With my 40th birthday mere months away, I decided it was time to get serious about skincare. Like most people, I want to age gracefully. I don’t mind the newly formed wrinkles around my eyes that are proof of decades of smiling, but I don’t exactly love the age spots that have formed in a few places on my face or the deep lines I’m getting on my forehead and around my mouth.
Fortunately, this is 2026, and there is no shortage of skincare products and treatments to help delay the natural aging process as much as human biology allows. But maintaining youthful-looking skin isn’t cheap. Getting treatments like microneedling and Botox a few times a year can easily cost thousands of dollars—and that’s on top of all the creams, serums and other skincare products used regularly.
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In an effort to put off some of these expensive treatments, I decided to commit to wearing a red light therapy mask, which, at a couple of hundred dollars on average, isn’t pocket change but is a more manageable investment.
“A red light therapy mask is a wearable device that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to deliver red and near-infrared wavelengths to the skin. These wavelengths penetrate the skin to support collagen production, reduce inflammation and aid in cellular repair, which can improve overall skin quality, tone and radiance over time,” explains Maegan Griffin, NP, a nurse practitioner and the founder and CEO of Skin Pharm, a chain of cosmetic dermatology clinic, a place where literally everyone who works there has the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen.
NanoLeaf was generous enough to send me their LED Light Therapy Face Mask ($150) to try for this experiment. I decided to commit to wearing the mask three to four times a week for a month before deciding whether it was worth continuing.
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Courtesy Emily Laurence
According to a 2023 scientific study published in Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery, photobiomodulation (a fancy word for a form of red light therapy) can reduce wrinkles by up to 30%.
“Red light therapy can support collagen production by stimulating fibroblasts in the skin. Over time, this can improve skin texture, firmness and the appearance of fine lines. The changes are subtle and cumulative, but meaningful when used consistently,” Griffin explains.
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There is early scientific evidence showing that beaming red light onto the skin reduces oxidative stress, lowers inflammation, supports DNA repair mechanisms and stimulates collagen production, which is what keeps skin looking plump and youthful.
Griffin says that red light therapy masks can help soften the appearance of existing wrinkles and also slow the development of new ones by improving overall skin quality. But she emphasizes that they’re not powerful enough to replace in-clinic treatments like neuromodulators, lasers, microneedling or biostimulators. “I view it as a maintenance tool: helpful for supporting results, but not delivering structural change on its own,” she tells Parade. She adds that masks are a tool and take time to work; they’re not an overnight fix.
Just like other beauty products and devices, Griffin stresses that not all red light therapy masks are worth shelling out for. When shopping for a red light therapy mask, she says to look for ones with FDA clearance, give full-face coverage and are comfortable. She also says to pay attention to the wavelengths it gives. “Red and near-infrared are key for collagen support. Blue light can be helpful for acne-prone skin,” she explains.
The Nanoleaf LED Light Therapy Mask has a range of wavelengths so it can be tailored to one’s skincare needs. Besides red light, it has five other wavelength colors too. Just like eating healthy and exercising, Griffin says that consistency matters if you really want to see a noticeable difference in your skin when using a red light therapy mask. She recommends wearing one for 10 to 20 minutes, three to five days a week.
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My Experience Trying an LED Red Light Therapy Mask
After getting my mask in the mail, the first step was to charge it using the USB cable it came with. I spent some time reading the user manual about the benefits of the different wavelengths. For example, the mask’s green light setting helps even out skin tone and can tone down redness and hyperpigmentation, while the mask’s blue light is beneficial for reducing acne breakouts.
Even with the different options, I was still most interested in the red light. I wanted that collagen boost and to slow down the appearance of wrinkles. Now that I knew which wavelength I wanted to try and my mask was fully charged, I was ready to go.
The mask has Velcro straps and it fit comfortably around my head. There is a small remote attached to a wire on the mask, which is used to control the settings and set the time. You can choose how intense you want the light to be too.
I stuck with the default timer of 10 minutes. Then, the mask fired up, beaming its powerful red light all over my face. I went downstairs to watch TV with my husband. My cat took one look at me and was absolutely terrified, scurrying off the couch to hide. I think it scared my husband a little, too. After the 10 minutes were over, the lights shut off, and I took the mask off.
It may have looked goofy, but I appreciated that I could wear the mask while doing other things, like watching TV, scrolling on my phone or working at my computer. Besides, it was only 10 minutes. This made it easy to keep up with my goal of wearing it three to four times a week. I made a routine of wearing it after showering or washing my face at night. I figured it might work better if all I had on my face was a little moisturizer instead of a full face of makeup.
Maybe it was a placebo effect, but just two weeks into my red light therapy mask routine, I already saw a small, but noticeable difference in my skin; the age spots on my face looked slightly less visible. It was enough to motivate me to keep using the mask regularly the rest of the month.
Courtesy Emily Laurence
Now that it’s been a full month, the main difference I’ve noticed is still the age spots fading. I haven’t noticed my skin looking any less wrinkly, but I also don’t have very pronounced wrinkles (yet!). The difference in my skin is slight; I notice it, but I don’t think anyone else would. Still, I believe in the science behind red light therapy and that it’s working to slow how soon wrinkles will appear on my face.
I think Griffin is right in that an LED red light therapy mask can be a useful tool, but it’s likely not going to have the same impact of cosmetic dermatology treatments. But knowing the different options that exist to support my skin as I age makes turning 40 just a little less scary.
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Sources:
Maegan Griffin, NP, nurse practitioner and the founder and CEO of Skin PharmRocha Mota, L., da Silva Duarte, I., Rodrigues Galache, T., et al. (2023). Photobiomodulation Reduces Periocular Wrinkle Volume by 30%: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery. 41(2):48-56Couturaud, V., Le Fur, M., Pelletier, M. (2023). Reverse skin aging signs by red light photobiomodulation.Skin Research and Technology. 29(7):e13391Hence then, the article about are red light therapy masks worth it my honest thoughts after trying it for 30 days was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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