LED Mask Therapy
Instagram @drdennisgross

You may have seen photos and videos all over social media of women with crazy looking plastic masks that light up like your favorite childhood toys. Have you ever wondered what these masks actually do for the skin (if anything?). Turns out they can work wonders and the different colored lights actually have various skin benefits. Welcome to the world of LED Mask Therapy.

The “LED” in LED Masks stands for Light Emitting Diode. LED Mask Therapy uses wavelengths of visible light that vary in size to treat different skin concerns. The spectrum of light coming from the masks does not damage the skin (unlike harmful UVA and UVB rays but we already know you apply your sunblock every two hours).

If you ever had an LED Mask Therapy treatment at the spa, that’s wondeful, but to truly reap the skin-loving benefits, your skin needs to be consistenly exposed to the LED lights. Unless you’re getting facials three times a week (if you are, we’re so jealous) you’re not going to see a noticeable difference in your skin…and that’s why at-home masks were brought into existence!

50 shades of LED

Fifty shades is actually a bit of a stretch but there are more than a few different LED mask therapy light colors. Let’s break it down:

Red light

Red light is your anti-aging best friend. Red light stimulates the production of collagen and elastin. It helps to firm skin, reduce redness and the appearance of pores, and improve circulation. This is a great light to use if you have fine lines and wrinkles and sagging skin. With continued use, your skin will look more youthful and bright.

Blue light

Blue light has anti-bacterial properties and can kill acne causing bacteria. It helps to regulate oil production and prevents future breakouts . It also is used to treat psoriasis and eczema. You’ll notice clearer skin and reduced acne with consistent use.

Green light

Green light is skin-calming and it helps to reduce redness and hyperpigmentation.  Green light is skin-calming. This is a great light to use if you have sun damage, dilated capillaries, and under eye circles. You’ll notice an improvement in the balance and clarity of your skin with continued use.

Yellow light

Yellow light is great for sensitive skin. This light reduces redness and boosts circulation. It also helps to remove toxins in the skin by promoting lymphatic drainage. With continued use, your skin will look more radiant.

White light

White light penetrates deepest into the skin and promotes wound healing. It also heals acne scars and treats sun damage. Over time, skin will appear tighter and more even toned.

The Best Devices

The Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite Facewear Pro (Dhs2183, Cult Beauty) features red and blue lights. You can also combine the lights together, for a third option of simultaneous red and blue. According to Dr. Dennis Gross, “you’ll start to notice surface changes and reduced acne in as little as two weeks and 97% of subjects in Dr. Dennis Gross’s clinical study showed visible improvements in fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone, and acne over a ten week period of daily use.”

LED Mask Therapy
Instagram @drdennisgross

The NuFACE Trinity Wrinkle Reducer Attachment (Dhs650, Bloomingdales) fits onto the NuFACE Trinity device. According to NuFACE, this red light attachment “provides additional help to reduce the appearance of full face wrinkles. It features a targeted red LED treatment that gently stimulates the larger surface area of the face with gentle micro-currents to help improve facial contour and tone.”

LED Mask Therapy
Instagram @mynuface

The MZ Skin Light Therapy Golden Treatment Device (Dhs2750, Bloomingdales) offers red, blue, green, yellow, and white light. According to MZ Skin, “The healing combination of the LED calms and rejuvenates the complexion while visibly diminishing hyper-pigmentation. Each light has 150 diodes and performs a targeted treatment.”

LED Mask Therapy
Instagram: @mzskin