Shining a magenta light on your face to tame acne sounds like more of a gimmick than science.
But it turns out products likeNeutrogenas Light Therapy Maskmay actually be effective, although they arent for everyone.
For example,in-office treatmentsare available with strong lights and a sensitizing medication.
But there are also devices approved for home use that work on the same principles.
Its competitors include the likes of theOCimple Light Therapy System at $299and theOmnilux Clear-U at $195.
So are these devices actually worth your money?
Theydont do anythingfor whiteheads, blackheads, or cystic acne.
And yes, this really is just colored light.
There are no UV rays involved.
So far, thats a blackhead or a whitehead.
Not everybody overproduces oil or mounts such an aggressive immune reactionbut if thats you, youve got acne.
So in that sense, its legit.
But how much will it really help you, personally?
Thats harder to answer.
Some showed results within a week, they say.
The company hasnt released the full results of this study, so plenty of questions remain.
For example, we dont know howmuchthose people improved.
Overall, the evidence for light therapy isthere, but not super strong.
Both studies were on in-office treatments twice a week.
Theres no guarantee that at-home devices will give the same results.
Still, the dermatologists we spoke to believe that light therapy is probably at least somewhat effective.
Dont think [a home gear is] the same thing, but itisdoing something, says Dr. Alster.
How Does a Light Mask Stack Up Against Alternatives?
On the bright side, there are no serious side effects of the lights.
Several of the people who reviewed it said they used the time to meditate.
Or you could use light therapyandother treatments, and presumably reap the benefits of both.
Red and blue light treatments cover two out of three.
