I remember getting my first “light” facial from my esthetician and being wowed that I could get a facial without a single product touching my face. Could it be? That my sensitive skin could have skin-glowing benefits without using a single product?

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Disclaimer: After using products from several companies, I asked CurrentBody if they would sponsor this post (scroll to the end for discount codes). I’ve used several of their LED tools with great results over the years, and I’m currently testing their newest multi-wavelength mask. Also, I’m not a doctor—just sharing my own experience.

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I’ve always been a fan of fraxel and IPL laser treatments for my dark spots because I was nervous about the side effects of liquid nitrogen, acid facials and invasive treatments. My skin responds so much better to gentler procedures.
And what could be gentler than LED light? Red light therapy is unparalleled because it feels as gentle as a warm blanket, yet it’s still effective enough to make a remarkable change in my skin.

Of course, seeing is believing, and after seeing the results on my 11 lines, I was definitely a believer. I also have seen massively improved skin on my rosacea.

Just by manipulating different colors and wavelengths of red and near infrared and more, we can create entirely different treatment plans. Thank you NASA for studying the benefits of how red light therapy works.

Though NASA may have gotten the ball rolling for the effects of red light therapy, the beauty industry has since expanded far beyond the effects of red light therapy (RLT). We’re only scratching the surface of what different light-emitting diode wavelengths may be useful for, but these days I’m incorporating way more than just home red light.

Why Does Red Light Wavelength Matter?

The wavelength for red light therapy matters because different wavelengths of light energy interact with the body differently and penetrate the skin to different depths. In clinical research, red and near infrared wavelengths are being studied for their effects on skin health, tissue repair and muscle recovery.

One area being studied is how red and near-infrared light affect mitochondrial activity and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—basically, the cellular energy our cells use to function. But light therapy also appears to have a therapeutic window, meaning more isn’t necessarily better. That’s one reason I look for peer-reviewed research on specific wavelengths rather than assuming any red bulb will produce the same effect.

LED Light Therapy Color Benefits by Color and Wavelength

So Here’s the Catch…

It’s best to have a home device since this isn’t a one and done type treatment. This is a tool intended for long term light treatments. The studies I’ve followed tend to use these red light therapy masks regularly over a period of weeks or longer. And since dose depends on wavelength, irradiance, fluence, treatment duration and frequency—more isn’t necessarily better. This can be especially true when treating skin conditions.

Light therapy can have a sweet spot where increasing the dose beyond a certain point may actually make it less effective, a phenomenon called a “biphasic dose response.”

Some device sessions require just 10 minutes, while other red light therapy sessions are 20 minutes to a half hour. I’ve also personally found that light can have a drying effect on my dry skin, so treatment time can be individual as well.

All of these variables are why I’ve become so passionate about CurrentBody’s newest mask. I’ve never used a mask that adjusts the treatment itself depending on the lights I choose. It’s the most personalized light therapy mask I’ve seen yet–I can change my mask to match my skin’s ever-changing needs. I choose the wavelengths that I want, where I want them, and then it adjusts the treatment light according to the combination and placement I’ve selected. More on this below.

Where you can use RLT

Red and near-infrared light aren’t just for your face and anti aging. Depending on the wavelength and device, light therapy is used on everything from the scalp and skin collagen production to muscles and joints—which is why you’ll find everything from light emitting diode LED face masks and hair-growth helmets to handheld devices and full-body panels.

That doesn’t mean every light or device should be used everywhere, though. Different wavelengths penetrate to different depths and devices deliver very different doses, so I always follow the instructions for the particular device I’m using.

Pregnant? Research specifically on cosmetic red light therapy during pregnancy is limited. I would check with your doctor and the manufacturer before using a device rather than assuming that red light is either proven safe or proven dangerous during pregnancy.

Which Red Light Therapy Tools Work Best

Regardless of the device, I’ve learned there are a few things I want to know before I spend my money.

Show me the wavelengths

Don’t just tell me a device uses “red light.” List exact wavelengths in nanometers (nm), because 633nm, 830nm and 1072nm aren’t interchangeable.

Show me the dose

Look for information about irradiance (usually measured in mW/cm²), treatment time and ideally the resulting fluence or energy dose (J/cm²). A device being brighter or more powerful doesn’t mean it’s better.

Show me the testing

It’s one thing for a company to say its LEDs are designed to produce 633nm light; I want to know there’s quality control verifying that the device I’m actually putting on my face is delivering what the company says it is.
This last point is one reason CurrentBody caught my attention years ago. Their newer Veritace system tests every LED for wavelength precision, rather than simply relying on the specification of the component. And their newest LED light therapy mask takes things much further: six wavelengths—including 532nm green, 590nm yellow and 1072nm deep near-infrared—with control over which wavelength goes where on my face and a system that automatically adjusts the energy dose for the treatment I’ve created.

That’s very different from the LED masks I started testing years ago.

The Tools I Use

Red light therapy is one of my favorite self care tools. It’s very relaxing to use and I see a big difference in my skin! I’ve used my LED light therapy for pain, skin, scarring, and more.
Over the years I’ve used a lot of LED devices: professional panels, flexible panels, handheld wands, and several generations of face masks. I’ve used Dermalux, Celluma, Quasar and CurrentBody and they’ve taught me that there isn’t one format that’s automatically better than the others.

I love my Dermalux Flex MD light panel because it’s so versatile. I can treat my hormonal acne (blue light) and rosacea (red light) and wrinkles (red) all at the same time. This is a major time saver to use multiple lights at once (red+blue=purple light!) and I’m experiencing great results. Celluma’s light panel offers flexible coverage and pulsed light, which the company says is designed to help skin cells absorb more light energy during the treatment. There’s a lot of great technology out there!

But I practically salivate when CurrentBody tells me they’re updating their tech. They don’t just make tiny, incremental changes. They tend to change the landscape completely.

Their first LED mask was honestly nothing to write home about. It felt like they were getting their feet wet. But then they started adding wavelengths I had previously only seen in much larger medical-style light panels, and they kept branching out from there. Now they’ve essentially brought all of those ideas together—and instead of deciding what my face needs for me, they’re letting me choose the wavelengths and exactly where I want them. All while keeping it simple with minimal jargon, no guesswork, all at 10 minutes per treatment.

The CurrentBody Series 3 LED Face Mask

For years, deciding what to reach for was pretty simple: cordless home LED face mask or a large panel for more treatment options.

That answer recently got more complicated when I started testing the new CurrentBody Series 3 mask. Someone show me where else this exists! Honestly! Write it in the comments.

This mask has six wavelengths: red (633nm), near-infrared (830nm), deep near-infrared (1072nm), blue (415nm), green (532nm), and yellow (590nm). Even more interesting: I can choose which wavelengths I want and exactly where I want them on my face. Their MyDose technology then automatically calculates the dose based on the treatment I’ve created. You can even go into the CurrentBody app and plug in my treatment to see if you like the placement too–no purchase necessary.

For example, I made my own treatment plan: red, NIR, and deep NIR all over my face (I love this for my chicken pox scar tissue), then put yellow and green just where I’m concerned about reducing redness and pigmentation–all during the same treatment. And if I don’t want to create the treatment, I can use one of the four pre programmed modes.

My jaw still drops thinking that this could even exist.

This is where the quality control I mentioned above becomes so important. CurrentBody’s Veritace testing measures every LED in the mask, and when I tap the card that came with mine, I can pull up the test results for my exact device. I’m not just being told that I’m getting 633nm red light—I can see what the LEDs in my own mask actually measured and that the mask was tested to make sure the lights are performing the way they’re supposed to.

In my experience, I rarely see a company this transparent about its testing process. Especially down to the individual device sitting in my hands–not just a batch number.

While I’m still testing the Series 3 mask (go here for my series 2 review), it’s the first mask that genuinely made me question whether I still need a professional panel for treating my face.

 

How I use the Dermalux Flex MD

I do still love my Dermalux and the biggest advantage is right in its name: it’s flexible. I can cover large areas and easily move it to each area. But I honestly don’t use it on my face as much as I used to. Recently I’ve been putting it on my hands to treat arthritic pain (I like doing infrared and red together so they penetrate deeper). I often move it on my back when I get a knot/muscle tension. Though as soothing as an ice pack or heat pack, it’s a more relaxing delivery system and still reduces inflammation. Can you believe light can relieve pain!? Just wow…

The Dermalux has red LED light (633nm), Blue LED light (415nm), and Near Infrared (830nm)–which you can choose however many colors you want to use at once. It also comes with eye protection (safety goggles) and a stand, which I’ve found to be helpful. And unlike a face mask, the panel isn’t limited to my face. That’s still a major advantage if you want one LED device that can move around the body.

So is my trusty old friend, Dermalux, still worth it? I think the advantage is it’s a very large panel with a lot of bulbs. But in terms of the number of wavelengths available for facial treatments, and how long it takes, face masks have caught up, and in CurrentBody’s case, surpassed it.

 

Wanna see the Dermalux in action? Watch Sarah Chapman do her famous celebrity facial with it.

What About the Dr. Dennis Gross LED Mask?

Another option is the Dr. Dennis Gross mask, created by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross. The company (since acquired by Shiseido) produces a face mask with red (630nm), blue (415nm), Near Infrared (880nm), and Amber (605nm) lights. It has three treatment modes—red, blue, or red + blue—and treatments take just three minutes. Downside is the FaceWare Pro is specifically designed for your face rather than different parts of your body. I haven’t used this one, so I can’t tell you which is the best LED face mask.

FAQs

Products to use with Red Light Therapy

In other words, how to use a masks or red light panel on face? Clean, dry skin is usually the recommendation.

There is some research that says green tea is great to use with red light therapy devices and may speed up results. You can smear some tea water on your face or use some green tea skincare products to give it a try.
Personally, I keep it much simpler. I cleanse my skin and use my LED treatment on clean skin without any products underneath unless the device specifically instructs otherwise. Afterward my treatment is finished, I go back to my regular skincare routine—usually something hydrating, peptides, and some Vitamin C.

I’ve personally found frequent LED treatments can leave my already-dry skin type feeling drier, so hydration is especially important in my routine. I usually add a hydrating mask or treatment during the week when I need it. If you have acne prone or oily skin, you may enjoy going a little longer than I would.

RLT, lasers and other Light Treatments for Scars

I’ve used both lasers and LED light colors on scars, but I don’t really consider them interchangeable. I think of red light as the gentler option when my skin is healing, while I reach for fractional laser when I actually want to resurface an existing scar.

I got a rather dramatic example while testing my CurrentBody Series 2 mask for 30 days: my kitten scratched me deeply right underneath my eye. I continued using the mask and photographed how quickly the scratch healed by promoting wound healing. Within two days it looked significantly better, and a week later I couldn’t see evidence of it. Of course, I can’t say how quickly that particular scratch would have healed without red light, but you can see the photos in my CurrentBody Series 2 before and after.

For older scars, my experience has been different. When I tested my Tria fractional laser on its own for eight weeks, I noticed my shallow acne and chicken-pox scars looked softer and caught the light less noticeably. So if my goal were specifically resurfacing an existing scar, that’s the technology I’d personally reach for.

What about Red Light Therapy for Hyperpigmentation?

If you’re trying to assess what to use for age spots, sun damage, UV light, and even post inflammatory hyperpigmentation pih, start here: https://www.thevanillaplum.com/best-treatment-for-sunspots-and-age-spots/

I’ve tried a lot of things over the years from LED light, chemical peels, IPL, fractional, and light therapy for dark spots. The bottom line I’ve found is patience (melanin production won’t shut down overnight), consistency, and multiple modalities were key.

I did my CurrentBody face mask, 20% vitamin C+Niacinimide+laser and here are my results so far. However, just because this worked for me, doesn’t mean that will work for you. There are many other factors such as skin tone (darker skin tones interact with melanin differently) and the types of hyperpigmentation.

How many times a week do I need to do red light therapy to see a difference?

Go with the instructions of the device, however, this randomized, double-blind trial leads me to think 2-3 times a week is sufficient. From my experience, most devices say 3-5 times per week.

What’s the difference between a red light panel and a mask?

The short version: an LED light therapy panel treats a bigger treatment area (face, body, hands, wherever you point it), and usually offers more wavelength combinations at once. In contrast, a mask is cordless, contoured to your face, and easier to multitask with. I use both for different reasons — my Dermalux panel is what I reach for when I want to treat my hands or back, and a mask like CurrentBody’s is what I grab when I want to fold laundry or scroll my phone during treatment.

If you want a panel but like the deep infrared featured in the CurrentBody mask, the CurrentBody panel is blue 415nm, red 633nm, near infrared 830nm, and deep near infrared 1072nm.

Neither is strictly “better” — it depends on whether you’re treating just your face or want the flexibility to move around your body. I break down exactly which one I’d recommend for which situation in the sections above.

How to use a red light panel on face? Same as a mask except it doesn’t need skin contact. The panels I’ve tried usually have a longer amount of time (30 minutes) than a mask, with the exception of CurrentBody’s panel (10 minutes).

Can red light therapy damage mitochondria or cause cell death if you overdo it?

Unlike modalities such as radio frequency, red light therapy uses low-level, non-thermal light rather than controlled tissue heating. At therapeutic doses, RLT photobiomodulation has not been shown to cause DNA damage. It influences cellular and mitochondrial signaling, however, it isn’t clinically proven to be more effective if you do longer treatments or more often than directed.

My Final Thoughts on Red Light Therapy at Home

Red light therapy: I’m kind of obsessed. What started as one red light device has basically turned into a tool collection as I’ve learned how differently wavelengths can be used.

But if there’s one thing I hope you take away from this guide, it’s that you don’t need every color or the most expensive device. Figure out what you’re actually trying to treat first before you choose a device. Then look for a device that tells you the exact wavelengths, how much light it’s delivering, and how those claims have been tested.

For years, Dermalux was the device I kept coming back to because it gave me so many treatment options. Now I’m testing whether CurrentBody Series 3’s six wavelengths and customizable treatment mapping can replace a professional-style panel for my face. I’ll update this article as I find out.

Since these tools can get very expensive, I’ve asked the brands I use for discount codes whenever possible. If you decide one is right for you, here are the current codes:

CurrentBody’s Series 3 Mask – use code VANILLALED

Dermalux: $200 off the Dermalux – use code VANILLAFLEX at checkout

LED Devices:  20% off discount – use code VANILLALED at checkout

Let me know below if you try this at home and show me your results with #livingplum on Instagram.