Fortis dermatologist explains if at-home LED masks are worth the hype: ‘The placebo effect is…’

An LED light therapy mask can help to reduce the appearance of acne, fine lines, and wrinkles. It works by emitting different wavelengths of light that can penetrate the skin at varying depths.

LED masks are frequently spotted in the skincare routines of influencers online. The sci-fi-looking masks emitting glowy lights are the latest in beauty tech. But is the skincare tech truly living up to its hype? And should you consider adding it to your own skincare?

To have all the questions answered, HT Lifestyle reached out to Dr Smriti Naswa Singh, consultant - dermatology & cosmetology at Fortis Hospital Mulund, Mumbai. The buzz around LED face masks does not include their actual drawbacks. 

And even if people may report positive changes, the dermatologist debunked this by saying, “Many people combine LED masks with good skincare routines, such as cleansers, toners, serums, so the real improvements often come from consistent care, not the light itself. In fact, the results of a ‘good skin’ may be, as Dr Smriti puts it, “the placebo effect of using a techy gadget.”

So, in other words, the at-home LED masks may not be as efficient as their clinical counterparts.

According to Dr Singh, most at-home LED masks don't have the power to live up to their claims. They are very different from the ones used by experts.

“In dermatology clinics, these treatments are done under strict protocols, the right wavelength, dose, and duration, using high-powered devices that can reach deeper skin layers,” she revealed how LED mask treatments are done by experts.

In contrast, the dermatologist shed light on the inefficiency of at-home versions of the LED mask, calling them ‘weaker.’ “The at-home versions, in comparison, are significantly weaker. So while they might make your skin feel warm and relaxed, they rarely trigger the kind of cellular change needed to boost collagen or reduce acne effectively,” she explained.