines
Supports wound healing processes
Has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Helps balance copper levels in the body
May support hair growth and reduce hair thinning
Plays a role in cellular health and renewal
These effects have been observed in research on GHK-Cu as it naturally occurs in the body. The decline in this peptide as we age correlates with many of the changes we associate with aging.
The Foundation: Why X39 Should Be Your Starting Point
If you're starting with just one patch, X39 is where I recommend beginning. Here's why.
X39 is the core of the LifeWave system. It offers foundational, broad-spectrum wellness support by working with your body's natural processes. Unlike patches designed for specific purposes , X39 works throughout the whole body.
By starting with X39 alone, you give your body a chance to adjust and respond before adding other patches. This makes it easier to notice shifts and gives you a clearer sense of how phototherapy fits into your wellness routine.
Think of it this way: if you start with three different patches at once and you feel amazing two weeks later, which patch did it? You won't know. But if you start with X39 and give it 30 days, then add Aeon, you'll understand exactly what each patch is doing for you.
The Critical Role of Hydration in Phototherapy
One of the most overlooked but impactful factors in phototherapy success is hydration. I cannot emphasize this enough.
Staying hydrated helps your body function more smoothly, and the vast majority of people who report better experiences with patches are those who prioritize water intake.
Here's why hydration matters so much:
X39 works with your body's own cellular signaling. When you're well hydrated, your cells can communicate more clearly and efficiently. Water is your body's conductor. It helps carry the signals the patch is supporting.
Without adequate hydration, those messages get muddled or slowed down. Your cells are trying to respond to the phototherapy signals, but they don't have the medium they need to communicate effectively.
I've noticed that on days I don't drink enough water, I feel sluggish and the patch's support isn't as noticeable. But when I stay consistently hydrated (I aim for half my body weight in ounces), everything clicks better: energy, focus, and overall balance.
Practical hydration protocol:
Start your day with 16 to 20 ounces of water before applying your patch. This primes your system.
Keep water accessible throughout the day. I use a large water bottle that I refill twice daily so I can track my intake.
If you experience any discomfort when wearing patches (which is rare but can happen), the first thing to check is hydration. Drink one or two glasses of water and wait 20 to 30 minutes. Often, that resolves any issues.
How LifeWave Patches Actually Work: The 12-Hour Protocol
LifeWave patches are non-transdermal, meaning nothing enters your body. They use phototherapy: the heat from your body activates a light-reflective crystal matrix in the patch, which reflects specific wavelengths of light back into your skin.
The recommended time is 12 hours on, then 12 hours off. This rest window is crucial.
Why 12 hours?
Your body needs time to process the phototherapy signals. The patches work by stimulating specific points on your skin that encourage natural biochemical responses. But continuous stimulation without rest doesn't improve results. In fact, it can be counterproductive.
The clinical studies on X39 were conducted using this 12-hour wear protocol. Wearing the patch longer doesn't enhance benefits. Gentle, rhythmic use is what's most effective.
Most people wear their patch during the day (applying in the morning and removing before bed), but some prefer nighttime wear. Either approach works as long as you maintain the 12-hour on, 12-hour off rhythm.
Strategic Patch Placement: Where to Apply X39
The most commonly recommended placement points for X39 are:
Base of the neck (between the shoulders, on the midline of the body, around the C7 vertebra)
Below the belly button (about two finger widths down, on the midline)
These are acupuncture points that align with your body's energy meridians. The patches are designed to work with these meridians, similar to how acupuncture and acupressure function.
Some people experiment with other placement locations based on specific goals, but these two positions are where I recommend starting. They provide systemic, whole-body support.
Application tips:
Apply to clean, dry skin. Any oils, lotions, or residue can interfere with the adhesive and the phototherapy effect.
Press firmly for a few seconds to ensure good contact. The patch needs consistent skin contact to work effectively.
If you shower or swim, the patches are water-resistant but not waterproof. Some people place a piece of medical tape over the edges if they're concerned about it coming loose.
My Favorite Starting Combination: X39 + Aeon
If someone's just starting out and wants to use two patches, my favorite combination is X39 and Aeon together.
Aeon is designed to support healthy levels of stress and inflammation. Most of us are dealing with some level of chronic stress and inflammation, even if we don't realize it. These underlying issues can interfere with how effectively X39 works.
By using Aeon alongside X39, you're creating an environment where your body can respond more effectively to the foundational support X39 provides.
I personally love Aeon. I find it especially helpful during times of emotional or mental stress, and it's become part of my daily routine.
How to use them together:
Wear X39 on the base of your neck or below your belly button (choose one location and stay consistent for at least a week so you can assess how it's working).
Wear Aeon on the recommended placement points (check the LifeWave brochure for specific acupuncture points, or I can guide you if you're working with me).
Apply both in the morning, wear for 12 hours, remove for 12 hours of rest.
The One-Month Rule: Wait Before Adding More Patches
This is such an important mindset shift: more isn't always better right away.
I recommend giving your body time to adjust to one or two patches before adding more. That way, if something shifts (energy, mood, sleep quality, pain levels), you'll know what's helping.
The LifeWave product line includes various patches designed to support different aspects of wellness. They're all powerful tools. But layering them all on at once makes it impossible to understand what your body actually needs.
I've worked with over 1,100 clients over the past two years, and the ones who do best are those who start gently, allow their body to respond naturally, and add strategically over time.
Think of it like building a wellness protocol: you wouldn't start ten new supplements on the same day. You'd introduce them one at a time so you could assess effectiveness and watch for any reactions.
Patches work the same way.
Setting Realistic Expectations: The 90-Day Commitment
I understand the skepticism. I was skeptical too when I first heard about LifeWave patches. It sounds too simple: a small adhesive patch that uses light therapy to support wellness? It seemed far-fetched.
But this isn't magic, and it's not a quick fix. In my experience, phototherapy works best when used with consistency, patience, and a mindset of tuning in over time.
This is a gentle, body-led approach. That's why I always say: give it at least 90 days before deciding what it's doing for you.
Why 90 days?
Some people feel shifts within the first week. Others don't notice anything significant until week six or eight. The deeper, more profound changes often emerge in months two and three.
Your body is working through years (or decades) of accumulated stress, inflammation, and cellular damage. Phototherapy supports your body's natural healing processes, but those processes take time.
A good rule of thumb that many practitioners use: one month per decade of age.
40 years old = 4 months
60 years old = 6 months
This helps set realistic expectations and gives your body the space it needs to shift.
Daily Use: The Key to Cumulative Benefits
This one's simple but critical: use your patch daily.
Skipping days makes it harder to notice cumulative benefits. Phototherapy works through consistent, repeated signaling. Your body responds to patterns.
If you wear the patch three days, skip two days, wear it for one day, skip another day, your body never gets into a rhythm. It's like trying to build strength by going to the gym sporadically. You might see some benefit, but you won't see transformation.
Set a rhythm that works for you. Most people find it easiest to apply their patch first thing in the morning as part of their existing routine: right after brushing their teeth, with their morning supplements, while making coffee, whatever makes sense.
Put your patches somewhere visible so you remember. On your bathroom counter, next to your toothbrush, on your bedside table. Out of sight is out of mind.
What I've Personally Noticed (Without Making Medical Claims)
I want to be clear: I'm not making medical claims about what LifeWave patches can do. I can only share what I've personally noticed over two years of daily use.
My experience includes:
Healthier-looking skin with improved texture and tone
Deeper, more restful sleep with fewer middle-of-the-night wake-ups
More stable energy throughout the day (less afternoon crashes)
Greater focus and mental clarity, especially in the mornings
Better overall balance in my mood and stress response
These are subtle shifts that accumulated over time. I didn't wake up on day three feeling like a new person. But by month two, I realized I was sleeping better. By month three, my husband commented on my skin. By month four, I noticed I wasn't reaching for afternoon caffeine anymore.
Not only do I use X39 every day, but so does my husband. Even my tiny Yorkshire Terrier wears patches (though they're not tested or approved for pets, that's how much confidence I have in this technology after two years of personal use).
Why Your Brand Partner Choice Matters
Many people join LifeWave and later regret not choosing a Brand Partner who could actually guide them. I've seen it repeatedly: people get excited, sign up under someone who's not active or doesn't have real experience, and end up stuck with no help, no training, and no direction.
I run this as a real business. I've been successful as a Brand Partner for two years, working with over 1,100 clients. I love supporting people who are serious about learning and growing with these patches.
If you work with me, you get access to:
My private support and guidance on protocols and placement
My exclusive patching tracker that helps you document your journey
Honest, experienced answers to your questions
The tools and resources I've created to help my clients succeed
Ongoing support as you navigate your phototherapy journey
I can only offer this level of support to those who enroll directly through my link. If you sign up under someone else, I won't be able to guide you (even if you want me to later). That's just how the LifeWave system works.
If any of this resonates with you and you want someone who will actually be there to support you, I'd love to welcome you.
A Note on What I Can and Can't Do
I'm not a medical professional, and I can't give medical advice. I don't try to take the place of a doctor or licensed practitioner.
What I can offer is experience-based guidance: which patches I've used, what's worked for me and my clients, proper protocols, placement strategies, and where to find the best information to learn more.
If you're working through a specific health issue, always consult your licensed healthcare provider. LifeWave patches are designed for general wellness support, not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Real Support for Your Phototherapy Journey
Here's what I know after two years and 1,100+ clients: the people who succeed with LifeWave patches are the ones who:
Start with a clear baseline (photos and symptom tracking)
Commit to daily use for at least 90 days
Stay hydrated consistently
Start with one or two patches and add strategically over time
Have someone to reach out to when questions come up
That last point matters more than most people realize. This isn't complicated, but it helps to have guidance from someone who's been through it.
Ready to get started the right way?
Start here: https://startpatchingright.com/start
You'll get access to my guidance, protocols, and personal support as you navigate your phototherapy journey.
Or if you have questions first, email me at MeganGrahamBeauty@gmail.com.
Already know you want X39? Shop here.
Legal Disclaimer: This blog post contains my personal opinions and experiences with phototherapy patches. I am currently a LifeWave Independent Brand Partner and may earn commission from product sales. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. LifeWave patches are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care provider before starting any new health regimen.
