I Treated My Skin to At-Home LED Light Therapy for 4 Weeks, and the ‘Before and After’ Photos Are So Impressive

It’s not hard to sway me on a new skin-care device. Professional-grade treatments are notoriously pricey, and can amount to as much as my rent if done on a semi-consistent basis. So anything that promises in-office results from home, at a fraction of the cost, is a no-brainer. It’s staying consistent that’s the problem—just ask the gua sha, microcurrent device, and facial wand collecting dust in my bathroom drawer.

This made Skin Gym’s Wrinklit LED Face Mask ($69) all the more appealing. The wireless, shield face mask delivers red, blue, and yellow LED light therapies to address various skin concerns—from redness and fine lines to acne and general dullness—all you need to do is wear it for 15 minutes a day, three times a week. I had tried red light therapy during a facial before, and was immediately game to give the Wrinklit LED Mask a shot.

But first: What’s LED light therapy?

LED stands for “light emitting diode,” and it’s been used in spas and derm offices for years as a means to rejuvenate skin. “LED light therapy is a non-invasive treatment involving the use of specific wavelengths of non-thermal light to permeate the skin at different depths in order to promote healing and skin and help cells and tissues grow,” explains licensed esthetician Shani Hillian.

“Blue light affects the uppermost layer of your skin whereas yellow light penetrates deeper and red light travels deepest into your skin.” Red light is the go-to for boosting collagen and reducing inflammation. “We use it to firm skin and lessen the appearance of fine lines,” explains Loretta Ciraldo MD FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist with over 40 years experience, and founder of Dr. Loretta Skincare. “Blue light destroys cells. We use it to kill the bacteria that cause acne.” While yellow light helps support collagen production and touts “wound healing” benefits.

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Set up and first impressions

Immediately upon receiving, I plugged my Wrinklit Mask in to charge—it uses a micro-USB cable (that’s included, BTW) making it easy to charge from your laptop or anywhere with a USB outlet. After about 2-3-ish hours, it was ready to go. I put it on before bed, after going through my nightly skin-care routine. And with no wires, straps, or fasteners to contend with, the mask couldn’t be easier to wear. It even has glasses legs and a thoughtful nose bridge to keep it in place for a comfortable fit. With its large opening around the eyes, you don’t have to sit idle during your treatment either, which is a huge plus.

Read, watch your favorite show, or send that last email—whatever you’re doing, the Wrinklit’s fuss-free design makes it a dream for multitaskers. A tap on the single power button turns the mask on and off, and lets you maneuver through red, blue, and yellow light. Once it’s on, the mask will automatically shut off after the allotted 15 minutes. So you get all the benefits of LED light therapy without really having to think about it.

Day 1 

As a frame of reference, I have combination skin, and a smattering of developing fine lines around my forehead with more pronounced “eleven” lines between my brows. Due to a chaotic sleep schedule at the beginning of the month, my skin was looking pretty sallow and dull, and I was even nursing a couple of stress-induced blemishes for good measure. I decided that the red light mode would be the one to address my medley of skin concerns, and was excited to see what the Wrinklit Mask would do.

On night one, I turned my mask on and laid in bed for 15 minutes with my eyes closed while listening to a podcast. I didn’t expect any results immediately after my first treatment, but scurried to the mirror nonetheless to survey my skin. After seeing no discernible difference, I went to bed. Per the Skin Gym instructions, I’d go on to wear my Wrinklit Mask 3 times a week in 15 minute sessions for the rest of the month.

Day 14

After two weeks, I was feeling like a champ for my consistent use of the Wrinklit Mask. I kept it on my nightstand, and its super functional design made it a simple addition to my nightly routine so far. Admittedly, though, it was hard to pin down any noticeable changes in my skin. My stress pimples were beginning to scab over, which was a win, but that was about it. However, the ritual of wearing the Wrinklit LED face mask three nights a week felt like a treat in and of itself. And while I was psyched to multitask with it at first, after week 1, I was fully on board to take the 15 minutes as “wind down” period in bed with a podcast or audiobook.

Day 28

After using the Wrinklit LED Mask for nearly 4 weeks, I was beginning to notice some changes. For starters, those pesky stress blemishes had fully healed and disappeared—and while I’d normally expect a pimple to be healed well within a month, these didn’t leave any scarring behind, which I totally attribute to the LED light’s healing properties. Even more encouraging, the subtle lines on my forehead weren’t as apparent as they’d been (to me) pre-treatment. On the whole, I felt like my skin looked smoother and generally less angry (a testament to the LED masks’ collagen boosting and anti-inflammatory benefits no doubt).

Skin Gym shoppers also reported similar results. “I love this mask! Noticed a difference after around week 3, the fine lines around my eyes are definitely softer,” wrote one Skin Gym shopper in a 5-star review. Other customers claimed that the Wrinklit LED Mask helped even out their skin tone, combat acne, and give their skin a smoother, more youthful appearance. And while I can’t say my results were as dramatic as I’d hoped, the slight improvements in my skin’s texture and tone were totally worth it.

Takeaways

Thanks to the user-friendly design and accessible price tag compared to other at-home LED treatments, the Skin Gym Wrinklit LED Mask is well worth incorporating into your skin-care regimen. While I was psyched to see the results I got, derms caution that the effects are limited compared to more powerful, professional treatments and are best used as a means to maintain in-office results. “They are a good adjunct to in-office LED and other anti-aging treatments,” explains board-certified dermatologist Aanand Geria, MD.

If professional LED treatments aren’t in the cards (these tend to cost $$$$), though, the convenience and affordability of the Wrinklit LED Mask is the next best thing. The results may not be life changing, but they are possible if you’re consistent—and Skin Gym’s mask makes it really easy to be. And if you’re already a lover of in-office LED light therapy, you’ll appreciate having this handy at-home option to get the most out of your results—making the Wrinklit LED Mask a win-win.

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