It’s no secret that once we hit 40, our skin starts going through some pretty rough changes. Those pesky crow’s feet around our eyes seem to appear out of nowhere, once-cute freckles are now joined by larger age spots and suddenly we have frown lines, smile lines and lip lines. Argh! Sure, there are creams and serums and other skincare heroes that can help, but cutting-edge research suggests a new way to treat skin issues: red and blue light therapy. Both are forms of light-emitting diode (LED) photodynamic therapy used in skin treatments to address several concerns, from skin rejuvenation to acne. Counted on by dermatologists and now featured in a host of at-home LED masks and gadgets, red and blue light therapy are each quickly gaining reputations as powerful skin boosters—and according to studies, they could even help your hair too. Here’s what we know about each one and how they can help you.
What exactly is light therapy?
Both red and blue light therapy are a type of photodynamic therapy, meaning they use light in different wavelengths of the color spectrum to penetrate the skin. You may also see them referred to as low-level laser light therapy, cold laser therapy, biostimuation therapy, or photobiomodulation therapy. Ryan Turner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, calls them “an established part of a number of dermatologists’ treatment protocols.”
But thankfully, while they’re widely used by doctors in-office, red and blue light therapy isn’t constricted to office treatments. Nowadays, there are hundreds of LED therapy devices and masks you can buy and use yourself at home as a weekly or even daily treatment.
How does red light therapy work?
According to Connie Yang, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at PFRANKMD by Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, “Red light penetrates down to the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate a variety of pathways that are involved in healing and rejuvenation. More specifically, it can help stimulate mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, to produce more energy for cells to renew and repair themselves.”
Benefits of red light therapy
Red light can help regrow hair
Research shows that red light therapy could be a great help to anyone concerned about thinning hair. In fact, a 2021 study in the Annals of Dermatology showed that red light stimulated hair follicles affected by the notoriously hard-to-treat androgenetic alopecia. One red light brand, HairMax, has found in their seven clinical studies that their red light products have a 90% success rate in improving hair density.
Red light can reduce fine lines
When it comes to skin, red light therapy can be beneficial in smoothing fine lines as well as calming down irritation. “Red light therapy is often used to reduce skin inflammation, improve tissue regeneration and treat burns,” Dr. Turner explains. Studies show that red light therapy increases collagen production. Says Dr. Turner: “This may improve skin texture, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin’s overall health.”
Red light therapy in-office treatments and costs
Some of the common treatments done in office using red-light therapy:
- Anti-aging and skin rejuvenation: Red light therapy is often used for its potential benefits in stimulating collagen production and improving skin texture and elasticity. It may help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots.
- Scar reduction: Red light therapy may be used to improve the appearance of scars, including acne scars or surgical scars. It can help in remodeling collagen fibers and reducing the redness or pigmentation associated with scars.
- Hair restoration: Some dermatologists offer red light therapy as a way to treat hair loss and thinning hair.
- Rosacea treatment: Red light therapy is sometimes used to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with rosacea.
In-office, red light therapy is also sometimes paired with laser therapies like fractional resurfacing or intense pulsed light (IPL), or a procedure like microneedling with radiofrequency. “Using these together may help speed up the recovery process of the treatment used as part of the immediate aftercare,” explains Dr. Turner, since red light therapy can help with wound healing.
What you can expect in office: Depending on the treatment and need, patients sit with the treatment area under the red lights up to three times per week for 15 to 30 minutes. Dr. Yang insists it’s not painful and comes with no downtime. The number of sessions needed varies from patient to patient, but, she says, “best results are seen after several months of treatment.” According to RealSelf, the average cost in the end is $669.
How does blue light therapy work?
Blue light treatments look and feel the same as red light therapy—except that they are done with blue light, which has a different frequency that yields different results.
Benefits of blue light therapy
Blue light can treat acne
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgery, while it is known to have several benefits, what it gets the most attention for is targeting the oil glands and reducing the amount of sebum the skin produces, which can reduce acne breakouts in those with oily skin. You may experience adult acne and breakouts throughout perimenopause and menopause, so blue light therapy could potentially be a way to help your skin.
Blue light therapy can regrow hair
Blue light has been shown to have a positive effect on hair growth, like red light therapy. In fact, one study done on patients with alopecia found that when used twice a week for ten consecutive weeks, an increase in hair density and hair shaft width was recorded in 90% of patients, with “photographic improvement” noted in 80%. However, there was one side effect: In some cases, it darkened the hair.
Blue light therapy can calm inflamed skin
This light has a shorter wavelength and higher frequency than red light, so it has a different impact on the skin. But like red light therapy, research shows blue light is anti-inflammatory, which can make it helpful for chronic skin diseases like atopic dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.
Blue light can treat skin cancer
Used in-office, blue light therapy can treat some kinds of skin cancer and precancerous spots called actinic keratoses, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Blue light therapy in office treatments and costs
There are a number of ways doctors use blue light therapy in office. How much the treatments cost varies greatly between the type of treatment and the sessions needed, with estimates ranging from $40 per session to $1,000+ for a full package of sessions several times per week.
Just a few of the in-office treatments include:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT): This is one of the most common uses of blue light therapy as it’s used to treat various skin conditions including acne, actinic keratosis (precancerous skin lesions) and some forms of skin cancer.
- Acne treatment: It can help reduce the number of acne lesions, inflammation and the presence of acne-causing bacteria.
- Wound healing: Blue light therapy has shown promise in promoting wound healing and reducing the risk of infection.
Besides concerns about vision, there’s also some worry about blue light’s long-term safety since there is no research showing its long-term effects on the skin. Why the concern? Dr. Yang explains, “Blue light can be both harmful and helpful depending on the intensity and exact wavelength.” She adds, “Higher energy blue light can increase DNA damage and photoaging.”
However, Dr. Turner says, “When performed under the guidance of a healthcare professional, blue light therapy can be an effective and safe treatment for specific skin conditions. Safety and use are contingent upon factors such as wavelength, power, the number of treatments and the duration of the therapy.”
Tips for choosing the best red and blue light therapy devices
For red light therapy: While not as powerful as the kind you see in a dermatologist’s office, many fans say that at-home red light devices shave years off their complexion and help make their skin look smoother. The full-face masks can cost around $350 and up—that’s much less than shelling out for multiple visits to the dermatologist and you can continue using the devices indefinitely. But with the influx of wands (for small areas like smile lines) and masks featuring red light in recent years, knowing what to try can feel overwhelming.
Dr. Yang’s advice: “When shopping for an at-home device, safety is the top priority. Make sure to look for a reputable manufacturer backed by experts.” Another thing you can expect: A hefty price tag, as the quality of the light for red light products and its separation from other frequencies is key. And while you should follow the instructions on the gadget you choose, note that you should plan to use them several times a week to daily for 10+ minutes.
For blue light therapy: Some research spurs concern that exposing blue light to your eyes may contribute to age-related macular degeneration and other vision problems, which is why wearing protective goggles (like the kind you wear in tanning booths) is advised when doing blue light therapy.