You’ve probably seen those scary-looking LED face masks on social media before and thought: what the hell is that for?! As intense and scary as they may look, LED face masks are actually great for your skin. LED light therapy is good for your skin in a myriad of ways: it regulates your natural oil production, stimulates collagen, reduces wrinkles and redness, and treats acne.

The thought of putting a LED mask on your face is intimidating to you? It’s important to note that the spectrum of light used in the masks does not include UV, so it’s not damaging to your skin. LED light treatment is actually often used in a dermatologist office, but you can buy a mask to use at home as well. It uses light in the visible spectrum, such as blue, yellow, amber, and red, but also light past the visible spectrum. This broad light spectrum ensures that the mask benefits your skin to its best ability.

LED light therapy works wonders for your skin. It often leaves your skin looking more youthful and glowy immediately upon taking off the mask. It has anti-aging effects, reduces inflammation, and treats acne- just to name a few. LED is also great to use after an in-office dermatology procedure, such as peels, lasers, and microneedling. LED face masks are ideal for at-home use since they are quick and simple to use.

As for what type of LED face mask you should buy, there are lots of options. They can be a bit pricey, so that is something to be aware of, but the results are definitely worth it. Some of the most popular LED face masks are:

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
This LED face mask has a blue and red light setting to pinpoint exactly what you need. Blue light treats acne by killing the bacteria that lead to breakouts. In contrast, red light is used to reduce inflammation and redness.

Tria Positively Clear Acne Clearing Blue Light
This small device isn’t used for your entire face and instead is ideal for spot treating breakouts. It uses blue light to kill bacteria and requires only five minutes of use each day.

MZ Skin Light Therapy Golden Treatment Mask
This face mask uses all five colors of light to really target every possible issue, from wrinkles to acne. You start by wearing it for 10 minutes a day, 2-3 times a week, but eventually, build up to 30 minutes a day.

Dermalight LED Light Mask
What’s cool about this LED face mask is that it comes with a neck attachment, so you can target your neck and face. It uses seven colors to target every skin issue, and you can use the neck attachment with the face mask or separately.