Do LED Face Masks Work? Everything You Need To Know About The Kardashian-Approved At-Home Beauty Treatment
Because if it’s good enough for Kourtney, it’s good enough for our readers…
Do LED face masks work? Bazaar Arabia investigates and answers all your burning questions as we reach out to a dermatologist, beautician and skincare entrepreneur for their thoughts on the Insta-friendly skincare device.
Whilst it might feel like our beauty regimes just keep getting longer (and more… eccentric, perhaps?) experts agree that using an LED face mask, also known as LED light therapy, is a vital skincare step you should consider adding to your beauty regime.
And while we’ve all seen them popping up within our feeds – superstar beauty guru Huda Kattan and Kourtney Kardashian counting themselves as fans – these otherworldly devices might appear a bit intimidating to some. Still hesitant? Bazaar Arabia has you covered with everything you need to know about this ultimate at-home skincare gadget – including whether or not LED face masks actually work.
Do LED face masks work? A Dermatologist, Beautician and Skincare Entrepreneur Weigh In…
The answer across the board is yes. LED face masks do work when it comes to treating a number of skincare issues.
“LED masks offer multiple favourable effects on the skin, including helping to rejuvenate the skin and stimulate collagen production, as well as controlling acne breakouts and reducing sun damage,” says Dr. Shadan Naji, a dermatologist at Dr. Kayle Aesthetic Clinic.
Skinfluencer founder Sharin Shafer agrees that its beneficial, explaining “they can offer brilliant results for skin rejuvenation and restoring radiance to the skin. As well as offering anti-aging benefits, they can accelerate wound healing and improve skin conditions such as rosacea or dermatitis.”
The technology is just becoming more readily accessible to the everyday person with the introduction of at-home LED masks by the biggest brands in beauty tech. It’s become an intriguing tool and rightly so as these luminescent masks create a glowing complexion by being effective against common skin concerns such as sun damage, acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, sensitive and inflammatory conditions, wound healing and scarring.
If you don’t suffer from any specific complaints you can still benefit from using it to achieve an enviable skin texture by reducing signs of aging and improving your skin’s general appearance.
“The U.S. Navy SEALs began using LED light in the 1990s to help heal wounds quickly and to help regenerate damaged muscle tissue and they came to prominence in the aesthetics industry in 2002,” explains Sharin Shafer.
Dr. Shadan Naji adds that the use of this technology and the shape of the LED devices has changed dramatically within the past five years.
“LED light therapy uses different wavelengths of visible light to target specific skin concerns. For example, for those suffering from acne, blue light can alleviate symptoms, while near InfraRed light is terrific as an anti-aging treatment,” she says, explaining the tech behind the mask.
Are LED face masks safe to use at home?
Most experts agree that they are safe – but stress on the importance of purchasing one that is FDA-cleared. “There are no studies that show any adverse effects to LED light therapy,” explains Sharin Shafer. “At-home LED devices are safe for the most part—as long as you pick the right one and protect your eyes. Choose one that is FDA-cleared, and to wear blackout or opaque goggles because prolonged exposure to blue or red light can damage the eyes if the eyes are not adequately protected. They can also cause headaches, eye strain, sleep disturbances, insomnia, and mild visual side effects.”
The main difference between a professional treatment and an at-home device is that the latter is much weaker since they are used without professional supervision explains Pastels Salon Jumeirah beautician Edwige Gandin. “In offices, devices are created specifically for medical use, and therefore have higher power levels and longer wavelengths that penetrate more effectively than most at-home devices,” she notes.
There are several at-home masks on the market, most of which offer an array of different light settings so you can customise your treatment depending on your skincare requirements.
How often should you use an at-home LED face mask?
This depends on the guidelines of the manufacturer as every LED face mask has a different recommended usage.
This lightweight and hands-free option is an easy add-on to a relaxed night in or while completing errands around the house. Either way, if you want to give your at-home skin-care routine an upgrade pack on the power of the LED light by incorporating this worthy skin-care gadget.
Lead image courtesy Instagram/@wishfulskin, @kourtneykardash