5 Best Red Light Therapies for Face Wrinkles and Acne in 2024
There’s a point between 20 and 50 years old when acne isn’t done, but wrinkles decide to start. Whether dealing with blemishes or aging skin, a red light therapy device can help you. A few of my choices work well on both acne and wrinkles at the same time!
The best red light therapy for face issues like acne and aging uses red and near-infrared light, and it adds blue light for acne and eczema and green or yellow light for redness or dull skin. Look for:
- Red, near-infrared, and green or yellow for aging
- Red, near-infrared, and blue for acne or eczema
Novaa Glow Therapy Mask
- Excellent for aging skin
- Excellent for acne
- Red, infrared, blue, and yellow light
- $249
Hydraskincare PDT Photons
- Excellent for aging skin
- Excellent for acne
- Red, infrared, blue, and yellow light
- See the link for the price
Solawave Bye Acne
- Targeted acne treatment
- Red, near-infrared, and blue light
- It’s cheap but effective!
Visum Light
- Excellent for aging skin
- Excellent for acne
- Red, near-infrared, blue, and green light
- Clinical grade available for home use
- Powerful, fast treatment
- $1999
MitoPRO 300
- Excellent for wrinkles, lines, inflammation, and scars
- Good for acne, eczema, dullness, and redness
- It is also excellent for exercise recovery
- Easy-to-use preset modes
- $369
What Are the Best Red Light Therapy Picks for the Face
Do you want a red light therapy device for the face, but the choices are too overwhelming? Whether you seek help with wrinkles, acne, or eczema, these facial red light therapy choices can significantly improve your skin. I checked for treatment times, comfort, effectiveness, and return policies. I help you visualize yourself using the therapy device so you can find the one you know you’ll use every day. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best red light therapy for the face and explain how each device works, how long it takes per session, and when you can expect results.
| Product | NovaaLab Novaa Glow Therapy Mask |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Acne, Eczema, Inflammation, Scars, Redness, Dullness |
| Price | $399.90 |
| Sale Price | $249.90 |
Overview
The NovaaLab Glow Therapy Mask combines anti-aging and anti-acne technologies in a mask that costs significantly less than other options. Popular red light therapy face masks offer either anti-aging or anti-acne modes. The Novaa Glow Therapy has both.
I’ve recommended NovaaLab for a few years with great success. I am happy to report that they used the best wavelengths to reduce wrinkles and fight acne and combined them in one well-made product.
Key Benefits and Price
Pros and Cons
Our Take
The Novaa Glow is the only LED face mask that combines four healing wavelengths with soft, comfortable silicone construction. It’s a favorite for a good reason!
| Product | Novaa Glow Therapy Mask |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Acne, Eczema, Inflammation, Scars, Redness, Dullness |
| Price | $399.90 |
| Sale Price | $249.90 |
| Product | Hydraskincare PDT Photons |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Acne, Eczema, Inflammation, Scars, Redness, Dullness |
| Also Useful for | Pain Relief, Muscle Recovery, Fat Burning, Sleep Optimization, Fitness, Elderly Health |
| Price | Click the button to see the price |
Overview
Hydraskincare PDT Photons is a Celluma-like flexible red light therapy for facial skin. With its red, blue, yellow, and infrared lights, the PDT offers light therapy for aging, acne, and eczema, all in one device. Hydraskincare is a high-quality alternative to Celluma light therapy at expensive salons. You will use the PDT Photons only 1-2 times to return your investment over purchasing Celluma sessions. From the third home treatment on, you will save some serious cash.
Key Benefits & Price
Pros and Cons
Our Take
If you’re dreaming of getting the Celluma but want a much cheaper option, the Hydraskincare PDT Photons is a fantastic choice. The red and infrared wavelengths allow the body to produce more collagen and elastin, plumping the skin and tightening loose areas. This is how you heal those fine lines and wrinkles.
Both red and near infrared light heal signs of aging. You’re not just addressing the appearance of lines and wrinkles; you’re resculpting your skin with new cell turnover, collagen, and elastin.
Red and near infrared do a lot of heavy lifting for acne healing. But there’s a different light that sends acne therapy to a new level. The blue wavelength of light kills the P. acnes bacteria, reduces excess oil, and restores healthy energy production to reduce acne and eczema problems.
Yellow light reduces dullness to create a nice, bright complexion. It also enhances the anti-inflammatory and red-quieting activity of red and infrared light. The only light more powerful than the Hydraskincare PDT is the Visum Light. The PDT covers a wide area, saving you time compared to the handheld Visum Light.
The PDT is also suitable for pain relief. It can be placed on or over any body part for anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects.
| Product | Hydraskincare PDT Photons |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Acne, Eczema, Inflammation, Scars, Redness, Dullness |
| Also Useful for | Pain Relief, Muscle Recovery, Fat Burning, Sleep Optimization, Fitness, Elderly Health |
| Price | Click the button to view the price on Amazon |
| Product | Solawave Bye Acne |
| Excellent for | Acne, Eczema, Inflammation, Redness, Scars |
| Good for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Dullness |
| Price | $89 |
Overview
The Solawave Bye Acne is the cheapest red light therapy for acne that works. It’s only $89, it has the right blue and red light therapy for acne, and there’s a no-questions-asked 30-day return period for you to try it.
The key to acne and eczema reduction is using red and near-infrared light, but with the addition of blue light to perfect the process. You would get outstanding results with red and infrared alone, but adding blue supercharges your skin care. Because the name is “red light therapy,” people don’t always realize that other wavelengths (colors) of light are involved. The Solawave is a red, infrared, and blue light therapy, all-in-one affordable device.
The Solawave is designed to treat small areas at a time. It is not the type of light to treat the entire face at once. Considering its price point, you give a little more time moving the handheld around to treat more than one area. That’s what makes the Solawave an affordable red light therapy at-home device. Considering that key issue, the Solawave is the best at-home device for reducing acne and eczema on a budget.
Key Benefits and Price
Pros and Cons
Our Take
The Solawave Bye Acne is surprisingly effective, given its low price and specifications.
Its ability to clear blemishes in as few as three days is a testament to the power of red and blue light.
While lacking yellow or green to reduce redness and inflammation and lacking infrared for more effects than I can list, the Solawave does a great job on aging and acne skin.
It’s excellent for eczema and acne and very good for aging issues.
| Product | Acne, Eczema, Inflammation, Redness, Scars |
| Excellent for | Acne, Eczema, Inflammation, Redness, Scars |
| Good for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Dullness |
| Price | $89 |
| Product | Visum Light |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Inflammation, Scars, Acne, Eczema, Redness, Dullness |
| Also Useful for | Pain Relief, Muscle Recovery, Fat Burning, Sleep Optimization, Fitness, Elderly Health |
| Price | $1,999 |
Our Take
The Visum Light is the strongest acne light therapy I’ve ever found. A session takes two minutes. Don’t go longer, as light therapy reverses when you overdose (it is not dangerous; it ends up being a waste of time). In two minutes a day, you can expect significant acne and wrinkle reduction within a week or two and certainly within the first month. It’s pricey, but it’s the strongest therapy you can buy.
| Product | Visum Light |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Inflammation, Scars, Acne, Eczema, Redness, Dullness |
| Also Useful for | Pain Relief, Muscle Recovery, Fat Burning, Sleep Optimization, Fitness, Elderly Health |
| Price | $1,999 |
| Product | Mito Red Light MitoPRO 300 |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Inflammation, Scars, Muscle Recovery |
| Good for | Acne, Eczema, Dullness, Redness, Pain Relief, Weight Loss |
| Price | $369 |
Overview
The MitoPRO 300 is a tabletop at-home red light therapy device. It emits two red and two infrared wavelengths of light (630 nm, 660 nm, 830 nm, and 860 nm). The 300 model is part of the MitoPRO family from Mito Red Light. The family includes the MitoPRO 750 and 1500 as well.
- The MitoPRO 300 is 11 inches tall
- The MitoPRO 750 is 22 inches tall
- The MitoPRO 1500 is 42 inches tall
If you want to treat more than the face area, consider getting one of the taller models.
Key Benefits and Price
Pros and Cons
Our Take
MitoPRO 300 is a powerful red light therapy device for wrinkle reduction. It comes with a stand that turns it into a convenient tabletop. Sessions last just 10 minutes if you are 6 inches away. If you’re further than that from the device, you can extend the exposure time to 20 minutes. A 3-year warranty backs the solid construction.
The MitoPRO 300 is an effective therapy that shores skin health with cell turnover, elastin tightening, and collagen production, the holy grail of good skin.
| Product | Mito Red Light MitoPRO 300 |
| Excellent for | Wrinkles, Lines, Sagging, Inflammation, Scars, Muscle Recovery |
| Good for | Acne, Eczema, Dullness, Redness, Pain Relief, Weight Loss |
| Price | $369 |
How to Shop for the Best Red Light Therapy for the Face
Red light therapy for face issues like acne and eczema uses red, infrared, and blue light. Red light therapy for wrinkles and lines uses red and infrared light; add green or yellow to help with dullness or redness. The fact is that red and infrared do a lot of the heavy lifting. Adding blue, green, or yellow light is icing on the cake.
Best Red Light Therapy Device Types for Face Issues
While you can get a dedicated face mask, you have other choices. You can use a tabletop or panel light, a handheld (wand) light, or a face mask.
What is the Best LED Light Therapy Wand?
A wand (or handheld) allows you to move the light where you need it. They’re best for treating small areas.
The first choice is an affordable wand for acne. The best LED light therapy wand is the Solawave Bye Acne. It’s also suitable for wrinkles and anti-aging! The Visum Light is the best LED light therapy wand for clinical-quality acne and aging. It can also be used for pain relief.
A handheld is small enough for you to carry by hand. The advantage of a handheld is that it allows you to target the light exactly where you want it. The disadvantage of a handheld compared to a face mask or tabletop is that the treated area is tiny. You must move a handheld to get all the areas you want to treat.
I always advise handhelds for pain relief therapy. The targeting is important for pain relief but less so for facial skincare. If you are also considering using your facial therapy light for pain relief, you should consider getting a handheld.
What is the Best LED Face Mask?
The best LED face mask is the Novaa Glow, which has four healing wavelengths and six modes of treatment. It’s useful for acne and aging skin.
The important feature to remember when using masks is getting silicone rather than plastic.
Plastic is much too stiff and uncomfortable, whereas silicone is soft and feels nice on the skin.
A face mask straps to your face with ties that go behind the head.
I choose only those face masks that are comfortable and have proper holes for seeing and breathing.
Whether or not you get one of the face masks I recommend, try to get a silicone rather than a plastic mask, as you will find it much more comfortable.
What is the Best Blemish Spot Treatment?
Use the Solawave Bye Acne or the Visum Light for spot blemish treatment.
What is the Best Tabletop LED Device for At-Home Use?
If you are dealing with acne or eczema, the best tabletop is the LightpathLED.
A tabletop is hands-free and useful for pain relief and exercise recovery.
The nice thing about a tabletop is that it reaches the face and neck at the same time.
Red light therapy panels can become very large, especially during whole-body treatment.
You can get a tabletop red light therapy panel that is easy to use on the face and neck.
The question arises whether you should only use a device that sits directly on the skin (like a face mask).
Being distant from the light allows some light to bounce off you, but this is not a concern for two reasons.
First, tabletops are much stronger than masks.
They throw more light at you per second, so you absorb more light, even though some light reflects away from you.
Second, you could always adjust the time you spend with your tabletop to get a longer exposure time.
So long as you get the right amount of light, it doesn’t matter whether the device sits on your skin for acne, eczema, and aging skin issues.
How Does LED Light Therapy Help the Face?
Red light therapy produces several effects that make the skin healthier.
- It reduces chronic inflammation.
- It triggers collagen production to repair damaged skin.
- It triggers elastin production to tighten sagging areas.
- It signals autophagy, the healthy cleaning out of dead cell material.
How to Use Red Light Therapy Devices
Red light therapy works by energizing cells, encouraging elastin and collagen production, and, in the case of blue light, killing the P. acnes bacteria.
Following some simple but essential rules is important to get these results.
How to Get the Best Skin Results
Always follow the treatment schedule suggested in the device’s instructions.
Going rogue on treatment times or frequency will only harm your results.
It’s not that it’s dangerous, but you won’t see the gains you could see by following the instructions.
If the instructions say to use a device for ten minutes, then 8 or 12 minutes will probably be OK.
Don’t go for 20 minutes or an hour because that will backfire.
Similarly, if you are instructed to use a device five times a week, three or seven treatments will not give you ideal results!
How to Integrate Red Light Therapy Into Your Skincare
Next, be aware that anything between your light and skin will prevent absorption.
Start with a fresh, clean, and dry face.
Use lotions and creams after but not before red light therapy.
Third, consider taking a picture using the same light and expression every day for truly great results.
This will allow you to measure your results without bias.
Your skin will respond to the first treatment, but you might not be able to see microscopic changes!
Give it a few weeks before deciding if this is working for you.
How to Choose the Best Wavelengths (Colors)
The best red light therapy devices for the face offer red, infrared, blue, and yellow light.
Each wavelength (light color) has its benefits.
How to Treat Both the Face and Neck
Treating the face and neck with a handheld or tabletop is easy, but what about a face mask?
My first choice for face masks doesn’t have an optional neck attachment.
However, the HigherDOSE is an excellent anti-aging mask with soft silicone and an optional neck enhancer.
HigherDOSE is a New York City-based salon that uses its products on high-maintenance customers daily.
Check out the HigherDOSE Red Light Therapy Face Mask. Bundle it with the Neck Enhancer to save $100.
What Facial Skin Issues Can Light Address?
“Red light therapy” is our name, but scientists call it “photobiomodulation.”
The “photo” in “photobiomodulation” refers to visible colors and near-infrared light (which is mostly invisible).
The best red light therapy for the face depends on which skin issues you want to address.
Devices with just red and infrared are perfect for reducing wrinkles and sagging.
Devices with blue, red, and infrared are excellent for wrinkles and sagging, as well as acne and eczema therapy.
Devices with blue, red, infrared, and yellow are the holy grail of facial red light therapy. Use this combination for aging, acne, and eczema.
What are the Ideal Wavelengths for Wrinkles and Lines?
Wrinkles and lines respond best to red and infrared light. These stimulate collagen and elastin to fill in creases and renew the skin.
What are the Ideal Wavelengths for Acne and Eczema?
Acne and Eczema respond best to red, infrared, yellow/green, and blue light.
That’s the ideal setup for reducing the symptoms of acne and eczema.
But you should know you can significantly reduce both skin conditions with red light!
So long as it’s one of the biologically active wavelengths, you should see great results with just one of these wavelengths.
You can expect good results with red light, near-infrared light, or blue light, each individually applied to the problem area.
When you combine these wavelengths, you should see ultimate results.
When you add yellow or green, you should see brightness and calm in addition to what has already been achieved with the other wavelengths.
What are the Ideal Wavelengths for Stretch Marks and Dullness?
Stretch marks respond to red and infrared light.
Dull skin becomes bright under these light sources. If you add green or yellow to red or infrared, you should see even more brightness in your skin.
Conclusion
You can reduce acne, fine lines and wrinkles with at-home treatments such as an LED mask, a light wand or even a full-body red light therapy panel,
The important considerations are wavelength and coverage.
Red and infrared light stimulate production of collagen whether or not you include blue, yellow or green light.
However, to get the best red light therapy for face issues, include blue for acne and yellow or green for a healthy glow.
An LED light therapy mask covers the entire face but not the neck.
An option for neck and chest therapy is the HigherDOSE red light therapy mask.
A tabletop device extends the treatment area to the neck as well.
Meanwhile, wands (handhelds) have smaller treatment areas.
According to dermatologists, any device that utilizes red and near-infrared light with the right amount of power is the right light for signs of aging.
A red light wand is as likely to have the right wavelengths as a red light tabletop.
Pinning down the blue, yellow, and green wavelengths to find the best option is a little harder.
The Novaa Glow face mask and the Photons facial dome each have four light wavelengths, which make them perfect for reducing fine lines and wrinkles and vanquishing acne and eczema.
But if you need a cost-effective light to target blemishes, the Solavwave Acne Bye light combines blue, red, and infrared, which anyone can use for targeted treatment.
I hope you find the best red light now that you have everything you need to know about red light therapy for face issues!
Novaa Glow Therapy Mask
- Excellent for aging skin
- Excellent for acne
- Red, infrared, blue, and yellow light
- $249
Hydraskincare PDT Photons
- Excellent for aging skin
- Excellent for acne
- Red, infrared, blue, and yellow light
- See the link for the price
Solawave Bye Acne
- Targeted acne treatment
- Red, near-infrared, and blue light
- It’s cheap but effective!
Visum Light
- Excellent for aging skin
- Excellent for acne
- Red, near-infrared, blue, and green light
- Clinical grade available for home use
- Powerful, fast treatment
- $1999
MitoPRO 300
- Excellent for wrinkles, lines, inflammation, and scars
- Good for acne, eczema, dullness, and redness
- It is also excellent for exercise recovery
- Easy-to-use preset modes
- $369
