What a review of 31 LED trials found

How the study worked

The authors searched published research, selected 31 randomised trials, and graded the evidence for each skin condition.

The results

Acne, herpes simplex and zoster, and acute wound healing received grade B. Skin rejuvenation and other uses received grades C or D.

Many trials were small, sometimes under twenty people. Common problems were missing blinding, no sham light and different treatment settings. The authors still supported clinical LED use because side effects were uncommon and results were encouraging, while calling for better research.

What is still unclear

The review was published in 2018. It does not include trials published since then.

What to take from this

Evidence varied by condition. In this review, skin-rejuvenation studies were weaker than studies of acne and acute wounds.

Devices that list similar light

Three of the 5 masks in the comparison list a wavelength in every band used here (blue near 415 nm and red, 620–670 nm). They are examples, listed alphabetically, each with our specification page and the manufacturer’s own product page. Related devices are examples, not evidence that a study tested that retail model.

• CurrentBody Skin LED Face Mask Series 3415 · 532 · 590 · 633 · 830 · 1072 nm · CurrentBody product page
• Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro415 · 630; page also lists 605 · 880 (unresolved) nm · Dr. Dennis Gross product page
• Shark CryoGlow FW312415 · 630 · 830 nm · Shark product page

These masks list one of the bands, but not all:

• Dr. Renú SpectraLift Advanced465 · 530 · 630–660 · 850 nm · Dr. Renú product page
• Omnilux Contour Face633 · 830 nm · Omnilux product page

Matching a wavelength is not the same as matching the study. Dose, irradiance, session length and schedule also differ, and a mask’s reported output is not independently measured. See how dose works and home vs clinic doses.