The early clinic study behind red plus near-infrared LED masks
Short answer
Thirty-one people received nine clinic treatments combining 633 nm red and 830 nm near-infrared LED light. By week 12, skin-surface measurements had improved significantly, 52% showed a 25–50% improvement in photoaging scores, and 81% reported improved eye-area wrinkles. There was no control group.
- Study
- Russell BA, Kellett N, Reilly LR. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2005;7(3-4):196-200.
- Design
- Clinical study, no control group
- People
- 31
- Topic
- Facial wrinkles
Why it matters
The 633 + 830 nm pairing studied here is the one used today in several home masks.
What they did
- Treated 31 people nine times with the Omnilux clinic LED system.
- Used 633 nm (126 J/cm²) and 830 nm (66 J/cm²).
- Measured skin texture from eye-area casts, photos and satisfaction at weeks 9 and 12.
What they found
- Profilometry showed significant improvement by week 12.
- 52% had a 25–50% improvement in photoaging scores.
- 81% reported a significant improvement in eye-area wrinkles.
What it cannot tell you
- No control group.
- Clinic system with much higher doses than home masks typically deliver.
- Small sample.
Takeaway
Red plus near-infrared light showed early promise in clinics. Home masks borrow the wavelengths but rarely the dose.
Matching devices
Devices whose published technology and wavelengths match this study (red + near-infrared): CurrentBody Series 3, Dr. Renú SpectraLift, Omnilux Contour and Shark CryoGlow. Partly matching: Dr. Dennis Gross FaceWare Pro. None of them was the device tested unless the study names it.
Not medical advice. Summary based on the published abstract; read the full paper for detail.