The Best Red Light Therapy Devices for Clearer, Smoother Skin | 2024 Picks

Many brands would have you believe that you can strap a glowing, Michael Myers–esque mask onto your face, relax under the covers for 10 minutes (or less!), and rejoice as your fine lines and wrinkles become as distant a memory as your childhood Tamagotchi. Once only available in dermatologist offices and med spas, red and LED light therapy devices have become increasingly accessible for the average skin care enthusiast over the past few years, thanks to at-home devices like masks and portable wands.

But do these gadgets really work as well as clinical treatments? Here’s the lowdown, straight from board-certified dermatologists.

First, a quick science lesson: LED (light-emitting diode) light therapy uses different wavelengths of visible light—each of which shows up as a different color—to treat various skin conditions.

Red light therapy is typically used to reduce common signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles, Helyn Alvarez, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas, tells SELF. According to Dr. Alvarez, when red light is absorbed by the skin cells it can also help reduce inflammation, lighten age spots, and stimulate collagen and elastin production; this not only can make the skin look firmer and plumper, but can help with wound and scar healing too.

There’s research to support these benefits: A small group of white women noticed less signs of aging over the course of a few months after using a red light mask for 12 minutes, twice a week.

Blue light, meanwhile, which doesn’t penetrate the skin as deeply as red light, can be used to fight breakouts. “Bacteria that causes acne sits on the epidermis—[or outer layer]—of the skin,” says Dr. Alvarez. Again, research seems to back her up: A 2021 systematic review in the journal Sensors noted improvements in some kinds of acne blemishes, but more controlled, randomized studies are needed to say for sure if blue light can help clear your skin.

Dr. Alvarez says that you can indeed get results from an at-home light therapy mask or wand, these tools just won’t be as potent as the bigger, more expensive LED devices at a dermatologist’s office. And, you need to choose a device with a proven track record.

There are a ton of red light devices on the market right now—with some as cheap as $25 on Amazon—but they’re not all created equal. The most important spec to keep in mind when comparing models is whether it’s been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Regine Mathieu, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Behr Laser and Skin Care Center in Fresno, California, tells SELF. “This is vital to verify that safety measures have been taken to ensure that these devices are not causing any harm to users,” she says. (That said, pregnant or breastfeeding folks are typically advised against using red light therapy. You should also steer clear if you have a photo-sensitive autoimmune disorder like lupus, have a thyroid disease, or have active skin cancer, according to Dr. Alvarez. Ask your doctor before using.)

While FDA sign-off ensures a device’s safety, it doesn’t necessarily mean the product does everything it claims to. To know if a device is effective, Dr. Alvarez says to check if its manufacturer has done any peer-reviewed clinical studies or trials: “Can they back up that it actually does what it says it does?” It’s one thing for a brand to say a device helps reduce wrinkles—it’s another thing if they have the data to prove it.

Also, Dr. Alvarez says that certain wavelengths of red light are recommended to address different concerns, so you should check to make sure you choose the right tool for the job. “[Wavelengths of 630 to 680 nm] are the sweet spot for helping with anti-aging, pigmentary discrepancies, and overall health of the skin,” she says. Longer, infrared wavelengths—750 to 1100 nm—meanwhile, “penetrate deeper into the skin and help with inflammation.” (Many devices include both wavelengths though some, like the popular Solawave wand, only include the 630 nm wavelength.)

Finally, says Dr. Matthieu, consider which type of device you’ll be most likely to make a consistent part of your skin care routine. While handheld or wandlike red light devices may be more cost effective and portable, they do require more active effort than a mask you can strap to your face and kick back with while chilling on the couch.

Consistency is key, stresses Dr. Matheiu. With two to three sessions per week, ranging in time from 10 to 20 minutes (check your particular device’s instructions), she says users will start noticing “some improvement” within a few weeks’ time, depending on the skin concern they’re trying to address. “For the best results, it usually takes a few months of consistent use to yield the benefits,” she says. As with many skin treatments, more is not necessarily better, Dr. Matheiu cautions. “There is a balance between yielding the benefits and irritating the skin, so it’s really important to follow the recommended regimen.”

Below, we’ve rounded up the top red light therapy devices for home use—all FDA cleared!—from brands like Omnilux, Dr. Dennis Gross, and LMNT.

• Lightweight
• Easily packable

• Contoured shape may not fit every face

Omnilux red light masks have long been a favorite of SELF’s (the Omnilux Clear won a Healthy Beauty Award in 2022), and the brand’s Contour Face mask also scores top points with Dr. Alvarez and Dr. Mathieu, thanks to its flat, pliable design and dual wavelengths.

The great thing about this product, Dr. Mathieu says, “is that it’s able to target both superficial and deep layers of the skin to ensure that its users are getting great anti-aging benefits, as well as firming and plumping the skin.” Dr. Alvarez likes that Omnilux has conducted clinical studies regarding users’ light therapy treatment results. (For instance, 96% reported an improvement in fine lines and wrinkles, though it’s worth noting the participant pool was only 25 people—a relatively small sample size.)

HigherDose Red Light Face Mask

• Cordless design
• FDA cleared
• Silicone mask is soft and flexible

• Straps feel thin and not very durable, according to HigherDose reviewers

HigherDose also provides red (630 nm) and near-infrared (830 nm) wavelengths via 66 bulbs studded across a soft, medical-grade silicone mask. It's cordless and has larger eye holes than some other masks, so you can wear it while going about your morning routine. While shoppers say the straps can feel a little thin, they're super impressed by how easy the mask is to use and how well it holds a charge between sessions.

“Although I've only had the mask a short time, I love it,” one reviewer wrote. “My face feels tighter and I've noticed a big difference in smoothness. I think it was money well spent!”

Psst: You can use code DOSEHOLIDAY for 20% off most HigherDose products through the end of December!

• Equipped with both red and blue light
• Treatment time is just three minutes

• Bulky and doesn’t travel well
• Pricey

Dr. Alvarez says she considers the Omnilux Contour Face and the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro to be the “gold standards” of LED face masks. Like the Omnilux and HigherDose, the Dr. Dennis Gross mask provides both red and near-infrared wavelengths, but what sets it apart from the Omnilux is the addition of a 605 nm amber wavelength, which helps with skin tone, and a 415 nm blue wavelength, which helps fight acne. This means that, while this model is on the pricier side, the “skin care math” is indeed mathing, since it’s basically a four-in-one product. (That’s how that works, right?!)

• More cost effective than comparable masks
• Has multiple light settings and can be made to target particular areas

• Mask isn’t flexible and users may have fit issues

“The Qure LED Light Therapy Mask is great because it’s versatile,” says Dr. Mathieu—and she’s not kidding. Not only does the Qure come equipped with the same red, infrared, amber, and blue lights as the Dr. Dennis Gross mask, but you can choose one of five facial areas on which to focus your treatment. (And all for about 75 bucks less!) Plus, it’s one of the only masks to come with a companion app, which not only helps you program your treatment areas, but it will send helpful reminders when you’re due for your next session under the mask.

• Portable

• Pricey
• Not widely available at retailers (you’ll likely need to buy through a dermatologist or med spa)

Perhaps you’ve seen brand partner Kate Hudson hawking the LMNT.one on Instagram, smoothing her face in locales ranging from the performance stage to behind the desk of her study. That’s because unlike the bulkier masks on this list, the handheld LMNT device can easily slip into a backpack or handbag for an on-the-fly touch-up—and that pack-and-go flexibility is one of the things that makes it a winner with Dr. Mathieu. “The handheld option is great because it’s convenient in terms of portability,” she says.

That said, with its hefty price tag, you’d think it would come equipped with basically every light color in the rainbow, but it’s limited to red and infrared. But if you’re looking to splurge on a clinical-grade skin care device, this is the one for you. (I mean, Kate Hudson does look great, no?)

• Most affordable option, combines four light types for treatment

• Treating the full face can be a lengthy process

For a handheld device option that doesn’t require an actress’s yearly salary to purchase, Dr. Alvarez recommends the LightStim. “It’s small, lightweight, and good for spot treating,” she says. The device’s diodes emit four different lights: light red, deep red, infrared, and amber to help fight wrinkles. While the brand’s site is mum on the exact wavelength numbers for these lights, they do tout some impressive results from their own study, noting that 100% of users saw a “significant” improvement in fine lines and wrinkles. (No word either on the sample size of that study…). Another bonus of the LightStim: It comes in two colorways—white and a demure peony hue.

Related:

• 17 Night Creams Dermatologists Love for Aging Skin
• The Best High-Tech Devices and Tools for Skin and Hair
• TikTok-Famous Dermatologist Aamna Adel Shares Her Must-Have Skin and Hair Care Products

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