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9 Best Red Light Therapy Devices of 2025, According to Derms
If you’re unfamiliar with the best red light therapy devices, their results mimic the kind of skin treatments you can usually only get in a dermatologist’s office. It’s true: Strapping on a glowing mask that looks like something straight out of a horror movie (very Michael Myers coded) is actually an effective way to smooth fine lines and even out your skin’s texture and tone.
These masks and wands are easy to use from the comfort of your own couch and can provide results in a matter of weeks. For more on what you can expect from them—and which ones truly are the best—keep scrolling.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: Shark CryoGlow, $350
- Runner-Up: Omnilux Contour Face, $395
- Best Splurge: Foreo FAQ 202, $799
- Best with Bonus Features: Therabody TheraFace PRO, $420
- Best for Texture: PMD Clean Redvolution Red LED Facial Device, $229
- Best Cordless Mask: HigherDose Red Light Face Mask, $349
- Best for Uneven Skin Tone: Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, $455
- Best for Targeted Treatments: Qure Skincare Light Therapy Mask, $329
- Best for Travel: LightStim for Wrinkles, $249
In this article
Shop the best at-home red light therapy devices
We’ve rounded up the top options for home use from brands like Omnilux, Shark, and Dr. Dennis Gross.
Best Overall: Shark CryoGlow
The Shark CryoGlow offers just the right amount of customizability, with three treatment modes: Skin Aging helps firm skin and reduce fine lines, Skin Clearing prevents acne, and Skin Sustain builds brightness. There’s also an Under-Eye Revive setting that cools and depuffs the eye area—you can use it with any of the other modes.
We’re obsessed with how simple it is: “This face mask demystifies the at-home LED routine in such a user-friendly way,” SELF’s commerce director, Shanna Shipin, says. She adds that it’s comfortable to wear, thanks to its easily adjustable straps. But her favorite part? “You can select from various routines and durations, and the mask keeps track of it for you!” she says. “It has easy to follow instructions and a clear timer.”
I agree with Shipin—I tested another red light mask a while ago that totally put me off because it wasn’t comfortable to wear or intuitive to use. Then, I tried Shark’s CryoGlow and had a completely different experience. I used the Skin Aging mode and the under-eye cooling setting every night for eight weeks and loved it. It felt like a spa treatment, and I looked forward to it at the end of a long day.
At the end of the testing period, I noticed less redness in my cheeks, and my skin tone looked more even. I’m 29 and don’t have fine lines or a lack of firmness, so the mask was more about preventing signs of aging—and I’ll definitely be bringing it back into my nightly routine.
The mask’s Skin Clearing mode offers blue light that has been proven to prevent and reduce breakouts (more on this later!).
How the brand tested this product
In a clinical study conducted by the brand, 59 subjects used the Skin Clearing mode once a day for 12 weeks. The brand reports that the mask improved participants’ acne and provided smoother, clearer skin after the first four weeks. In a similar study, 60 participants used the Better Aging mode once per day. After that testing period, the brand says users saw 34% more radiant skin, 20% firmer skin, and 23% reduction in redness in eight weeks.
Light modes: Red, infrared, blue | Treatment time: 4 to 15 minutes, depending on treatment | Number of lights: 480 | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: 2 years | Other features and accessories: Cooling under-eye patches, drawstring pouch
Runner-Up: Omnilux Contour Face
Omnilux’s red light masks have long been SELF favorites (the Omnilux Clear won a Healthy Beauty Award in 2022). The brand’s Contour Face mask scores points with two of the dermatologists we spoke with, thanks to its flat, pliable design and dual wavelengths.
This mask features red and infrared lights that can “target both superficial and deep layers of the skin to ensure that its users are getting great anti-aging benefits, as well as firming and plumping the skin,” Regine Mathieu, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Behr Laser and Skin Care Center in Fresno, California, tells SELF. Plus, the mask is opaque, giving your skin the best chance to absorb as many of those benefits as possible, as SELF senior commerce editor Sarah Felbin points out.
She also likes that the Contour Face’s eyes and nose cutouts sit comfortably around her facial features, and that it has two adjustable straps for an even closer fit.She likes to wear it while watching TV or reading on her Kindle Paperwhite, passing time while her skin gets a pick-me-up. “I’ve noticed brighter skin, and some of my regular dark spots are starting to fade,” she says. “I only need to use it for 10 minutes—it’s my new favorite way to wind down at the end of a long day!”
How the brand tested this product
During a clinical study, 96% of Omnilux Contour Face users said their fine lines were less visible after 12 treatments, 95% reported brighter and plumper skin after four weeks, and 98% saw firmer skin after four weeks.
Light modes: Red and near-infrared | Treatment time: 10 minutes | Number of lights: 132 | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: 2 years | Other features and accessories: Carrying bag
Best Splurge: Foreo FAQ 202
If an LED mask isn’t comfortable, there’s no way you’ll want to put it on every day—but it’s essential to keep up with treatments to see a difference in your skin. That’s why we have to give praise to this Foreo mask: It’s pricey, but it gets the job done with zero complaints from our tester.
“This face mask has to be the most comfortable and flexible I’ve ever tried,” says Lexi Herrick, SELF’s senior director of audience. “It actually forms to my face and feels weightless.” It has 5 pre-programmed treatments, which takes the guesswork out of each session, and some are as short as five minutes. Plus, it really delivers on its claims, Herrick says: “The brightening treatment is my favorite, as it gives my skin a quick refresh and glow and builds on that foundation over time.”
In addition to red, infrared, and blue light, the mask’s LED lights can also be set to green (intended to brighten dull skin), orange (designed to help skin texture), yellow (for redness), purple (to tackle hyperpigmentation), and cyan (meant to calm stressed skin). However, less research has been done on these additional colors of light.
How the brand tested this product
Foreo doesn’t provide information about any clinical testing they’ve done with the FAQ 202 on its website. We’ve reached out to the brand for comment, and we’ll update this article when we learn more.
Light modes: Near infrared, red, blue, green, orange, yellow, purple, cyan | Treatment time: Up to 15 minutes | Number of lights: 600 | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: 2 years | Other features and accessories: Display case, pouch
Best with Bonus Features: Therabody TheraFace Pro
We came for the red light therapy this Healthy Beauty Award–winning tool offers, but stayed for all of its other bells and whistles. It’s like a full facial in one tiny package, with all of its different modes and accessories. It comes with three percussive attachments for lymphatic drainage, a cleansing ring for a deeper scrub, a microcurrent ring and conductive gel for a lifted effect, and of course, light therapy modes (blue, red, and infrared) to tackle acne and fine lines. You can also purchase hot and cold ring attachments for soothing and depuffing inflammation, respectively.
“As someone who loves a gua sha massage (or any sculpting product, really), I was so excited to give the TheraFace Pro a go. I feel like the light really helped fade my acne scars, while my face was noticeably lifted after using the microcurrent attachment,” our Healthy Beauty Awards tester says. The best part? You can use the light therapy modes while simultaneously using the attachments (multi-tasking!).
How the brand tested this product
Therabody partnered with Media Lab Science to conduct a 12-week clinical study with 35 subjects. The participants used the red, blue, and red+infrared light therapies with the percussive attachments three times per week for six minutes, the microcurrent and cleansing attachments twice a week for six minutes, and all of the modes (including hot and cold therapy) once weekly for 45 minutes. At the end of the 12 weeks, 91% of participants saw improvements in fine lines around their eyes, 97% noticed improvements in deep wrinkles around their eyes, and 83% said their skin was more elastic.
Light modes: Red, infrared, and blue | Treatment time: N/A | Number of lights: N/A | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: 1 year | Other features and accessories: Carrying bag, stand
Best for Texture: PMD Clean Redvolution Red LED Facial Device
PMD
Clean Redvolution Red LED Facial Device
Like the TheraFace Pro, this two-in-one tool cleanses and delivers red light (but for around half the price). On one side of the brush head, soft silicone bristles vibrate 7,000 times per minute to gently lift away dirt, oil, and makeup, leaving your skin fresh and smooth. The other side has 19 red lights that firm and smooth your skin.
Felbin relies on this tool to get her skin squeaky clean without causing irritation: “I’m totally guilty of scrubbing at my face too hard to remove my makeup (especially waterproof mascara),” she says. “The PMD device forces me to be gentler with my skin, which I appreciate.” Then, she turns to light therapy for a quick boost. “I like that you can decide how long you want to use the red light setting for, from three to 20 minutes—sometimes, I just don’t have time in the morning to do my entire face, so I use the wand to focus on my problem areas (hi, T-zone).”
How the brand tested this product
PMD references clinical studies done by Mark Taylor, MD, a dermatologist and the founder of Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, but doesn’t share testing details on its site. We’ve reached out to the brand for specifics, and we’ll update this article when we learn more.
Light modes: Red | Treatment time: 3 to 20 minutes | Number of lights: 19 | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: 20 years | Other features and accessories: Storage case
Best Cordless Mask: HigherDose Red Light Face Mask
Higherdose
Red Light Face Mask
HigherDose provides red and near-infrared wavelengths via 66 bulbs studded across a soft, medical-grade silicone mask. It’s cordless and has larger eye holes than some other masks, so you can wear it while going about your morning routine.
SELF’s special projects director, Hannah Pasternak, tested this mask for about four months: “I went in really skeptical, honestly, as it felt like sitting in front of a reading lamp and saying that would improve my skin. But I was soon proved wrong,” she says. “I used it a few times a week for the recommended amount of time and thought my skin looked significantly brighter and more even—I had a glow about me.”
She says it became an integral part of her pregnancy self-care routine: “I was really sick the entire time, so it was restorative and luxurious to be able to lie in bed at night and listen to a guided meditation while I let the warm glow of the red light do its thing.”
How the brand tested this product
In an independent study conducted at the Validated Claim Support research center, 28 participants used the HigherDose mask for eight weeks. At the end, 82.1% saw a reduction in the overall appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and 92.9% said their facial skin felt firmer and smoother. Also worth noting: 92.9% noticed brighter skin immediately after use, and 85.7% noticed an improvement in the overall appearance of their skin.
Light modes: Red and near-infrared | Treatment time: 10 to 20 minutes | Number of lights: 132 | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: 1 year | Other features and accessories: N/A
Best for Uneven Skin Tone: Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
Dr. Dennis Gross
DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
Helyn Alvarez, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas, considers the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro to be the “gold standard” of LED face masks (along with our runner-up pick, the Omnilux Contour Face).
Like the Omnilux and HigherDose, the Dr. Dennis Gross mask provides both red and near-infrared wavelengths. But what sets it apart is the addition of a 605 nm amber wavelength, which helps with skin tone, and a 415 nm blue wavelength, which can calm active breakouts and fight off future acne. It may also help lighten any post-acne marks you have, for a more even complexion.
How the brand tested this product
Dr. Dennis Gross keeps its clinical studies confidential, except to say that 97% of users showed an improvement in fine lines, wrinkles and skin tone after 10 weeks, and 97% of users saw an improvement in acne after two weeks.
Light modes: Red and blue | Treatment time: 3 minutes | Number of lights: 100 | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: 1 year | Other features and accessories: N/A
Best for Targeted Treatments: Qure Skincare Light Therapy Mask
Qure Skincare
Skincare Light Therapy Mask
“The Qure LED Light Therapy Mask is great because it’s versatile,” says Dr. Mathieu—and she’s not kidding. First off: The Qure comes equipped with amber (for sun damage) and deep red (for inflammation and wrinkles) lights, along with the typical red, blue, and infrared.
Here’s where it stands out: You can use the mask’s companion app to select an area of your face and the light mode you want to treat that area with. So while you prevent breakouts on your chin with blue light, you can help smooth fine lines under your eyes with red light—yep, at the same time. Plus, the app sends helpful reminders when you’re due for your next session.
How the brand tested this product
Qure doesn’t disclose its clinical studies. However, it does report that 87% of users saw smoother facial wrinkles and fine lines after 12 weeks, 83% saw less inflammation and blemishes after eight weeks, and 91% noticed an enhanced skin tone after 12 weeks.
Light modes: Red, deep red, infrared, blue, and amber | Treatment time: 3 minutes | Number of lights: N/A | Wireless: Yes | Warranty: N/A | Other features and accessories: Hypochlorous acid mist
Best for Travel: LightStim for Wrinkles
Dr. Alvarez recommends the LightStim because “it’s small, lightweight, and good for spot treating,” she says.
The device’s diodes emit four different lights: light red, deep red, infrared, and amber. If you only want to treat certain areas of your face (say, some hyperpigmentation on your cheeks or enlarged pores in your T-zone), you can easily pop this over those areas for a three-minute session and move on with your day. Because it’s a handheld instead of a mask, you can even use it anywhere else on your body.
How the brand tested this product
LightStim doesn’t share details about its clinical studies. It does state that 100% of the participants involved in them saw significant improvement in their fine lines and wrinkles after eight weeks.
Light modes: Amber, light red, dark red, and infrared | Treatment time: 3 minutes per area | Number of lights: 72 | Wireless: No | Warranty: 5 years | Other features and accessories: Carrying case, sheet mask, serum
How we chose the best red light therapy devices
Skin care devices are an investment in both time and money, so we want to help you find the right one. To build this list, we consulted dermatologists about how these tools work and what makes a good one. SELF staffers also shared the LED masks they’ve been using (and loving) for a long time.
What is LED light therapy?
First, a quick science lesson: LED (light-emitting diode) light therapy uses different wavelengths of visible light—each of which shows up as a different color—to treat various skin conditions.
Red light therapy is typically used to reduce common signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles, Dr. Alvarez says. She adds that, when red light is absorbed by the skin cells, it can also help reduce inflammation, lighten age spots, and stimulate collagen and elastin production. (This last one has lots of benefits: It can make your skin look firmer and plumper while speeding up wound and scar healing.)
And there’s research to support these effects: A small group of white women noticed less signs of aging over the course of a few months after using a red light mask for 12 minutes, twice a week.
Do at-home red light therapy devices work?
Dr. Alvarez says that you can indeed get results from an at-home light therapy mask or wand. These tools just won’t be as potent as the bigger, more expensive LED devices at a dermatologist’s office. And, you need to choose a device with a proven track record.
What should you look for while shopping for a red light skin care device?
There are a ton of red light devices on the market right now—with some as cheap as $25 on Amazon—but they’re not all created equal. The most important spec to keep in mind when comparing models is whether they’ve been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Mathieu says. “This is vital to verify that safety measures have been taken to ensure that these devices are not causing any harm to users,” she says.
(That said, pregnant or breastfeeding folks are typically advised against using red light therapy. You should also steer clear if you have a photo-sensitive autoimmune disorder like lupus, have a thyroid disease, or have active skin cancer, according to Dr. Alvarez. Ask your doctor before using.)
While FDA sign-off ensures a device’s safety, it doesn’t necessarily mean the product does everything it claims to. To know if a device is effective, Dr. Alvarez says to check if its manufacturer has done any peer-reviewed clinical studies or trials: “Can they back up that it actually does what it says it does?” It’s one thing for a brand to say a device helps reduce wrinkles—it’s another thing if they have the data to prove it.
Dr. Alvarez says that certain wavelengths of red light are recommended to address different concerns, so you should check to make sure you choose the right tool for the job.“[Wavelengths of 630 to 680 nm] are the sweet spot for helping with anti-aging, pigmentary discrepancies, and overall health of the skin,” she says.
Longer wavelengths (750 to 1100 nm) are considered infrared light. These rays “penetrate deeper into the skin [than red light] and help with inflammation,” Dr. Alvarez adds. They’re split into three categories: Near, middle, and far infrared light. Many devices include both red and infrared wavelengths, though some, like the popular Solawave wand, only include the 630 nm wavelength.
Red light addresses multiple skin concerns: Its waves “stimulate the mitochondria, which is the energy center within each cell,” Jared Jagdeo, MD, founding director of the center for photomedicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and chief medical officer of Ever/Body cosmetic dermatology spa in New York City, previously told SELF. As a result, it can boost collagen production, reduce inflammation and pigmentation, and relieve redness, he says.
Blue light doesn’t penetrate the skin as deeply as red light does, but it can be used to fight breakouts (usually in tandem with red light). “Bacteria that causes acne sits on the epidermis—[or outer layer]—of the skin,” says Dr. Alvarez. Research seems to back her up: A 2025 issue of the journal Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) states that the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and photobiomodulation properties of blue light make it a versatile and promising tool for dermatological conditions. But larger-scale, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine blue light’s efficacy.
Some masks offer additional LED colors, like green or purple, to treat various other skin ailments, although less research is available on these compared to red and blue light.
Finally, says Dr. Mathieu, consider which type of device you’ll be most likely to make a consistent part of your skin care routine. While handheld or wand-like red light devices may be more cost effective and portable, they do require more active effort than a mask you can strap on and kick back with while chilling on the couch.
How long will it take to see results with an at-home device?
Consistency is key, stresses Dr. Mathieu. With two to three sessions per week, ranging in time from 10 to 20 minutes (check your device’s instructions), she says users will start noticing “some improvement” within a few weeks, depending on the skin concern they’re trying to address. “For the best results, it usually takes a few months of consistent use to yield the benefits,” she says.
As with many skin treatments, more is not necessarily better, Dr. Mathieu cautions. “There is a balance between yielding the benefits and irritating the skin, so it’s really important to follow the recommended regimen,” she says.
Our experts
- Regine Mathieu, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Behr Laser and Skin Care Center in Fresno, California
- Helyn Alvarez, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas
- Jared Jagdeo, MD, founding director of the center for photomedicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and chief medical officer of Ever/Body cosmetic dermatology spa in New York City
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