Dermatologists explain the science behind the wildly popular treatment, which is now available at home—for a steep price.
Full-face LED masks like this one can cost up to several thousand U.S. dollars. The application of red light can stimulate collagen production and blood circulation, and even reduce signs of aging. But light therapy isn’t a panacea for treating any other skin conditions. In the mid-1960s, a Hungarian physician named Endre Mester shined a low-power laser on the shaved skin of a mouse.
But are these devices—which can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars—worth the price? Experts discuss the benefits and limitations of light therapy, and what consumers should know before making the investment.In the decades since Mester’s groundbreaking mice trials, research and development of phototherapy has taken off—with promising results.
“There is real science to it and it does work clinically,” says Zakia Rahman, a clinical professor of dermatology at the Stanford School of Medicine, “but it’s not going to have the level of dramatic effect that more aggressive treatments in a medical setting would have.”, but long-term research is still limited. With red and near-infrared, the only potential concerns are for those with sun allergies or highly sensitive eyes, according to Barolet.
“There’s a lot of scams out there…most of the time, energies are very, very low,” Ablon says. For red light, she looks for devices that emit 105 milliwatts per centimeter, but for blue light, the intensity can be lower. “If it’s somewhere in that 40 range, I’m ok, but if it ends up being 10, it’s probably not doing anything.”
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