| Lifestyle | Starting My Journey With An At-Home Light Therapy Device



| Lifestyle | Starting My Journey With An At-Home Light Therapy Device

I have been curious about this skin treatment for quite a long time now. It is relatively new but has recently had quite a boom of popularity due to so many brands bringing out an at-home version of light therapy treatment. While this post is sponsored, I want to assure you that my thoughts and opinions are my own and I will be testing this device thoroughly.

The Dermapeel Photon LED Facial Skin Care Machine retails for $297.00 USD and is available on Amazon. This device is actually multi-purpose and can be used for more than just your face but also to treat other areas of the body. The design is like a large LED pad that is flexible and can be manipulated for various uses. Attached to the LED pad is a controller that has multiple settings to allow you to adjust the LED strength and colors. This set also comes with protective goggles, which is extremely important when you are using this kind of device. While the LED are not necessarily harmful to the eyes, they can be at higher strengths and for prolonged periods of time. 




How does LED light therapy or treatment work?

This question is a bit of a head-scratcher for me because is this a real treatment or is it some gimmick? Well, light therapy didn't start off as a skincare treatment. It was used to treat and repair damaged tissue in the body. I had only recently heard a story from my boss, who told me after he had a shoulder reconstruction surgery, he went to this laser therapy that helped him quickly heal without the need for physical therapy! This was pretty shocking to hear that that was even possible! He said the treatments were incredibly expensive with each treatment costing about $250 for about an hour session! 

So essentially how LED light therapy works is that the light is a source of energy for the cells in our body. This energy penetrates deep into the skin and provide the cells with energy to quickly repair itself. The different wavelengths and colors determine what treatment is being applied to the skin. This is LED light treatment is a more affordable alternative to aggressive and expensive laser treatments or for maintaining those treatment results. While LED light treatments are often done at a spa or with a professional, more companies are coming out with easy at-home devices that will cost you the amount of one treatment at a professional facility! While their LED may be more powerful, using an at home treatment for longer and  regularly can yield the same results! 

What do each of the colors do?

Red Light - Promotes collagen production making your skin look younger and fresher. It also helps minimize fine line and wrinkles, treat sun damage, reduces stretch marks, and reduces redness.


Blue Light - Kills bacteria that lives on the surface of the skin that is responsible for acne.


Yellow Light - Promotes better skin texture and helps with pigmentation and redness.


I have tried to do a lot of reading on LED light therapy before using this product and it's a little bit of a mixed bag. While many people and professionals agree it works, some sources have questioned the effectiveness of all other colors other than the red light. The reason being is that they claim that the red light does it all and it doesn't even better than the other lights. The source I read also explains that blue light can be potentially damaging if used alone because of it's ability to kill bacteria, it can potentially harm your skin simultaneously but in conjunction with the red, it is ok because the red light is repairing. I take all information I find with a grain of salt, while this news makes me a bit wary of the blue light, I am not opposed to trying it. I just don't have issues with acne, so for me I don't really see the point in using the blue light.

I have attempted to scour the internet the best I can for scientific answers to whether or not home devices actually work but there is still no confirmation or consensus on effectiveness. Clinical versions with lasers and much stronger light devices have proven to be very effective on skin conditions and it is said that some people have had a positive experiences with at-home devices.

How effective is LED light therapy?

This at-home device is not as powerful as clinical versions used in a professional spa, but the wavelength comes fairly close. In my research, some sources have said that means it will be significantly less effective, while others say that it can have the same effect if used consistently and for longer periods of time. Effectiveness is also dependent on the proximity of the light to your skin, so the closer the light is to your skin the more effective the treatment will be. While this particular device doesn't let you get extremely close for the face, you can actually treat a larger area, including the neck and other parts of the body. I think the versatility of this product is really nice because you can also treat your body. However, because I cannot get it directly onto the skin of my face, I have some concerns about its effectiveness. Many brands have released devices that allow for direct contact to the skin. 

How do I use this device? 


In a professional spa setting, they would normally start by exfoliating the face very well. Then with nothing on skin, they would use this light therapy treatment and following up with some sort of hydrating facial.

After exfoliating, I set this device up to use on my face. You need to string the Velcro strap through to slots on the sides and pull it around of create a curved LED strip. You lie with your head under the LED Lights. The setup is really easy, you choose the color and the treatment time on the remote. The treatment time defaults to 20 minutes but can be adjusted. You can choose a pulse setting but I think it is more effective just on the whole time. After you choose your settings, don't start the device yet.  Before your turn on the LEDs be sure to apply the included protective goggles! You won't be able to see anything with these on, so align yourself under the LEDs. Then I usually feel for the bottom most right button and that starts the treatment.



The treatment doesn't hurt, you just feel a lot of warmth. That is the energy transfer from the light to your skin. You often feel hot under lights, this is the same sensation. It is not so warm that it will cause you to sweat, just a light warmth, like the feeling of sitting outside on a sunny day.

When your treatment is complete, the device let's you know and it turns off the LEDs. I usually follow up with the rest of my routine, a serum and moisturizer. I have heard that this light treatment allows for better penetration of serums, so using a sheet mask immediately after is a great option too. 

When will I see results?

It's hard to say, based on my research, it really varies on the person, the severity of their skin concerns, and of course the treatment. Even with professional and clinical treatments the results are not immediate. They take session and time to see improvement and this is especially the case with an at-home treatment because the device is not as powerful. In professional settings, there are claims of improvements after 4 treatments and in order to maintain results, one treatment a year afterwards is needed. With at-home treatments many skincare professionals say it must be used everyday and be something that is a step in one's routine. I have to say, that's quite the commitment considering each treatment is 20 minutes long! On top of my already existing skincare routine, I will be spending too much time on my skin.

What have I seen so far?

While I have just started, my first impression is that this treatment will take some patience and commitment. Even clinical light treatments require several treatments before seeing some results. I think while skincare is enough to care for and prevent some signs of aging, if you are serious about anti-aging you may want to consider doing more like investing in a device. I have noticed better absorption of my skincare, as well as a softness to my skin after using the treatment. This is something that will take much more time to report back on but I think if you are curious about at-home device, do your research on what will work for you.


2 comments:


  1. Dear Ms Liz,
    Thank you very much for writing about this good product.
    May I ask if you know whether the electrical voltage may be used in Singapore ie 220 v.
    Thank you.
    o.sheryl@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi there! Thank you so much for your detailed description of your experience with this particular unit. I have been researching yet and I find that some advertisement States it has infrared lights as well as red light and others don't. When The remote does not have a button for infrared. Can you please clear it up for me? THANK YOU! :)

    ReplyDelete

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