Critics from the cosmetics industry have gotten to the bottom of LED technology.
Popular with beauty experts and celebrities, LED light therapy has been a popular cosmetic treatment for decades to ward off unwanted signs of aging. It’s now available for home use in the form of a bright red facial mask or wand.
Starting at around $100 and going into the thousands, these devices are designed to rejuvenate skin by smoothing fine lines, reducing redness and inflammation, clearing acne, improving elasticity, enhancing glow, and evening out discoloration.
But are these high-tech products worth their high price? A recent report in the British Times questions these claims.
Lyma, a brand that advertises at-home light therapy that is “100 times more effective than LED masks,” commissioned researchers at Imperial College London to review the competitor’s claims. They concluded that the effectiveness of these products was “highly questionable” and that they only affected the “outer layer of the skin and not deeper in the dermis.”
However, advertising regulators in the UK recently ruled that Lyma’s claims about its supposedly cutting-edge cold laser were misleading and unsupported by evidence. Meanwhile, widely cited studies previously published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology have shown measurable benefits of traditional LED therapy.
LED masks and similar products have been on the market for decades and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Dr. Henry Legere is the chief medical officer of Restore Hyper Wellness, a U.S.-based medical spa specializing in red light, infrared and cryotherapy. Legere told the Post that LED masks primarily target the outermost layer of skin, which provides some superficial benefits for the skin.
He agreed that “more profound changes require penetration into the dermis, which is not typically achieved with LED masks.”
“Home-use devices can be effective,” emphasized Dr. Legere. “They are useful for maintenance and mild to moderate skin problems and can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone and texture, reduce inflammation and improve wound healing.”
Board-certified New York City cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green told the Post, “The depth at which LEDs penetrate the skin depends on the color of the light emitted, as different colors of light have different wavelengths.”
“Red light is thought to act on fibroblasts in the skin and produce collagen. In contrast, blue light is thought to act on porphyrins and have a bactericidal effect on acne-causing bacteria. Red light has a longer wavelength than blue light and penetrates the deepest into tissue of most LED wavelengths.”
“While LED masks may only work on the outer layer of skin, it’s important to first understand what type of light and wavelengths these masks use.”
The risks are generally minimal and include temporary redness, dryness or irritation, particularly in people with sensitive skin.
“I have worked with numerous clients who have started using an LED facial mask at home and I have seen the transformation in their skin,” clinical aesthetician Pam Marshall of Mortar & Milk told The Standard.
“Just because an at-home LED treatment doesn’t penetrate as deeply doesn’t mean it isn’t a really good treatment. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t understand the trickle-down effect, where calming the surface of the skin and healing the barrier has a positive effect on everything underneath.”
“These masks are equivalent to microdosing.”
