When a treatment like red light therapy enters the beauty world with as much buzz as it has, it’s only natural that questions – and a fair amount of scepticism – follow. Ask just about any beauty expert, and they’ll tell you the same thing: two of the most common questions they get are whether red light therapy really works, and which at-home device is actually worth investing in.
’s pick of the best at-home red light therapy devices:
Before recommending – or investing in – a red light therapy at-home device, it’s essential to understand what the treatment actually is and whether it lives up to the hype. To get to the heart of the matter, consulted leading beauty tech experts to separate fact from fad. Their verdict? Red light therapy is far from a passing trend. It’s safe, non-invasive and backed by science – provided you’re using a device with the right specifications, that is.
“While clinic LED treatments are both effective and popular, at-home devices are a much more cost-effective and convenient way of using LED,” says Laurence Newman, the founder and CEO of CurrentBody. “You can use LED more consistently at home, resulting in better long-term effects on the skin.” That said, red light is an additional complexion aid – not an excuse to skip out on skincare. “Optimal at-home results will be achieved while combining light therapy treatments with a well-designed skincare routine,” says Murphy-Rose.
Red light therapy gadgets have transformed our wellness practices, and the Vogue team are predicting they will be some of the bestsellers among the Black Friday beauty deals. Ahead of the event, which is officially taking place this year on 27 November, there is already a discount on popular brands from CurrentBody to Solawave.
Hair, Face, and Neck Series 3 Bundle
Why this deal is -approved: In this bundle, you will find three of the beauty team’s top CurrentBody devices with a discount of nearly £160. This includes the hair growth helmet, the newly unveiled Series 3 LED face mask and the neck mask for red light therapy from head to the décolleté.
- Why it’s -approved: A step up from red light in terms of the depth its beams penetrate, Lyma’s device combines low-level cold laser therapy with NIR to rejuvenate skin from the inside out. This handheld tool can treat fine lines everywhere on the face and body – from the crow’s feet to hands and lips – and offers impressive results for deep-set concerns like pigmentation and scarring. What’s more, it fits inside your handbag and is still effective when used over your SPF or make-up. Great for the jet setter who needs on-the-go treatments, it’s no wonder this device is beloved by the celebrity set.
- Device type: Handheld
- Best for: deep-down skin rejuvenation. Tightening lax skin, renewing dull skin and remodelling skin with scars. Several users praise the non-invasive device for its anti-inflammatory effects on conditions like psoriasis.
- Target area: Face, body, neck and hands
- : Three plus minutes daily
- Good to know: As well as whole face rejuvenation, try using it for five minutes on targeted areas like acne scarring and persistent sun spots.
- Ease to use
- Results in a short amount of time
- Covers a small surface area at a time
- Jump to the product reviews
- How we chose the best at-home red light therapy devices
- How we chose the best red therapy devices
- What is red light therapy?
- What do dermatologists think of red light therapy at home?
- The benefits of red light therapy
- How often should you use red light therapy at home?
- How quickly will you see results from red light therapy at home?
- Is red light therapy at home safe?
- Who cannot use red light therapy?
- How to find the best at-home red light therapy device for you
- Meet the experts
- Why you should trust us
How we chose the best at-home red light therapy devices
With so many at-home red light therapy devices on the market, finding the right one can be overwhelming. Since it’s a significant investment, put dozens of devices to the test – across different skin tones, types and concerns – consulting industry experts along the way. The result? A curated list of the most effective devices worth your money, plus everything you need to know about why this much-hyped technology actually delivers. Our picks range from LED face masks to red light therapy wands to those designed for hair growth.
- Why it’s -approved: “The LED Light Therapy Panel is the red light device I didn’t know I needed,” says ’s senior beauty shopping writer Ellie Davis. “I have it affixed on the stand at my desk to maximise the combination of blue and red lights while I’m working away.” There are four modes to suit two different concerns: Anti-Ageing for skin rejuvenation (red) and Clearing for blemish busting (blue). Its USP, though? The design is flexible. You can use the straps provided to attach to any part of the body, from the back to the shoulders, or mould in place for the face or hands.
- Device type: Multitasking
- Best for: Full body bacteria-busting, sebum reduction and collagen boosting. It can also be used to supercharge healing, while the red light encourages mood-boosting and wellness.
- : blue (415nm), red (633nm), near-infrared (830nm) and deep near-infrared (1072nm)
- Treatment time: 10-20 minutes
- Can be used on the face, body, hands etc.
- Four settings, depending on how close you are to the panel and your goals
- Easy to slot into your routine as you can do while working
- Can distract colleagues when set up at the office
- Not as deep treatment as mask as further away from body
- Why it’s -approved: A step up from red light in terms of the depth its beams penetrate, Lyma’s device combines low-level cold laser therapy with NIR to rejuvenate skin from the inside out. This handheld tool can treat fine lines everywhere on the face and body – from the crow’s feet to hands and lips – and offers impressive results for deep-set concerns like pigmentation and scarring. What’s more, it fits inside your handbag and is still effective when used over your SPF or make-up. Great for the jet setter who needs on-the-go treatments, it’s no wonder this device is beloved by the celebrity set.
- Device type: Handheld
- Best for: deep-down skin rejuvenation. Tightening lax skin, renewing dull skin and remodelling skin with scars. Several users praise the non-invasive device for its anti-inflammatory effects on conditions like psoriasis.
- Target area: Face, body, neck and hands
- : Three plus minutes daily
- Good to know: As well as whole face rejuvenation, try using it for five minutes on targeted areas like acne scarring and persistent sun spots.
- Ease to use
- Results in a short amount of time
- Covers a small surface area at a time
- Why it's -approved: A editor favourite, Solawave’s four-in-one device handily smooths fine lines and wrinkles, brightens dark circles and boosts serum absorption in just a few minutes with consistent use. All the while, it delivers a de-puffing face massage, which boosts circulation.
- Device type: Handheld
- Best for: Suited for all skin types, the wand targets fine lines and wrinkles, crow’s feet, dark circles, and blemishes.
- Target area: Face, neck
- Treatment time: Three minutes per area
- Good to know: Compact, convenient and easy to use anywhere, this is a great option if you’re a frequent traveller.
- Targetted treatment
- Very compact for travel
- Small but mighty
- Ideal for a specific area, but will take a while to do the full face
- Challenging to find in stock
LED Red Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 3
Why it’s -approved: CurrentBody has unveiled its Series 3 face mask and has made some major changes from the previous iteration. Most notably, it adds inflammation-calming yellow, pigmentation-minimising green, and blemish-busting blue light alongside the previous collagen-boosting red, NIR, and deep NIR. It also comes with an accompanying app. While I’m not a fan of companion apps, this one is well worth the download. On the platform, channelling Windows’ Paint, you can colour in where you want certain lights to be. For example, if you have a hormonal breakout on the chin, you can ensure that there is blue light there, but not necessarily on the other parts of the face; the same goes for areas of hyperpigmentation. It’s entirely customisable. You could even do every single light all over the face at the same time, and the algorithm will automatically adapt the quantity of light so that you are not overloading the complexion but are maximising efficacy. The brand calls this My Dose technology, and it was created because the skin can only absorb so much light. You can create presets and even share these with friends. If you’re not sure where to start, there are existing clinician-approved presets. The mask has the same silicone design as the Series 2, complete with a chin strap. Where CurrentBody stands out on the market is through its quantity of independent studies. These showed that in eight weeks of usage, there was a reduction in hyperpigmentation, redness and wrinkle volume, as well as an increase in hydration, elasticity and skin brightness.
- Key specs:
- Red (633nm), near infra red (830nm), deep near infra red (1072nm), blue (415nm)
- Device type: Face mask
- Target area: Face
- Best for: Mixing and matching different wavelengths for a personalised treatment
- Range of programmes
- Why it’s -approved: Using targeted red light therapy, this clever hat works by increasing ATP production within hair cells, essentially energising sluggish ones and encouraging them to rejuvenate. Better ATP production also means a better environment for scalp health in general to flourish, which means it’s good if you suffer from an itchy or flaky scalp too. Red-light therapy is especially helpful for those with early-stage thinning as well as male- and female-pattern baldness. Dermatologist Dr Anetta Reszko says, “It helps promote hair regrowth by stimulating follicle activity, prolonging the growth phase, providing anti-inflammatory effects, and increasing microcirculation to the scalp.” Longevity expert Dr Amanda Kahn recommends this hat for those going through hormonal changes like menopause, andropause, and the postpartum period – moments when your hair needs extra support for healthy growth. While it’s a little stiffer and more structured than a normal baseball hat due to the 120 bulbs inside, it’s comfortable and the most convenient red-light device we own. (It’s easy to wear at home or running errands, and treatment only takes 10 minutes.) Just note that it’s not really compatible with a ponytail if that’s your preferred hat-hairstyle combo: The magnetic battery pack sits right where you’d typically pull through a pony.
- Device type: hat
- red light (650nm), 120 red LED lights, 650nm wavelength
- Treatment time: 10-minute treatment once daily for 16 weeks, then three or four times weekly for maintenance
- Sleek design
- Long-lasting battery life
- Curbs shedding
- Adjustable fit
- One of the more expensive options
- Why it’s -approved: While the team were already fans of the Therabody TheraFace PRO, the brand has redesigned its skin tool with three configurations as part of its newly unveiled SkinSpa System. The SkinSpa Pro includes an LED atachment as well as cold and microcurrent therapy attachment which provides a lifting effect. But if there is just one technology that you are interested in, you can purchase either the CryoCurrent or the ThermLED alone, which cuts the price significantly.
- When it comes to the LEDs, there are four wavelengths that you can cycle between. Alongside the more commonly used red and red + infrared for fine lines and dark spots respectively, there is also yellow light to soothe redness and blue light to bust blemishes. The heat function too is not just warming and soothing but encourages better absorptions of skincare that follows.
- Best for: The addition of lifting and contouring microcurrent
- Red, infrared, blue and yellow LEDs, cyro and heat and massage attachment
- Why it's -approved: Hair loss and hair thinning can be tricky to treat, but this smart tech-powered device aims to increase hair growth rate by 128 per cent in 12 weeks, as well as increase hair density. The cleverly curved, fully covered helmet means that even the follicles at the very edges of your hairline are targeted and energised. It may look like something designed by NASA, but the premise behind this much-hyped helmet is straightforward. Using a spectrum of red light specifically engineered to address hair loss, the device energises hair follicles and blood flow to stimulate growth, reduces inflammation associated with shedding and lowers levels of the hormone known to cause hair loss. It claims to increase hair growth rate by 128 per cent in 12 weeks.
- Device type: Helmet
- Best for: Those in early stages of hair loss and hair thinning, looking to improve thickness and density and prevent further patchiness.
- Target area: Head
- Treatment time: 10 minutes
- red light (620-660nm)
- Good to know: It’s safe, pain-free and comes in two different sizes.
- Quality construction
- Results with long-term use
- Some complain about hair getting caught in suction cups