Red light therapy | Anti-ageing & Skincare Reviews | Round-ups

Best at-home red light therapy for face & body

These are my favourite at-home red light therapy devices to give you healthy, hydrated, smooth, firm & bright skin. Learn all the pros & cons to help you find your perfect match.

These are the best at-home red light therapy devices tested & reviewed by Wearebodybeautiful.com

by Laura Gladman | December 17, 2022

Pros & cons round-up review of the best at-home red light therapy devices from Dermalux, CurrentBody, Quasar, Silk'n and Nuface by Wearebodybeautiful.com

Red photon power...

I love at-home red and Near Infrared (NIR) light therapy because it's an easy, painless and effective at-home skin rejuvenation tech.

So, in this roundup I've collated the best red & NIR light therapy devices that I recommend from my thorough testing.

Or, if you want to understand a little more about how at-home red & NIR light therapy works, how to stay safe, and what results you can expect, scroll just a little way and you'll find a concise but thotough overview.

My top red light therapy recommendations

Dermalux Flex MD professional, medical LED face & body panel
LYMA Laser hand-held cold laser
CurrentBody Skin LED masks hands-free face, neck & décolletage masks

CurrentBody Skin LED Eye Perfector targeted eye mask
CurrentBody Skin LED Lip Perfector targeted lip & mouth mask

Learn a concise overview of at-home red light therapy before you choose your perfect at-home device.

A quick overiew…

About at-home red & NIR light therapy

“Easy, painless, hand-held devices or hands-free panels and masks which bathe your skin in healing red and near infrared light. Use them regularly to reveal healthy, hydrated, smooth, firm & bright skin, noticeable after just one month.”

Top brands: Dermalux, LYMA, CurrentBody Skin, Silk’n, Quasar, Nuface



Regenerates, heals & protects



Face, neck, chest, body & hands
All skin tones & types



💰 to 💰💰💰💰💰+



Based on medical therapy

WHAT IS IT?

Specific therapeutic wavelengths of red and near-infrared light from LEDs or a cold laser shone onto your skin.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Old or sick skin cells grow weak and sluggish. They have less energy so they’re much slower at building your essential collagen and elastin proteins, and highly-hydrated sugar molecules called proteoglycans. It's these things that make your skin supple and bouncy. This results in skin that’s drier, weaker, has less elasticity, and more wrinkles and imperfections.

Red and NIR wavelengths reach different depths in your skin and stimulate your cells. Everything perks up and works faster, resulting in a cascade of healing and regenerating activities to heal damaged and old tissues. The process is called photobiomodulation.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

Inside our cell mitochondria, specific light-sensitive molecules called Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) absorb the light photons and gain energy. COX then works much harder and faster during cellular respiration in two important ways.

First, they speed up the process so there’s a massive increase in the output of ATP energy molecules. Second, they keep this process speedy because they’re better at removing waste and harmful toxins from our cells at the end of cellular respiration. Without this detoxing and antioxidant activity, cellular respiration stalls and cellular energy falls.

With an abundance of ATP, our skin fights damaging inflammation, and our fibroblasts build more and stronger collagen, elastin and proteoglycans which heal, repair, support and moisturise our skin. The light energy also generates gentle heat which boosts blood flow bringing essential nutrients and taking away toxins. All this contributes to much faster and stronger cell growth and regeneration.

EVIDENCE

There is heaps of clinical evidence showing red light therapy works to build collagen, and heal and regenerate tissues. It’s used in both a medical setting to speed up wound healing, and in aesthetic clinics too.

Most at-home red light devices work in the same way but are less powerful. However, there is one medically-cleared professional device available to use at home.

The FDA indicates cleared at-home devices to emit energy in the red/IR spectrum, specifically indicated for use in the treatment of periorbital, perioral and/or full-face wrinkles.

Learn even more detail about Red light therapy in this in-depth article.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Key checks ✔️

Before you buy a home use device, check:

You’re not pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding. The technology is not tested on pregnant or breast-feeding women, so the risks are unknown.
You don’t have an open or bleeding wound

Do a skin sensitivity test according to the user manual (if required) before you do a full session.

Body areas to avoid ❌

There aren’t any!

It's safe to use red & NIR light therapy on body and face.

Medical History

DON'T USE it if you have a medical history of:

Lupus erythematosus
Photosensitive eczema or albinism, as it may cause a severe skin reaction
Any photosensitive disorder (sensitization to light) such as epilepsy
Light induced headaches
Any genetic conditions of the eye
ALWAYS wear goggles with medical strength light if you have eye disease and conditions including Glaucoma, Cataracts, recent laser eye surgery or light induced migraines.

Medications

DON'T USE if you’re taking or have recently taken these medications:

Steroids or cortisone injections
You are taking any medication that can cause photosensitivity. Medications include certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and diuretics. If you are unsure about your medication, check with your doctor.

Always check your medication instruction leaflet to see if photosensitivity is a listed side effect.

What's at-home red light therapy like?

Listed below is some helpful, common information about at-home red light therapy informed by my extensive research and tests. It will help you to understand what to expect. However, you must always read the user manual to check how to use your chosen device in detail!

Ease of use

The designs range from smaller handheld devices, hands-free wearable solid or flexible masks, all with cosmetic grade LEDs.
You can also get medically cleared large LED panels for face & body to use at-home.
Use on clean, dry skin
Glide the treatment head over the treatment area, wear the mask, or position the panel over the treatment area for the specified duration
Painless, bright & gentle warmth
Leaves skin pink
Very rare side effects



Effort

Very easy sessions. No routines to learn.

Times vary depending on strength of the LED tech. For example:

With a handheld device, 3+ mins per small section
10+ mins for a wearable mask
Medical strength LED panels 20 mins per body area, and up to 30 mins for your face (under a canopy).

Start-up schedules vary:

3 to 5 sessions per week
For 6 to 8 weeks
Medical strength panels 12x sessions over 3 or 4 weeks.

For maintenance, do 2 or 3 sessions per week.



Results

Feel results after 5 or so sessions.

Typically see results at 4+ weeks.

Best results at 8+ weeks.

Medical strength LED works much faster with visible results after a few sessions. Results are also more significant than cosmetic grade LEDs.

Take before & after photos! 📷



Results vary. You may see:

✔ Smooth, firm & well-hydrated skin

✔ Brighter skin that glows

✔ Fades dark spots & pigmentation

✔ Calms redness & irritation

✔ Softens acne marks & other scars

✔ Fades fine lines & wrinkles

✔ Skin looks healthier & younger

🩺 Medically cleared devices give more pronounced results, and also heal and stregthen delicate skin, help skin conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis, soothe and calm acne, & give musculoskeletal pain relief.

1. Dermalux Flex MD

"Tight, bright, supple & healthy skin, AND medically-cleared for healing, acne, psoriasis, & pain relief"

Dermalux FlexMD is the best medically cleared, professional skincare device you can use at-home



5 / 5



Professional results at-home



Red, NIR & blue light therapy



Face, scalp & whole body



💰💰💰💰💰+



CE medically cleared

Dermalux Flex MD deals

I earn a small commission when you shop via my links. Thank you for your support!



BODY150

Use this code at CurrentBody for £150/$150 off the Flex MD!

Dermalux Flex MD Review Summary

I highly recommend the Flex MD. It's expensive, but it's a solid investment. That’s because of the precise, stable and powerful LED tech, versatile panel design for whole-body use, CE medical certification, and the fast, significant healthy and youthful skin results. From head to toe. I love it.

Here's a quick summary round-up of my test scores, and pros and cons to help you decide...

Low down view of the comfy Flex MD canopy set

Ease of use

👍👍👍👍👍

Easy, hands-free and very bright! 30 minutes complete horizontal downtime under the canopy for your face & neck with the goggles. Lay the durable LED panel flat over your body bits for 20 minutes per area & read or watch TV.

Effort

💧

Time-intensive, but zero effort sessions. Three to five 30-minute facial sessions per week, or 20-minutes per body area. Do twelve sessions for an intensive anti-aging or healing course. Then regular top-up sessions as you need them. Or do a sequence of three daily sessions to calm and kickstart your skin as you need it.

Results

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A fast & impressive multi-tasker which soothes, heals, rejuvenates, relieves musculoskeletal aches & pains, fights acne & other bacterial conditions. Skin visibly perks-up or calms after each session. Results build gradually but significantly over the short intensive course.



Pros

Fast & significant results
Medically cleared for fighting acne, skin healing, psoriasis, & musculoskeletal pain relief
Significantly boosts skin health, so it looks & behaves younger
Face, scalp & full body treatment
Simple & little effort
Single or multi-wavelength treatments
No pain or side effects
Clinically proven, FDA cleared & CE medically certified



Cons

Super-expensive. Yikes.
No money back guarantee
It’s a large kit – store it safely!
Time consuming sessions (but easy)
It’s bright! (use the goggles for facial sessions)
Mains cable could be better quality

Find more information on the Dermalux Flex MD light therapy kit. But if you think the FlexMD is perfect for you, please shop via my links (there's a special discount code for you too!). I earn a small commission, but your price stays the same. I really appreciate your support for my future reviews 🙏!

View Flex MD Deals

2. LYMA Laser

"Firms, smooths, tightens & brightens; heals acne, rosacea, scars, cellulite & (maybe) thread veins"

The LYMA rejuvenation laser reviewed by wearebodybeautiful.com



4.7 / 5



Powerful multi-tasker



Near Infrared laser & blue LED light therapy



Face, neck, hands & body



💰💰💰💰💰+

LYMA Laser deals

I earn a small commission when you shop via my links. Thank you for your support!



BODY100

Get money off at CurrentBody with this code!

US, UK, CA, AU & International

🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇨🇦 🇦🇺 🌎

LYMA.life (All orders/countries)

CurrentBody.com (Other/International)

LYMA Laser Review Summary

This top-notch, powerful cold laser device promises significantly better results than rival cosmetic LED masks and handhelds. And as well as anti-ageing and acne, it can help with cellulite, scars and (maybe) spider veins. Although you can use it almost anywhere on your body, each 30-minute session suits smaller targeted areas best such as the face, eyes, hands, knees, scars, pigmentation etc. You’ll need plenty of spare time & motivation to tackle several of these areas.

Here's a quick summary round-up of my test scores, and pros and cons to help you decide...

The LYMA Laser is a top-notch, powerful device promising super results, significantly better than rival LED masks and handhelds

Ease of use

👍👍👍👍

A super quality, cordless device with decent battery life. Use with the LYMA cosmeceuticals or your own skincare. Glide the wand slowly over your face, neck, and other body areas. Or hold it still for 3 minutes on each section. It’s a tad chunky & heavy, but the routines are simple so you can do it as you watch TV.

Effort

💧💧💧💧

Requires time & significant commitment. Use daily for 3 months on each treatment area. Continue for further improvement or drop to 2 or 3 sessions per week for maintenance. Do a minimum 30 minutes per treatment area for fastest results. For pigmentation, wrinkles & scars, hold the laser against your skin for 3 minutes, 5 minutes for bruises, and 10 minutes for thread veins.

Results

⭐⭐⭐⭐

An impressive multi-tasker to heal, rejuvenate, perfect & fight acne. No pain, side effects, or nasty skin reactions. Changes are slow & gradual, typically taking 4+ weeks of daily use until noticeable, with significant improvement at 3+ months. Be prepared to double up on your daily sessions for faster results. For pronounced scars and areas needing extra TLC, you may need 6 months of daily sessions.



Pros

Very easy to use
Decent battery life
Use it over tattoos
No conductivity gels
Compact travel partner
Use all around your body
Very little concentration needed
Top-quality build & cordless design
LYMA cosmeceuticals are optional
Safe over the centre of your neck
Safe around your eyes (no safety goggles needed)
CE certified
FDA-cleared (but with red LEDs instead of blue)



Cons

Very expensive
It’s unclear if the LYMA laser is clinically proven
Time-intensive start-up schedule & maintenance
Difficult to treat hard-to-reach body areas such as your back
Monthly Mist and Glide gel consumables are very expensive (but optional!)
Slightly chunky wand-shape is a tad awkward to manoeuvre around your face
It’s rather heavy so is tiring on the face (but easy on other areas like hands & knees)

Find more information on the LYMA Laser here. But if you've decided it's your perfect one, please shop via my links (there's a special discount code for you too!). I earn a small commission, but your price stays the same. I really appreciate your support for my future reviews 🙏!

View LYMA Laser Deals

3. CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Masks

"Smooth, bright, firm, hydrated & healthy skin"

CurrentBody skin Light therapy masks reviewed by WeAreBodyBeautiful.com



4.8 / 5



Best hands-free



Red & NIR LED Light Therapy



Face, neck, decolletage



💰💰💰 to 💰💰💰💰💰



60-day money back guarantee

CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Masks deals

I earn a small commission when you shop via my links. Thank you for your support!



BODYLED

Use this code at CurrentBody for an extra 15% off!

🇬🇧 UK

CurrentBody UK

🇩🇪 Deutschland

CurrentBody DE

🇳🇱 Nederland

CurrentBody NL

🇺🇸 United States

CurrentBody US

🇨🇦 Canada

CurrentBody CA

🌏 International

CurrentBody.com

🇦🇺 Australia

CurrentBody AU

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

CurrentBody HK

🇸🇬 Singapore

CurrentBody SG

CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Masks Review Summary

I love the short 10-minute hands-free sessions because you can also watch TV, read or chill. And results come quick with just 3 to 5 sessions per week for 4 weeks. Then, continue as frequently as you need. No gels, no fussy routines. These masks are simple and effective for smoother, healthier and brighter skin.

Here's a quick summary round-up of my test scores, and pros and cons to help you decide...

These CurrentBody Skin masks are quick, simple and effective for smoother, healthier and brighter skin.

Ease of use

👍👍👍👍👍

Easy to put on & simple to operate with a close-but-comfortable fit. Light is bright but not irritating, it’s pain-free. And as it’s hands-free you can easily watch TV, surfda interwebs, read or rest during the quick sessions.

Effort

💧💧

Three to five 10-minute easy hands-free sessions per week for at least 4 weeks. Continue, or reduce frequency according to your skin’s needs. For ongoing use.

Results

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Collagen and elastin build over 4 to 6 weeks to brighten, tighten and smooth skin. Wrinkles and fine lines then gradually soften. Gives an even, healthy, glowing complexion.



Pros

Quality, no-dimming Omnilux LED technology
Excellent battery life
Virtually effortless hands-free operation
Durable, comfortable & pain-free
Zero-faff: watch TV, read or rest during your sessions
No ongoing cost of gels or replacement bits
Lightweight & portable (good for travel)
Clinically-proven & CE certified
60-day money back guarantee



Cons

Light is bright and may be irritating for some
Uncomfortable/uneven fit for a few faces
Awkward to walk around in
It’s expensive at full RRP

Find more information on the CurrentBody Skin LED light therapy masks here. If this review has helped you decide, please support my future reviews and shop via these links for the CurrentBody Skin LED mask and Neck & Dec Perfector. I earn a small commission, but your price stays the same. I really appreciate your support 🙏!

View CurrentBody Skin LED Mask Deals

4. CurrentBody Skin LED Eye Perfector

"Smooth, firm & bright skin, softer periorbital lines, & meatier skin"

The Currentbody Skin LED Eye Perfector tried & tested review by wearebodybeautiful



4.5 / 5



Best hands-free eye rejuvenation



Red & NIR (Amber & Deep Red too) LED Light Therapy



Around the eyes



💰💰



60-day money back guarantee