I’m an eternally optimistic gadget lover. Technology put a man on the moon. Why can’t it remove wrinkles from our faces? Are you with me?!
Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy has been around for years. The NFL uses it on their elite athletes and there is scientific research to back it up. Red light (next to infrared on the light spectrum) popped up on my radar more than a decade years ago as an “in home” version of muscle therapy. The brochure of my first red light gadget introduced me to the idea that red light fights wrinkles by boosting collagen production, improving skin texture and improving elasticity.
Since then, a plethora of red light therapy tools have emerged so I’m going to break it down for you, along with my pros and cons for each.
Hand Held Devices
My first purchase was a hand held device called the ReVive Light Therapy [affiliate link] over a decade ago. While these have come a long way and now are jam packed with LED lights on the end of it, my complaint about them remains the same. You have to hold it in place. I thought it wasn’t that big a deal, until I tried using it. My original device (which I still have and use for muscles) has a three minute cycle for wrinkle reduction. Let me tell you, three minutes is a lifetime to hold your hand in the air. And – that’s three minutes per treatment area!
PRO: These are easy to find and all over skincare sites and amazon. You can find them for under $100 to start. They are the cheapest of the alternatives I’ve tried and the technology they use continues to improve. Make note of the number of LEDs they have on the head as well as the treatment time you’ll need to hold the device. I’m not recommending one because I haven’t tried one that I’m blown away by.
CON: Having to hold it for the total length of the treatment cycle means you (read: I) never really use it.
Eye Mask
As soon as I saw the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare SpectraLite™ EyeCare Pro LED Device [affiliate link] I knew I had to give it a try. It combines the red light therapy with a wearable mask that addressed my one big complaint about the hand held wand. It’s pricey at $159 but worth the investment if it works, right?
I love this mask. LOVE IT! Easy to use, wear it around, get ready in the morning, brush your teeth – all for the three minute treatment window.
Does it work? My unscientific response is – Heck Yeah!! I noticed a difference within a month’s use.
It targets the crows feet area around the eyes where wrinkles show up for many of us first. I didn’t have bad crows feet, but regular use of it (Remember, you have to USE it for it to work) definitely showed improvement.
I used this for three or four years, and still do. I swear by it and recommend it to anyone. For the price, convenience and outcome, it’s a winner.
PRO: Moderate price, convenient to use, visible results.
CON: The lights only target the crows feet.
Full Face Mask
After several years, I started wanting lights for UNDER my eyes as well, which prompted my next purchase. Enter the full LED face mask.
When the first advertisement for the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare SpectraLite™ Faceware Pro hit my email, I was immediately fascinated but incredibly reluctant. It’s the most expensive one I’ve tried so far at about $435. Gulp. But I waited patiently for an annual sale and saved 20% on the price tag.
This mask has both blue (for acne) and red light therapy options. It has LED placement under the eyes, which is what attracted me, and around other areas of the face (forehead, upper lip, chin, mouth smile lines). It’s easy to wear and the treatment time is still only three minutes.
So, do you need it?
I’d say, it depends. I’d recommend the eye mask over the full face mask for cost alone. However, if you will use the blue light for breakouts and have multiple areas of your face that need to be treated, you may be able to justify the cost. As long as you wipe it down between uses, you can share it with family members, which certainly helps spread the cost out.
I’ve been using mine for a year or two and I think it works as well as the face mask. My biggest con is one of multi-tasking. The face mask allowed me to brush my teeth. The full mask does not so I’m a bit more limited in my choice of activities. That’s a small con. The biggest con is the price tag.
PRO: Quick one-stop-shop treatment, shareable (which is true for all of them but of particular note here), treats breakouts as well
CON: Steep price tag, mobile but restrictive
Lest you think we’ve exhausted the range of options for red light therapy for beauty, there are face masks with neck/chest pieces as well. Many of them incorporate even MORE light spectrum options. I’m excluding those for this piece because I’m still testing them out with official before and after pictures – so look for those reviews next year!
NOTE: I’ve added links so you can easily see the products I’m talking about. Although the affiliate links don’t cost you anything extra, I recommend you search around for sales. The prices are pretty even everywhere but if you’re patient, you can always score a deal somewhere. There are a lot of other red light therapy options out there. I haven’t tried any of the off brand so I can’t say if they do or don’t work. I only stayed loyal to Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare because I had such a good experience with the face mask.
Red light therapy isn’t going away. It’s becoming far more mainstream with every passing year. Though the price tag may feel steep if you use it consistently at home, the price point becomes reasonable. Especially now with stay-at-home directives in place, at home treatments are helping me maintain my skincare game.
Is this a technology trend you’ll try?
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Some of these links are affiliate links. If you click a link and buy something, I may receive a commission for the sale. It does not cost you anything extra and you are free to use the link or not. Product purchases for review are made with my own money and my opinions are my own. If product is ever provided or the article is sponsored, it will be clearly noted at the top of the page.
