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While using a magenta light on your skin to treat acne might sound like a gimmick, products such as Neutrogena’s Light Therapy Mask could actually have a real impact. However, they might not be suitable for everyone.
Experts like Dr. Carolyn Jacob from Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology and Dr. Tina Alster, who is the Director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery and a clinical professor at Georgetown University Hospital, confirm that light therapy is an approved acne treatment. Strong in-office lights paired with medication exist, but there are also home-use devices that utilize similar methods.
Neutrogena’s Light Therapy Mask isn't the first at-home device to receive approval for acne treatment, but it’s certainly one of the more affordable options, priced at just $35. Competing products like the O’Cimple Light Therapy System ($299) and the Omnilux Clear-U ($195) might make you wonder: Are they worth the investment? The answer varies.
Blue light targets specific bacteria, while red light works to reduce inflammation.
Red and blue light therapy can effectively treat pimples, particularly the raised red spots. However, they don't help with whiteheads, blackheads, or cystic acne. It's important to note that the treatment uses only colored light, with no UV rays involved.
To grasp how light therapy benefits acne, we first need to understand how acne develops. Initially, your skin produces excess oil, which clogs pores along with dead skin cells. This leads to blackheads or whiteheads. The next stage occurs when bacteria begin feeding on the debris in the pore, prompting your immune system to react. This process often results in painful red spots. While not everyone experiences such severe oil production or immune responses, those who do are more likely to develop acne.
Red light therapy appears to suppress your immune system's response, reducing redness, pain, and swelling in pimples. On the other hand, blue light specifically targets a type of bacteria called Propionobacterium acnes, which is naturally found on our skin. While it’s harmless on the surface, it contributes to the inflammation when it consumes the trapped oil in clogged pores. These bacteria contain compounds known as porphyrins, and exposure to intense blue light can trigger these compounds to release oxygen free radicals, which destroy the bacteria from within.
At-home light therapy is not a cure-all and won't work miracles.
Blue light does kill P. acnes in test tubes, and many studies show that red, blue, or combined lights can help reduce the severity of acne in real people. So, in that regard, it’s effective. However, how much it will actually benefit you personally is harder to determine.
Neutrogena conducted a study using its mask, and claims that 98 percent of participants experienced “fewer breakouts” after using it for 12 weeks. Some saw improvements within a week, they report. However, the company has not shared the full results, leaving some questions unanswered. For example, the degree of improvement for participants is unknown, and since there was no control group, we can’t know whether these results are better than those from people who didn’t use the mask or chose a different treatment like a benzoyl peroxide cream.
Overall, the evidence supporting light therapy exists but isn’t overwhelmingly strong. A Cochrane review from 2016 examined 71 studies on various types of light therapy for acne and concluded that “it was not clear whether the light therapies in the studies had a beneficial effect.”
Neutrogena shared two studies on human trials to back up their claims: one published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy found an 81 percent reduction in zits after 12 weeks, and another from Lasers in Surgery and Medicine showed a 78 percent improvement after eight weeks. Both studies involved in-office treatments twice a week.
There's no certainty that at-home devices will produce identical results. However, the dermatologists we consulted believe that light therapy is likely at least somewhat effective. Dr. Alster mentions, “Don’t think [a home device is] the same thing, but it is doing something.”
How Does a Light Mask Compare to Other Options?
Neutrogena’s mask might seem inexpensive at $35, but after 30 uses, the battery pack must be replaced at an additional cost of $15. They claim this is necessary to maintain consistent power, which is logical since it's a medical device tested under controlled conditions. However, this means a 12-week treatment will cost $75 (including the initial mask purchase), and if used daily throughout the year, it adds up to over $200 annually. In-office treatments would be more expensive, but a tube of benzoyl peroxide costs about five dollars.
On the positive side, there are no major side effects from the lights. Since they don’t emit UV wavelengths, there’s no concern about skin damage. The dermatologists we spoke to couldn’t identify any significant health risks from using the mask or similar at-home devices. From accounts of individuals who have used the mask, it seems that the most bothersome aspect is simply sitting with it for ten minutes each day. The eye window is small, limiting what you can do during the session. Several users reported meditating during the treatment. That’s not a bad thing, but you can meditate for free while using face washes and over-the-counter creams to treat your acne.
Benzoyl peroxide may be just as effective; one study in the British Journal of Dermatology found that the cream worked nearly as well as office-based light therapy. Dr. Alster notes that while benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and other topical acne treatments can dry or irritate the skin, a key benefit of the lights is that they offer a non-irritating option for people with sensitive skin. Alternatively, you can combine light therapy and other treatments, potentially gaining the benefits of both.
We don’t fully understand why some people experience more severe acne than others, Dr. Jacob explains. However, the primary approaches to treating acne involve reducing oil production, eliminating bacteria, and minimizing inflammation. Red and blue light therapies address two of these factors. Washing your face can help manage oil, and both dermatologists emphasized that there are various medications and treatments available if your acne is severe enough to require professional care.
