You may have see a wave of people on social media channels Hannibal Lecter at their best while wearing an LED mask with red or blue light-emitting diodes. They don’t eat liver with fava beans but instead claim that their facial wrinkles have disappeared with the help of a red light therapy mask. There’s nothing wrong with aging, but after seeing such a rise in popularity, we had to find out if the technology behind these masks could make a big impact on your skin. . How does it work? Why is it?
Research shows that certain light can be beneficial for your skin. There are two main types: red light therapy uses near-infrared light and can help smooth out wrinkles, while blue light therapy uses wavelengths of blue light to help kill acne-causing bacteria. . There are also several styles of masks—most are full-face masks, ranging from soft, wrap-around ones to hard, face-hugging ones. The Iron Man inside youalong with other variations like wands, neck masks, etc. After talking to dermatologists and testing several LED masks (plus other LED devices), we’re here to tell you. know everything you need to know about LED masks, how to use them and which ones impact our skin.
Don’t miss our tips below on how to correctly implement these tools into your routine. If you’re looking for more beauty and self-care gadgets, check out our guide to Best electric toothbrush, Best hair dryer, Best shower water filter, Best beard trimmerand Best hair straightener.
Updated November 2024: We’ve added new options and updated testing notes.
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How to use red light therapy in your routine
LED light therapy doesn’t work for everyone, but consistency is important if you want to try it. If you don’t think you’ll remember to use your light therapy mask multiple times a week, you won’t see results and it won’t be worth the money.
Follow the instructions for the specific device you’re using, but in general you’ll want to Wash and dry your face And Use the mask before applying any skin care products. The device must have a fixed session time, typically 3 to 10 minutes. Use it full time unless you feel discomfort. Then apply lotion as usualFocus on hydrating serums or moisturizers, especially if you’re prone to dryness. Do not use these masks longer than indicated in their instructions.
While you can use red light therapy and retinoids in your routine, Waldman doesn’t recommend using them together because it can increase the risk of irritation.
Take some photos before you start using the mask so you can track the progress. You might not see dramatic results right away, but with photos, you can at least see if something is going on.
Light therapy devices are often quite expensive, but with good reason: You can’t get the same effect with just any red LED light from the hardware store. If the wavelength isn’t strong enough, it won’t penetrate your skin — sorry TikTokker sitting in front of a computer. chicken coop heating lamp.
These are the typical wavelengths, measured in nanometers, to look for:
- Red light therapy wavelengths in the 630 to 660 nanometer range are typically used, with the lowest effective wavelength around 600 nanometers.
- Near-infrared red light typically 800 to 1,400 nanometers. They penetrate deeper into the skin and are used primarily for healing and reducing inflammation.
- Blue light usually 405 to 420 nanometers to kill acne-causing bacteria.
Index
Best LED mask
LED Esthetics Glotech Mask Pro has everything you might be looking for in an LED mask at a reasonable price. It includes both red light therapy, which reaches near infrared wavelengths of 63 nanometers and 830 nanometers, as well as blue light therapy, with a blue light wavelength of 415 nanometers that can help treat acne and control acne. Get better control over your oil production (read more below about how to light correctly). effective therapy). Most people think of LED masks as just red light, but both are beneficial for your skin, so having a two-in-one device really helps you maximize your savings.
It takes time to see the results and consistency of these masks. While I didn’t see much change in my 32-year-old facial features after about six weeks of regular use, I did see my skin become brighter and healthier and consistently received more compliments. since using Glotech mask almost daily. I also noticed the scabs and pimples fade faster and without the usual scarring, even without using the blue light mode.
It’s a soft, flexible mask that you can fasten to your head with a single Velcro strap. I have a fairly large head and I found myself with a lot of straps and slack to hold it in place. But the mask is very heavy and with the single strap I found I couldn’t really move around without jostling the mask or causing it to slip. It is best to wear and sit or lie down; I use it while watching TV or reading a book after washing my face.
If you do not want blue light therapy: the Omnilux Contour LED Mask for $395 has a very similar design to the Esthetics LED mask and is almost the same price. Both masks have 132 LEDs and reach similar levels of red light — the Omnilux reaches 633 nanometers of red light to LED Esthetic’s 630 nanometers, and both promise 830 nanometers of near-infrared light — but the Omnilux doesn’t. There is an option to treat acne with blue light. If that doesn’t worry you, here’s a similar mask you can consider as it’s also FDA approved with a 30-day return policy.
Photo: Nena Farrell
LED masks are definitely the most comfortable
Dr. Dennis Gross SpectraLite FaceWare Pro not only includes red light therapy (630nm red and 880nm infrared) and blue light therapy (415nm) like the Esthetics LED mask above, but also has a mode that combines both into one treatment. Not only that, SpectraLite treatments work within three minutes—much faster than other treatments we tried, most of which required a 10-minute treatment. It also does this with fewer LEDs than other masks, with 100 red light-emitting diodes and 60 blue light-emitting diodes.
That quick treatment time may be one of the reasons this mask is so comfortable to wear. It’s a sturdy mask rather than soft, and former WIRED critic Medea Giordano described it as “a little more superhero-like than Hannibal.” She found it more comfortable to wear than the Omnilux soft mask, although she said the strap was uncomfortable to use and not always safe. During testing, her acne disappeared quickly when using the combined red and blue light setting.
