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Red Light Therapy Masks Are Soaring in Popularity, but How Do They Work?

You might have seen a wave of people on social media channeling their best Hannibal Lecter while wearing an LED face mask with red or blue lights. They’re not eating liver with a side of fava beans, but instead claiming that the wrinkles and fine lines on their faces have disappeared with the help of a red light therapy mask. I was intrigued. I just turned 30, but a few years ago I went to an aesthetician for help with acne and left with an insecurity. “You are too young to have these lines,” she said. Yikes. There's nothing wrong with aging, but my lines—from my seemingly uncontrollable ability to furrow my eyebrows—bother me. So when I see influencers, dermatologists, and regular people…

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  7 LED Light Therapy Masks

When people talk about "the future of skincare," I don't think any of us predicted something quite so futuristic. Yet here we are with these "killer looks" in 2024. Whether you're a serial Instagram and tiktok-scroller or just have your thumb on the pulse of the newest, coolest skincare innovations, it's likely that you've heard a little something about LED skin therapy. In the past, these fancy treatments were only available under the practiced hand of your aesthetician for in-office treatments. Now, this luxury is available for you to use at your leisure when your skin is in the mood for something fancy.

 At Home Red Light Therapy May Not Be a Skincare Cure-All—But It’s Pretty Close

“It looks cool—and I’ve seen it all over social media—but does red light therapy actually work?” you are probably asking yourself if you clicked this link. And the answer is yes, LED-light therapy does work—with a caveat. But before we get into the red light specifics that claim to cure all (and kind of can), let’s talk about what it is and why it can work on skin.

 Beauty and the beam: the future of LED therapy looks bright

It’s non-invasive and has been proven to work. But can LED therapy really be a miracle cure for everything from acne to tired skin?

 Do LED Face Masks Work?

These light-emitting devices are all over the internet. We asked experts if they can reduce wrinkles, clear acne and more.

 Does red light therapy work? These are the benefits and drawbacks

The beauty trend that uses near-infrared light waves has surged in popularity – but can you achieve results at home?

 How to Choose an LED Therapy Mask, According to Dermatologists

LED therapy devices bring the spa to you, and the ones on this list can actually improve your skin. Unlike skinny eyebrows or multicolored eyeliner, though, LED therapy devices have serious science behind them.

 LED light therapy for skin is trendy—but does it work?

Dermatologists explain the science behind the wildly popular treatment, which is now available at home—for a steep price.

 The Benefits of Red, Green, and Blue Light Therapy

Bulbs in different colors deliver a rainbow of health benefits that make you feel strong, rested, and focused. Here's how to activate their power.

Articles of Interest

An Hour of Light and Sound a Day Might Keep Alzheimer’s at Bay

Playing a flashing white light and a trilling sound reversed signs of Alzheimer’s in mice. Researchers are now trying it in humans.

Are LED Light Masks Bad for Your Eyes?

When LED masks are used as directed—which can include wearing protective goggles, keeping your eyes shut, and affixing the mask to your face correctly—the devices shouldn’t pose a high risk for eye health,

Can One LED Light Give You Perfect Skin?

One day, shining light on your face may be the most important part of your skin care routine. We take a look at the newest devices.

Do SAD lamps actually work?

In 1903, physician Niels Ryberg Finsen was awarded a Nobel Prize for his work on the therapeutic and physiological effects of light treatment. A few decades later, sun lamps became commonplace in both Europe and the US — both for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes.

Elite Athletes Swear by These Extreme Treatments. Scientists Think They Could Boost Your Health, Too.

Cutting-edge sports-performance therapies using infrared light, electromagnetic pulses and cold potentially have longer-term benefits, researchers say

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Can light therapy make it easier to get through the darkest days of winter?

Green Light Exposure May Help Reduce Pain and Headaches

Researchers are now exploring another potential alternative that is safe, affordable, and comes with few or no side effects and no risk of addiction: green light exposure. Though the science is young and the research is by no means conclusive, in recent years, studies have found that exposing people to light across the green wavelength—either by having them sit in a dark room illuminated by green LED light strips or by giving them green-tinted glasses to wear—can reduce both their severity of pain and the frequency of episodes of migraines, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Interest in Red Light Therapy Is Heating Up

In the world of cosmetic treatments, red light therapy (RLT) is far from new. In fact, the technique was accidentally discovered in the 1960s. Since then, RLT has been studied for its ability to aid in a variety of different physical concerns, from face and body rejuvenation to diabetes and weight loss. Today, red light therapy has even been heralded as the “ultimate” health and wellness trend. Given that the wellness industry in the U.S. is worth $1.8 trillion, trends like this are worth paying attention to.

Light Therapy May Work on Chronic Mood Disorders, Too

Sitting under fake sun could help heal chronic depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety, too

Light Therapy Might Help Heal Injured Brains

Light therapy might boost brain cells’ production of energy, help more blood flow through the brain or reduce inflammation caused by the injury, Gupta said. “There is still a lot of work to be done to understand the exact physiological mechanism behind these effects,” said researcher Suk-tak Chan, a biomedical engineer at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Light therapy: Not just for seasonal depression?

Bright light therapy can help ease SAD, major depression, and perinatal depression.

New Light on Medicine

Pigments that turn caustic on exposure to light can fight cancer, blindness and heart disease. Their lightinduced toxicity may also help explain the origin of vampire tales.

Red Light Therapy May Actually Be the Fountain of Youth

Red light therapy is popping up everywhere from dermatologists' offices to gyms, promising to cure all your health woes with the flick of a switch—and it’s actually pretty legit.

Red Light Therapy: Benefits, Side Effects And Uses

When it comes to the discovery of potential benefits of red light therapy, you can actually thank voyages to outer space. In October 1995, sources of red light—part of the visible spectrum of light—made their space shuttle flight debut on the second U.S. Microgravity Laboratory Spacelab mission (STS-73, Columbia) as part of experiments in plant growth. “It was here that astronauts tending the plant growth chambers noticed little scratches on their hands began to heal,” says red light therapy researcher Janis T. Eells, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “Nothing heals in space, so NASA funded many years of research with these lights for human trials.”

SAD lamps: do they work? Experts explain how they help the winter blues

If you’ve searched the internet for tips on how to fight the winter blues you’ve probably been advised to buy a therapy lamp. So you may be wondering what research says about whether they are effective and how they work. Before we examine the evidence for light therapy it’s important to understand why mood might be affected by sunlight. Vitamin D is produced when your skin is exposed to sunlight and some scientists believe there is a link between depression and low vitamin D levels.

This Is What Happened When I Tried Light Therapy to Clear Up My Acne

LED light therapy started as NASA technology. LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, release energy in the form of photons and can emit different wavelengths corresponding with specific colors. In the early 1990s, a NASA-sponsored research center helped develop the technology to allow for plant growth on shuttle missions. This technique, they found, could also help heal wounds on human skin. Because wounds heal less effectively in space, this proved useful for astronauts on long missions.

This red light therapy device on sale can help relieve pain

It can help with injury recovery too.

Unveiling the Profound Benefits of Red-Light Therapy

In the world of wellness and healthcare, innovative treatments often emerge, offering promising solutions to various health concerns. Among these, red light therapy (RLT) stands out as a non-invasive, safe, and effective method that harnesses the power of red and near-infrared light to promote healing and overall well-being.

What Can Red Light Therapy (Actually) Do for Skin?

Red light therapy has made its way to the skin-care obsessed masses: While it was once a treatment only at the doctor’s office, the number of devices you can now use at home has grown at a viral pace. Just search “red light therapy” on TikTok or Instagram for evidence. Red light therapy is one form of multiple light-emitting diode (LED) therapies—but of all of them, red light penetrates the deepest into the skin.

Why Is Blue Light before Bedtime Bad for Sleep?

Two neuroscientists discuss how blue light negatively affects health and sleep patterns.

Resources

11 Best LED Face Masks, Recommended by Dermatologists and Glamour Testers

Dermatologists say that just a few minutes of rocking one of the best LED face masks can reap anti-aging benefits and give you the gift of fewer acne flare-ups. It’s a big promise for a glowing robot, and, frankly, I was pessimistic. But skin experts and Glamour reviewers agree: These masks work (after consistent use over four to six weeks, that is).

9 Best Red Light Therapy Devices, According to Dermatologists

Red light therapy products—wands, masks, full-body panels—have gotten a lot of attention this year. But some of the best red light therapy devices cost a pretty penny. So, do they live up to the hype or are they just another pricey device that’ll end up gathering dust in your medicine cabinet?

The 12 Best Red Light Therapy Devices You Can Use at Home

From masks to wands, caps, panels, belts, and yes, even blankets.