WHY I LOVE LED - and why you should too

Gentle and painless with zero downtime, light therapy has been used by beauty experts for years to treat everything from breakouts to rosacea and collagen breakdown. Overshadowed (pardon the pun) over the last few years by more invasive procedures, it is now firmly back in every derm’s office and beauty clinic and I am SO here for it.
When people talk about skincare technology going space age, I mean it literally in the case of LED (light emitting diode) treatments. Developed by NASA in the 80s to speed up astronauts’ tissue repair, LED light therapy recently found its way back into the current zeitgeist as an Insta-worthy skin treatment loved by all. With a huge celebrity fan base like Chrissy Teigen, Kourtney Kardashian, Jessica Alba and more, it’s clear that light is just so right for right now. It’s also becoming increasingly accessible as an at-home skin treatment thanks to beauty tech breakthroughs in the form of all-over face masks, targeted pens, goggles and other handheld devices, but more on that in a bit.

So how exactly does LED work?
Most in-salon LED devices work with a sort of traffic light system depending on your particular skin goal: different colours elicit various benefits and can be combined for extra skincare clout, and regular LED light therapy can boost collagen, reduce acne bacteria and even prevent pigmentation before it happens. To work out which you need, here is a run-down on the particular powers of each:
Red LED light is renowned for speeding up collagen synthesis and enhancing cell repair and was the original therapy utilised by NASA. Red light energy stimulates the mitochondria (the power generators) in cells so that they function optimally, boosting the production of collagen and elastin. Red light is also considered anti-inflammatory and it’s for this reason that many skincare experts and dermatologists follow up a more intensive treatment with a red light treatment to calm redness.
Orange LED light is particularly hailed for its soothing effect on rosacea and redness as well as gently revving up collagen production.
Green LED light is used to even out skin tone, and probably the rarest light to find at most skin clinics. This particular wavelength targets melanocytes, slowing down the production of melanin so that not as much pigmentation reaches the top layers of our skin.
Blue is the shade of choice for acne. Blue light has been scientifically proven to kill the P.acnes bacteria on the surface of the skin that’s most commonly responsible for breakouts.

Why are we only hearing about this now?
Used by many therapists and derms for years, why the heck did it take so long for LED skin treatments to enter mainstream? I think it’s mainly due to the lack of consumer knowledge, and much confusion. Some see a light treatment and immediately think it uses the same UV-emitting light that comes from tanning beds, which are most definitely NOT a good idea on any level. In reality they do quite the opposite, and their popularity is soaring with the opening of ‘light lounges’ at beauty destinations around the world. Not that you should stop using your pricey serums, but many skin experts believe that LED light’s powers of cellular repair could rival some of the most effective skincare ingredients you can buy, although I think the two used in combination are the way to go.

And now for some of my favourite LED offerings for the light-curious...

The PRO by Déesse PRO LED Mask

After being introduced to this high performing beauty over a chic dinner at SO Hotel, I can honestly say that this mask is an essential if you’re looking to see real change and budget isn’t an issue.
The original, iconic hard shell format LED light therapy device, it harnesses the power of no less than four clinically proven wavelengths across six treatment modes to deliver transformative results for all skin types and tones. Non-invasive, safe and pain-free, the powerful treatment modes stimulate various natural biological processes within the skin to restore and maintain optimum skin function and health. The ultimate bio-hacking beauty device to improve all skin concerns on a visible, tangible and cellular level, it’s a favourite with skin health professionals and A-listers alike. My favourite modes are:
Mode 1: 'Rejuvenating' (Red Light 630nm): helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, boosts collagen and improves elasticity in the skin.
Mode 5: 'Calming' (Blue Light 415nm & Green Light 520nm): calms the skin and targets inflammation.
Mode 6: 'Rejuvenating Express' (Red Light 630nm): an intensified skin rejuvenation treatment.
You can find this marvel locally here.

The Skinsmiths LED Facial Mask

It’s got a lot easier to buy trusted LED tools for use at home over the past few years, and I became an avid user of the very affordable-but-effective Skinsmiths LED Facial Mask after being gifted one by the brand last year. It’s insanely easy to use even for this luddite, being wireless, remote-controlled with five preset settings. The open eye protection means you can wear it as you read your emails, but I prefer to switch a guided meditation on for ten minutes and luxuriate in the down time. It also has an adjustable head strap and chin rest so is super comfortable, and the best at-home LED devices are the ones that bring the LED lights closer to the surface of the skin, so this mask gets a thumbs up for that alone.
It offers Red and Near Infra-Red LED presets to improve skin cell health, elasticity and texture and well as stimulate skin cell repair and reduce inflammation, and Blue LED to soothe the skin and clear acne causing bacteria to help prevent future breakouts.
You can find the Skinsmiths LED Facial Mask here

The Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite LED EyeCare Max Pro

Making the case for targeted LED treatments is the Dr. Dennis Gross—the EyeCare Max Pro. Worn as a sort of superhero-esque eye mask, the device promises to alleviate all your eye-care concerns, from crow’s feet to dark circles. Focusing on the delicate eye area, this one is great for collagen stimulation around the orbital region, which can be tricky to treat with traditional modalities. The red light can help improve fine lines and crepey texture over time, and it’s a great complement to efficacious skincare and neurotoxins like Botox when you want to further enhance eye rejuvenation. Just be sure to use as directed in order to reduce red light exposure to the eyes themselves.
You can find the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite LED EyeCare Max Pro here.