The Best At-Home Light Therapy Treatments for Younger Looking Skin and Hair

What if you could transform your skin and hair with light? No pain, no complicated treatment, just a few moments of patience with a few hundred LED bulbs. That’s what red light therapy can offer – and you can do it all while cozied up at home.

Red Light Therapy, sometimes also called RLT, low level light therapy, or LLLT, uses low-level right light wavelengths to treat all kinds of skin concerns from fine lines to dryness to scars while also benefitting hair health. Let’s not forget, the scalp is skin too, and a well-nourished scalp aids in delivering glorious tresses!

How Red Light Therapy Works

To understand why Red Light Therapy can be so beneficial, it helps to understand how it works. “Red light is in the range of 620-750 nm wavelengths,” explains Dr. Sara Hogan, founder of Cosmedica Dermatology and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at The George Washington University. “Red light acts on certain targets in the skin, specifically mitochondria. Mitochondria are little powerhouses that generate most of the energy for cells. When stimulated by red light, mitochondria can boost skin cell activities.”

Red light therapy involves low light wavelengths, so the red light doesn’t create heat. The light penetrates a few millimeters into the skin, which can encourage the skin cells to start repairing themselves.

Research into red light therapy for skincare is still in its earlier stages, but it’s been on scientists’ radar as a therapeutic possibility since as far back as the 60s. “Red light has been shown to stimulate collagen production, decrease inflammation, increase circulation, and improve healing,” Dr. Hogan says.

In the 90s, NASA scientists used red light therapy to grow crops in space, and discovered along the way that it appeared to help wounds heal faster in space, too. Over the last few years, at-home red light therapy has become more and more buzzed-about for skincare, with Dr. Hogan noting that she’s spotted its popularity growing over the last one to two years.

How To Make Red Light Therapy Work For You

While research is still ongoing, Red Light Therapy may be able to help minimize stretch marks, wrinkles, scars, acne, inflammation, and signs of aging. “Red light therapy may be helpful for individuals wanting to improve the appearance of their skin texture or skin tone,” Dr. Hogan explains. RLT could also potentially help treat psoriasis. Some people also use red light therapy to boost collagen production or manage hyperpigmentation.

To get the best possible results, Dr. Hogan suggests doing at-home RLT at least two to three times per week. Each product has its own specific treatment time, but most are just a few minutes. The most important thing is to be consistent, especially when you’re just starting the treatment.

That said, those with major skin concerns should speak with a dermatologist to be sure that in-home Red Light Therapy is the best choice for you. If you have certain health issues, you might want to even skip RLT. “Individuals who do have photosensitive skin conditions, certain genetic eye diseases, or taking medications that increase sensitivity to light, are not candidates for at-home RLT,” Dr. Hogan says.

Your dermatologist can help you decide if you’re a better fit for at-home or in-office treatment based on your individual goals. “Laser and energy-based treatments offered in a physician’s office area are much more powerful than at-home devices,” says Dr. Hogan. For some people, at-home options are the right fit, but they’ll need consistency to work. “At-home red light therapy generally requires long-term consistent use for results to be noted.”

Top 10 Light Therapy Products You’ll Love

If you want to try light therapy at home, there are plenty of options to consider. We’ve rounded up our favorite at-home tools for red light and other forms of light therapy.

Here are expert recommended winners to try.

CurrentBody LED Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 2

CurrentBody’s Series 1 light mask was a fan favorite, but the Series 2 edition improves on its strengths to make an even more effective and easy-to-use product. The mask boasts upgraded light coverage and an optimized fit with a liquid silicone shape. Its layout features 236 LED light bulbs emitting three wavelengths: red light, near-infrared, and deep near-infrared. (To be more specific, 633nm waves, 830nm waves, and 1072nm waves.) The Series 2’s wavelengths penetrate deep, going as far as 10mm into the skin – deeper than retinol.

In tandem, the three wavelengths boost collagen production, minimize signs of aging, and help tighten the skin. The mask pays special attention to areas of the face that show notable aging signs, like under the eyes and near the mouth. The mask even has eye inserts to make it easier to watch TV, red, or scroll while you’re wearing it.

LumaSmoothe 2

Red Light Therapy isn’t just for humans – with LumaSoothe, you can bring its benefits to your pets, too! The LumaSoothe 2 uses five different light wavelengths so your pet can benefit from red, infrared, yellow, blue, and green light. This can help manage pet pain associated with arthritis, hip dysplasia, bursitis, sprains and strains, tendonitis, and muscle soreness in your four-legged best friend. It can also help reduce inflammation. This tool is compatible for dogs and cats, but that’s not where it ends – most critters can benefit from the wand, from guinea pigs to rabbits to horses and more.

Laduora DUO 4-in-1 Pod Based Scalp & Hair Care Device

Light therapy goes beyond just the face! The Laduora DUO can transform your scalp and hair health with the help of four different treatments. The DUO features 30 LED bulbs that emit a wavelength of 660nm to encourage healthy hair growth – but that’s just the beginning. The DUO also uses microcurrent, which can help boost circulation and stimulate the follicles for hair growth. There are also additional pods (that pop right into the device) loaded with effective ingredients that help boost hair health. The DUO’s vibration mechanism offers a calming massage, and its therapeutic warmth allows treatment benefits to penetrate deeper into the scalp. Each treatment is a speedy five minutes – but you probably won’t even notice the time passing since you’ll be so busy enjoying that heated scalp massage.

Solawave Wand

Omnilux Contour FaceThis tiny, ultra-convenient wand can help zap wrinkles, dark circles, dark spots, blemishes, and more in minutes while encouraging firmer, plumper skin. The award-winning 4-in-1 device combines red light therapy with three other therapeutic mechanisms: galvanic current, therapeutic warmth, and facial massage. The red light waves can help minimize signs of aging, while the galvanic current ensures your skin absorbs serums and products at a maximal level. Therapeutic warmth can minimize dark circles and soothe your skin (and of course, it also just feels great!). As for the wand’s facial massage mechanism, it can de-puff the skin and encourage radiance. All you need is three minutes a day.

Omnilux Contour Face

The Omnilux comes recommended by Dr. Hogan. “Omnilux Contour Face emits both red light and near-infrared light wavelengths,” she says. “Near-infrared light exerts activity on skin similarly to red light, but penetrates more deeply into the skin, which may make it more effective. The Omnimax mask is made of silicone and is lightweight and easy to wear.” The mask uses 633nm and 830nm wavelengths and has been found to minimize fine lines, reduce redness and pigmentation, and encourage a younger-looking complexion. It’s a great option if you’re looking to boost collagen production, target sun damage, or simply encourage a more youthful glow.

Celluma FACE

The Celluma FACE Series 2 offers two modes of treatment: acne and aging. You can target either skin concern using the FACE’s powerful combination of blue, red, and near-infrared wavelengths (coming in at 465nm, 640nm, and 880 nm). With over 200 LED bulbs and a compact design, the FACE Series 2 can kill acne-causing bacteria, reduce blemishes, smooth fine lines, and more. The Series 2 includes several improvements on the (also fantastic) FACE Series 1, including rechargeable battery power for more portability and a controller with a treatment timer. The light panel fits perfectly over the face, but it’s also designed to fit comfortably over other parts of the body.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

This mask has earned the praises of Dr. Hogan. “Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro is customizable and delivers red light, as well as blue light and purple (combination light),” Dr. Hogan explains. “The automatic timer is set for three-minute treatments, which is a built-in safety measure.” You can use the mask to target acne or aging, and you’ll never have to worry about accidentally leaving it running for too long. With 160 light-emitting diodes and an adjustable strap to ensure it fits every face, the mask can help stimulate collagen production, improve the density of the skin, minimize discoloration, reduce wrinkles, and more.

CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet

This CurrentBody helmet is beautifully designed with that goal in mind, and can help your hair growth rate double in just a few months. The helmet’s red light bulbs emit light on wavelengths of 620-660nm, which improves blood flow in the scalp, puts hair follicles into a growth stage, reduces inflammation, and decreases levels of DHT, a hormone that can slow or inhibit hair growth. The treatment takes just 10 minutes per day for thicker hair, prevention of future hair loss, and a healthier scalp.

The LYMA Laser

The LYMA has a bevy of celebrity fans, from Sienna Miller to Hailey Bieber and its 8-centimeter treatment lens taps into the power of a near-infrared 500mW laser to penetrate deep into the skin, boosting collagen and elastin production. LYMA devotees swear by its ability to make their skin look, feel, and radiate younger. While no at-home light therapy treatments require particularly long sittings, the LYMA’s treatment times are especially short, starting at just three minutes per day. It can even be used over makeup and sunscreen.

Therabody TheraFace Mask

This award-winning mask combines light therapy with vibration therapy to reduce wrinkles, even out the skin tone, lighten dark spots, banish acne, and create an overall luminous glow. It’s also a great option for anyone looking to firm up and contour the skin to combat sagging. The mask offers red, infrared, and blue light waves for supercharged results. It also utilizes 17 proprietary motors to offer a soothing massaging vibration to the face and scalp’s pressure points. Use it for 9 minutes a day to see clearer, healthier, and younger-looking skin in just a few months.