Are LED face masks effective and worth the money? Experts debate

Critics of the cosmetics industry are seeing the light in LED.

Beloved by beauty experts and celebrities alike, LED light therapy has been a popular cosmetic treatment to combat unwanted signs of aging for decades, and is now widely available at home in the form of a glowing red face mask or wand.

With prices starting at about $100 and going into the thousands, these tools claim to rejuvenate skin by smoothing fine lines, reducing redness and inflammation, clearing acne, improving elasticity, increasing brightness and balancing discoloration.

But are these high-tech products worth their hefty price tag? A recent report in the UK Times cast doubt on these claims.

Lyma, a brand that boasts an at-home light therapy that is “100 times more effective than LED masks,” commissioned researchers at Imperial College London to audit its competitors’ claims. They found the efficacy of these products to be “highly questionable” and that they only affect the “outer layer of the skin, rather than deep into the dermis.”

However, UK advertising officials recently ruled that Lyma’s claims about its supposedly state-of-the-art cold “laser” are misleading and not supported 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 from traditional LED therapy.

LED masks and similar products have been on the market and approved by the Food and Drug Administration for decades.

Dr. Henry Legere is the medical director 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 the skin, providing some superficial benefits.

She agreed that “to achieve deeper changes, penetration into the dermis is required, something that LED masks typically do not achieve.”

“Home-use devices can be effective,” Dr. Legere said. “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.”

Dr. Michele Green, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in New York City, explained to The Post: “The depth to which the LED light penetrates the skin depends on the colors of the light emitted, as different colors of light have different wavelengths.”

“Red light is thought to act on skin fibroblasts to produce collagen. In contrast, blue light is thought to act on porphyrins to exert a bactericidal effect on acne-causing bacteria. Red light has a longer wavelength than blue light and has the deepest tissue penetration of most LED wavelengths.”

“While LED masks can only affect the outer layer of the skin, it is important to first understand what type of light and wavelengths these masks use.”

Risks are usually minimal and include temporary redness, dryness or irritation, especially in people with sensitive skin.

“I have worked with many clients who have started using an LED facial mask at home and I have seen the change in their skin,” clinical aesthetician Pam Marshall, of Mortar & Milk, told The Standard.

“Just because a home LED light doesn’t penetrate as deeply doesn’t mean it’s not a really good measure. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t understand the domino effect, which makes the skin’s surface calmer and the barrier healthy, which positively affects everything underneath.”

“These masks are the equivalent of microdosing.”