Can LED face masks transform your skin – here's what the experts say

LED technology has been used to address a number of skin issues, such as eczema, mild to moderate acne, psoriasis and sun damage in a medical setting.

But the at-home LED market is on the verge of becoming a massive industry – with masks and other devices retailing for anything from £40 to £1,500.

The technology harnesses the power of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which then stimulate skin cells when they are exposed to the skin repeatedly.

Mask developers make big claims that at-home LED masks can be used to treat acne scars, sun damage and fine lines – but does this stand up to scrutiny?

The LED market is set to be worth £600m globally by 2032 – which is nearly double what airflow technology like the Dyson Airwrap will be worth at the same point.

According to consultant dermatologist Dr Jonathan Kentley, LED technology works by causing the skin to absorb light energy, which then triggers cellular changes in a process known as photobiomodulation (PBM).

“This allows new blood vessels and skin cells to be formed, along with more collagen and elastin,” he tells the BBC.

“PBM has also been used to treat acne as it has anti-inflammatory effects and reduces the amount of oil in the skin,” he adds.

A recent comprehensive study of PBM stated that more clinical trials on humans need to take place to fully understand how it actually works.

US space agency Nasa first began studying the effect of LEDs in the 1990s to see if it could help in cell regeneration.

Since then, medical-grade devices have been used by dermatologists “for many years”, according to Dr Kentley.

But at-home masks have only been on the retail market for about five years and cost a fraction of the medical devices.

The main differences between medical devices and High Street masks are the strength of the LEDs, the number of bulbs on the device and how close they sit to the skin’s surface when being used.

Dr Justine Kluk, who runs her own dermatology clinic and specialises in treating acne, believes that while at-home masks “sound promising”, mask wholesale manufacturers are “speculating” about their benefits.

“I don’t believe anyone has run clinical trials of the LED mask at home to see if it is the same dose as a device you would use in a clinic or hospital,” she tells the BBC.

“No-one is testing these devices in big enough sample sizes for long enough periods of time for us to feel really confident.

“So I believe the benefits from using one of these masks is probably very modest,” she adds.

Skincare makes up nearly half of all global sales in the beauty industry – and is set to continue to grow more than the likes of haircare, make-up and fragrance in the next year.

This is being boosted by Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2009) and even Generation Alpha (born 2010 to now) whose skincare fascination is said to be fuelled by social media trends.

Dr Kluk says she has noticed “that people’s interest in at-home skin care and treatments has increased hugely since Covid” and believes the “visually interesting” element of the at-home LED mask makes it such an eye-catching product to sell online.

“People sitting watching TV wearing a red LED mask increases people’s curiosity.

“Every other consultation I’ve had for the last six months, has involved people asking me about LED masks,” she adds.

When you search LED masks on social media platforms such as TikTok, you will be met with hundreds of videos with users showing off their results after using one of these at-home devices.

Natalie O’Neill, 29, tells the BBC she started to use a mask “out of curiosity to see if I would notice any difference” and did not use it to treat an existing skin condition like acne.

The skincare content creator says: “I noticed a change in my skin after a couple of weeks and felt it prevented breakouts really well.”

She adds that the mask has helped to “keep my skin tone looking more even” and faded marks on her face more quickly.

O’Neill was not paid to promote a particular mask and caveats all her content on this technology by saying she uses it alongside a consistent skincare routine.

“Getting red light or LED therapy in a clinic is not immediately transferable to a mask, which a lot of consumers don’t realise – I’m OK with that because I have the right expectations,” she adds.

Part of the appeal of LED masks is that they are easy to use and therefore have a low barrier to entry for potential buyers.

Laurence Newman is the chief executive of CurrentBody, whose at-home LED mask is one of the world’s best sellers.

He started selling professional equipment to clinics more than 25 years ago and began developing an at-home LED mask in 2009, bringing out the company’s first device just under 10 years later.

“We see that people use it for 10 minutes and get an instant glow afterwards,” he tells the BBC.

Newman says that women in particular “are moving towards totally non-invasive skincare” and looking for ways to improve their skin without botox and fillers.

Newman says the masks his company sells have been developed using the same technology as medical devices, which have a minimum requirement light wavelengths.

He emphasises that the at-home LED mask market and indeed at-home beauty technology market are in their infancy, with “a real movement of education” growing.

Dr Kentley concludes that “PBM is mostly considered safe, even at high levels” so using any form of LED technology is unlikely to “cause damage to cells”, however more research into how exactly PBM works is needed to understand what it can do.

“There have been many experimental and clinical studies into the use of PBM for various dermatologic conditions, however they have varied in the parameters of the device and treatment protocols,” he adds.

“Many of these studies were small and unstandardised and often paid for by the manufacturers so it is difficult to draw concrete conclusions”.

He says if someone is keen to buy a device they should make sure they choose one that has EU safety certifications and a high density of LED bulbs on the mask to ensure enough energy is being delivered to the skin.

Dr Kluk also says that she does not “want to discourage anyone” who is intrigued by the technology but wants “them to understand that this is a lot of money to spend on a device, which could potentially support a good skincare routine, or if it’s severe like acne, a good prescription regimen and some lifestyle measures – but it’s unlikely to do enough on its own.”