If you regularly scroll on TikTok, you've probably noticed a number of users wearing oddly shaped masks that illuminate red light.
"Red LED light therapy" has more than 70 million views on the app, and influencers and regular people alike can be seen using LED light masks, wands and other variations of the high-tech skincare products that promise clearer, healthier skin and anti-aging benefits.
At-home "red light therapy masks" can cost anywhere from just under $100 to $3,500 depending on its features. But do they actually work? Are they worth the investment? And should we all be using them to improve our skin health?
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Here's what Bertha Baum, a Miami-based, board-certified dermatologist, says about the trend.
Can red light therapy actually improve your skin?
"Red light therapy has been around for many years actually, like LEDs in general. They're very, very common in Europe and Latin America," Baum says, noting that they've grown in popularity in the U.S. in recent years for skincare.
Red LED light therapy is a "low-level laser therapy," she adds. "And it pretty much penetrates into eight to 10 millimeters of the skin."
The microcurrents emitted from LED light therapy have been linked to wound healing, which was originally introduced by NASA using red and blue wavelength lights.
The effects of red wavelength lights specifically are "more in tune with anti-aging," Baum says because it's "good for collagen production."
"We have used [red light therapy] for many years for pain relief," Baum says. "It's a great promoter of circulation and a reduction of inflammation," which is why some people use the devices on their joints.
"Some hair regrowth has also been seen with LEDs that are red, or red light therapy," she notes.
Blue wavelength lights may be helpful for treating acne and can have antibacterial effects, Baum says.
Only use FDA-cleared LED light devices and follow the instructions
"But obviously, you want to have the right device," Baum says. "I think that's where the issue can come, especially with at-home devices. They're not controlled."
Baum strongly recommends that you only use LED light therapy devices that have been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Additionally, "most [devices] are made for daily use," she says, and you should stick to the suggested length of time for using them on your face which "tends to be between five and 10 minutes depending on the device."
You also want to make sure that "it's the right wavelength, that shouldn't have any effect on the eyes," Baum says.
"When this whole new wave of LEDs started, they had to take some off the market, because they were not that great for the eyes," she says. "The ones that are still on the market nowadays, they are safe to use, in terms of the wavelength, the duration [and] the dosage for your eyes. And if they are not safe, they will let you know [to] protect your eyes."
If you have open wounds on your skin, Baum says you have to be extra careful when using LED light therapy masks; if your mask isn't properly cleaned between uses, there is a risk of infection. Regularly clean your LED light devices after using them, she urges.
People with certain inflammatory conditions like systemic lupus and systemic sclerosis should consult with their doctors before trying LED light therapy masks, Baum suggests, because there is a possibility of adverse effects that can increase levels of inflammation.
Overall, having a red LED light therapy mask isn't needed but with proper administering, it doesn't hurt either: "I think it's a really nice non-invasive way of doing something at home that actually has some scientific data," she says.
"I feel like all skin types can benefit from it, all ages over the age of 25, because you really don't need anti-aging before that."
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