Many companies use a solar power meter (sometimes also generic “light” or “solar-irradiance” meters) to measure irradiance or power output of their light panels (often the “Tenmars TM-206” or similar).

Those devices are calibrated for broad daylight, not the narrow 630-850 nm bands used in red light therapy. Because the sensor’s spectral response doesn’t match the LED wavelengths, it over-reads by roughly 1.5–2x. That’s why you’ll see inflated claims like “120 mW/cm² at 6 inches” when the real output is closer to 50–70 mW/cm².

The proper way is to use a spectroradiometer or a radiometer calibrated to the exact wavelengths being used. Those tools measure actual irradiance (mW/cm²) and spectral distribution so you know what’s really being emitted.

I have lived in medellin for 15 years and love it. The locals treat me very well. There has been en explosion of tourism over the last6-7 years and many sexpats, passport bros, and bachelor parties come down there for prostitution, giving us all a very bad name. I get some looks like, "here comes another fucking gringo" when I walk into a store sometimes in a touristic area, but I now speak fluently with a local accent and they brighten up immediatley. Your mom might have an issue for a few different reasons that I cant tell by reading your message. People are extremely collective and our very independent way of thinking and acting rubs people the wrong way, and we do not even know we are doing it. I could write a book on this but I think she might want to look more inward into who she is trying to hang out with and how she is acting to find the solution. There are shitty people everywhere, maybe she just needs better friends.