Many manufacturers would have you ever imagine that you may strap a glowing, Michael Myers–esque masks onto your face, loosen up beneath the covers for 10 minutes (or much less!), and rejoice as your fantastic strains and wrinkles change into as distant a reminiscence as your childhood Tamagotchi. As soon as solely accessible in dermatologist workplaces and med spas, purple and LED mild remedy gadgets have change into more and more accessible for the typical skincare fanatic over the previous few years, due to at-home gadgets like masks and transportable wands.

However do these devices actually work in addition to medical remedies? Right here’s the lowdown, straight from board-certified dermatologists.

What’s LED mild remedy?

First, a fast science lesson: LED (light-emitting diode) mild remedy makes use of completely different wavelengths of seen mild—every of which reveals up as a special coloration—to deal with varied pores and skin situations.

Pink mild remedy is often used to scale back widespread indicators of getting older, like fantastic strains and wrinkles, Helyn Alvarez, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas, tells SELF. In accordance with Dr. Alvarez, when purple mild is absorbed by the pores and skin cells it may well additionally assist scale back irritation, lighten age spots, and stimulate collagen and elastin manufacturing; this not solely could make the pores and skin look firmer and plumper, however may also help with wound and scar therapeutic too.

There’s analysis to assist these advantages: A small group of white girls seen much less indicators of getting older over the course of some months after utilizing a purple mild masks for 12 minutes, twice every week.

Blue mild, in the meantime, which doesn’t penetrate the pores and skin as deeply as purple mild, can be utilized to combat breakouts. “Micro organism that causes zits sits on the dermis—[or outer layer]—of the pores and skin,” says Dr. Alvarez. Once more, analysis appears to again her up: A 2021 systematic evaluation within the journal Sensors famous enhancements in some sorts of zits blemishes, however extra managed, randomized research are wanted to say for positive if blue mild may also help clear your pores and skin.

Do at-home purple mild remedy gadgets work?

Dr. Alvarez says that you may certainly get outcomes from an at-home mild remedy masks or wand, these instruments simply received’t be as potent as the larger, dearer LED gadgets at a dermatologist’s workplace. And, you could select a tool with a confirmed monitor report.

What do you have to search for whereas looking for a purple mild skincare system?

There are a ton of purple mild gadgets in the marketplace proper now—with some as low cost as $25 on Amazon—however they’re not all created equal. Crucial spec to bear in mind when evaluating fashions is whether or not it’s been cleared by the US Meals and Drug Administration (FDA), Regine Mathieu, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Behr Laser and Pores and skin Care Middle in Fresno, California, tells SELF. “That is important to confirm that security measures have been taken to make sure that these gadgets should not inflicting any hurt to customers,” she says. (That stated, pregnant or breastfeeding people are usually suggested in opposition to utilizing purple mild remedy. You must also steer clear when you have a photo-sensitive autoimmune dysfunction like lupus, have a thyroid illness, or have energetic pores and skin most cancers, in response to Dr. Alvarez. Ask your physician earlier than utilizing.)

Whereas FDA sign-off ensures a tool’s security, it doesn’t essentially imply the product does the whole lot it claims to. To know if a tool is efficient, Dr. Alvarez says to examine if its producer has completed any peer-reviewed medical research or trials: “Can they again up that it really does what it says it does?” It’s one factor for a model to say a tool helps scale back wrinkles—it’s one other factor if they’ve the information to show it.