The Top 3 Acne Light Therapy Devices Available Right Now
It seems like every skincare company is taking advantage of the trend toward light therapy.
If you’ve searched for light therapy devices to treat your acne, you know the enormous variety of products on the market right now. They come in all shapes and sizes, making a wide array of claims at a dizzying number of price points.
But not all acne light therapy devices are created equal, and some don’t have the power or the technology to really get results.
How can you tell the difference? Here we provide our rundown of the top 3 acne light therapy devices available today.
How Does Light Therapy Interact With Acne?
Light therapy works by isolating certain wavelengths (colors) of light from the light spectrum and shining them on the body to produce beneficial responses at a cellular level. Skin conditions respond particularly well since the light doesn’t have to penetrate very far beneath the surface to have an effect.
Various colors of light play different therapeutic roles. Red and blue light wavelengths used in tandem seem to work best when it comes to acne.
Blue light therapy is antimicrobial and works by killing the harmful acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes. While the presence of P. acnes on skin is normal, when it combines with excess oil, dead skin, and clogged pores, it results in the red, inflamed pimples we all know so well.
Red light therapy produces a wide variety of helpful effects that scientists believe stem largely from its ability to stimulate cellular energy production. Red light therapy reduces inflammation, encourages healing, minimizes scarring, and rejuvenates skin at its most basic level.
Combined, blue and red light therapy also work together to decrease sebum (oil) production in the face, leaving less opportunity for clogged facial pores.
Top 3 Acne Light Therapy Devices
There are many high-quality acne light therapy devices on the market, and making a choice can seem overwhelming. To help, here are our top 3 acne light therapy device picks.
Device #1: The Luminance RED – ClearBeam Acne Device
The Luminance RED – ClearBeam Acne Device is an FDA-cleared device designed for acne spot treatment. Simply hold the device up to a blemish after you’ve cleaned and dried your face, and it delivers 90 seconds of medically optimized wavelengths of blue light to kill the bacteria inside your pimple, followed by 90 seconds of red light to decrease inflammation and promote healing.
Priced at $349, the Luminance RED – ClearBeam Acne Device comes with a fiberoptic light tip, a charging base, and a power cord. ClearBeam recommends using the device twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. According to a case study on the website, the device works quickly, healing or significantly improving 77% of pimples within 24 hours.
Device #2: Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
Dr. Dennis Gross is a big name in dermatology and skincare today, and the DRx SpectraLite Faceware Pro is fairly popular. Vogue even mentioned the SpectraLite Pro as a recommended acne light therapy device and shared a testimonial from actress Rachel Zegler, who uses the mask.
At $435, the DRx SpectraLite Faceware Pro is an FDA-cleared strap-on mask that treats the entire face at one time. The SpectraLite has three modes: red light therapy, blue light therapy, and combination red and blue light therapy. Its hands-free design means you can wear it while doing other things, and the strap is silicon and adjustable, ensuring a comfortable fit.
The SpectraLite Pro has a three-minute treatment time and automatically shuts off when treatment is complete. It comes with 100 red and 62 blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) embedded in the skin-facing side of the mask.
Device #3: LightStim for Acne
The most affordable of our top 3 acne light therapy devices is the FDA-cleared LightStim for Acne, priced at $169. LightStim devices became famous through their use on the Netflix show, Skin Decision.
LightStim for Acne is a handheld device that looks a bit like a miniature showerhead. It isn’t meant for precision spot treatment, but neither does it treat the whole face like a mask would. Instead, it delivers blue and red light to specific areas of the face with each treatment.
The LightStim comes with a sheet mask and a beauty case for the device. Treatments last for three minutes, and a beep reminds you to end treatment or switch to another area of your face. According to their website, LightStim improves acne in the first two to four weeks of use.
More Acne Products
If you’re interested in learning about other light therapy products for skin care and acne treatment, check out some of our other posts: