Can A $500 Red Light Face Mask Really Improve Your Skin? Yes—And Doctors Finally Know Why (2025)

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word light? It’s likely some-thing with a positive association—like the phrase “see the light,” for example, or the proverbial lightbulb that appears above a cartoon character’s head when a brilliant idea strikes. Maybe it’s the brightness of a warm summer day. The point is that we generally consider light to be good, safe, even comforting. Yet when it comes to our skin, things are a bit more (maybe a lot more) complicated.

It’s well established that many of the cells within our dermis and epidermis—the fibroblasts that produce firming collagen, the melanocytes that churn out protective pigment—are responsive to myriad wavelengths of light. In some cases, it’s a response we want: Dermatologists have been using light therapeutically for years, for medical and aesthetic purposes. At other times—say, in the development of a painful sunburn or skin cancers—light can have a decidedly negative effect.

For some time, the “how” of all this was a bit murky. But over the past decade or so, scientists began to understand more about this fascinating cascade. One of the most interesting discoveries is that opsins—a class of light-sensitive proteins found in the rods and cones of our eyes that play a key role in our vision—are also present in skin.

It’s now believed that these opsins, activated by light, communicate directly with certain skin cells, triggering them to do what they do, says dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD, a former assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the UCLA–David Geffen School of Medicine and founder of Los Angeles–based practice Ava MD. Take keratinocytes, which make up about 90 per-cent of the cells in our epidermis and are responsible for wound healing in skin. They’re home to five different types of opsins, according to one study review, and researchers believe that certain wavelengths of light may activate these opsins, which tell those keratinocytes when to kick the DNA repair and cell division process into high gear. Another possible purpose: “It appears that opsins signal melanocytes to make more melanin in response to UV exposure,” saysDr. Shamban.

As we learn more about how light, in all its wavelengths, contributes to many of skin’s most basic tasks, the dichotomy between its positive and negative effects on our outer layer becomes even more interesting—and confusing. But while science continues to play catch-up on the how and why, there are some basic truths that can help guide you to a firmer, glowier, healthier complexion. When it comes to those, we’re here to shed some...you know.

All The Light You Can See (Or Not)

Let’s pivot to a fun physics lesson. Light exists on an electromagnetic spectrum of wavelengths that are measured in nanometers. Those between 200 and 400 nanometers constitute the invisible spectrum, which includes the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Wavelengths between roughly 400 and 800 nanometers form the visible light spectrum, says Anar Mikailov, MD,a dermatologist at Rochester Regional Health and co-founder of the brand Skintensive. Visible light (what’s emitted by a fluorescent lightbulb or one of those trendy LED face masks you may be seeing all over social media) can be important for some people—we’ll get to who in a minute—but UV radiation “is relevant to everyone because we know that, cumulatively, it can do a lot of damage in terms of visible skin aging and the development of skin cancers,” says Dr. Mikailov.

There are three forms of UV light generated by the sun: UVA, UVB, and UVC (UVC is rarely discussed because it never makes its way to us). Just 5 percent of the UV light striking the Earth’s surface is UVB. The other 95 percent is UVA.

And while you’re likely familiar with the not-so-nice ways that UV exposure can assault skin (damaging collagen, causing skin discoloration, and contributing to skin cancer), dermatologists also use it in a controlled way to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo. This treatment method is known as phototherapy, and experts don’t fully understand how it works.

“The primary mechanism [of UV therapy] seems to be its anti-inflammatory effects,” says Shari Lipner, MD, an associate professor of clinical dermatology at the New-York-Presbyterian Hospital/WeillCornell Medical Center. It’s a paradox (how can something so dangerous to skin also be beneficial?), but one that’s easily explained: UV therapy is dose dependent, says Dr. Lipner. “We can control the amount of energy emitted, and the time spent, so it’s very exact,” she says. “Generally, a patient is in there for seconds to minutes, not hours.” That’s quite different from spending the day at the beach or a few minutes in a tanning bed, where you’d be exposed to an imprecise range of invisible light for a longer period. It’s also worth noting that, with the rise of alternative treatments, like prescription medications such as biologics, phototherapy using UV is becoming less common. (Our experts stress that it still comes with some skin cancer risk.)

For this reason, the American Academy of Dermatology continues to recommend that you avoid tanning beds—which bears repeating, given the alarming rise in usage among Gen Z—and slather on abroad-spectrum sunscreen (meaning it contains ingredients that shield skin from the entire range of invisible light) with an SPF of at least 30 daily.

Seeing Red (And Blue And Green)

On the other end of the spectrum is visible light. And the recent proliferation of LED masks, wands, and other at-home devices means you’re likely more familiar with these wavelengths than you may realize—even if it’s only because you’ve seen the high-tech tools on the ’gram.

The most popular forms are red light and blue light, and both are also used by dermatologists in phototherapy to treat conditions such as acne. “Blue light penetrates about a millimeter into skin, where it’s absorbed by molecules called porphyrins that are present in acne-causing bacteria,” says Dr. Shamban. “Once inside these porphyrins, the light basically causes the bacteria to explode, reducing their numbers drastically.” Cool visual, right?

Red light, on the other hand, penetrates even deeper, says Dr. Shamban, going two to three millimeters into the dermis. “Red light is absorbed by porphyrins in the mitochondria of skin cells, stimulating energy production in the fibroblasts to churn out more collagen,” she explains. So, it may seem like a no-brainer to invest in a trendy at-home red light therapy tool, some of which cost upwards of $1,000. But our experts want you to take a breath before you part with that money.

Beam me up. One of the most powerful and effective forms of light is laser, which docs use to resurface skin (as in the case of Fraxel), remove unwanted hair, and treat breakouts (AviClear was the first anti-acne laser of its kind, approved a few years ago). Unlike the forms of visible and invisible light discussed here, the power of lasers lies in their preciseness. “Lasers use a very specific wavelength of light, rather than a broad wavelength,” says dermatologist Shari Lipner, MD. “If we’re treating broken blood vessels, for example, we’d use a wavelength of595 nanometers. We know exactly what we’re targeting and the side effects.”

That’s because the masks and wands you can buy for home use are different from the devices you’d encounter in a dermatologist’s office.“The wavelength itself may be similar, but the output—the power, the intensity—is not equivalent,” says New York City–based dermatologist David Kim, MD, founder of Lightsaver, a popular line of mineral sunscreens. “Even a brand like Omnilux, which sells masks for home use, creates separate devices for medical offices.”

Research shows that in-office red light therapy can improve the tone and texture of skin, but the American Academy of Dermatology cautions that “it’s difficult to know how effective at-home devices are.” Bottom line: We need more research. That said, our experts are optimistic about the use of at-home red light therapy as an adjunct treatment to in-office procedures. And Dr. Mikailov often encourages his hair-loss patients to use low-level light therapy, which research suggests may shift follicles located in the dermis into the anagen—or growth—phase. “When you compare the results of people who use these devices to those who don’t, there is a difference—and one that’s been replicated in several studies,” he says. For a list of devices tested and recommended by the Women’s Health editorial team, see “Bright Ideas,” below.

And that brings us back to our original question—how can something be both good and bad for our skin? The answer is as timeless as a gorgeous sunset: Everything in moderation. Don’t fear a beautiful day at the beach; just protect your-self accordingly. Do your homework if you want to invest in a fancy LED light mask, but don’t expect miracles (and don’t ditch your acne prescription or topical retinoid cream). Sure, a lot of questions re-main unanswered, but scientists are getting closer to figuring out how it all works. And even though the connection between light and skin may still be a little blurry, it’s well established. “They go together like love and marriage,” says Dr. Shamban.

That’s enough of a light-bulb moment for me.

Bright Ideas

Peruse Amazon or your local Sephora and it’s very likely (almost guaranteed) that you’ll come across one of the dozens of at-home light devices now available for purchase. Many are making a splash on social—the Solawave wand, for example—and even brands that once focused on technology to address muscle recovery and overall wellness, like Therabody, have gotten in on the game.

They can be pricey—even basic models can run several hundred dollars. And while medical devices are monitored and approved by the U.S. Food &Drug Administration for safety, Dr. Shamban points out that individual devices sold for home use are not evaluated by the FDA for efficacy.

If you’re in the market for one, you’ll want to consider a few things. First, different lights are used for different skin issues, with blue targeting acne and red targeting early signs of aging. So, the type of light matters. Next, choose a product that you’re apt to use consistently, because it takes time to see results. If you can dedicate 10 to 20 uninterrupted minutes a day to light therapy, go with a mask or hair-growing cap (most are hands-free so you can watch TV or scroll your phone). If you’re the antsy type or are focused on specific areas of the face or scalp, a wand or comb might be best.