A sham-controlled trial of a red LED mask: two sessions a week seemed enough
Short answer
Ninety-five women aged 45–60 used a 660 nm red LED mask two or three times a week for four weeks, or a sham mask. Dermatologist wrinkle scores showed no difference between groups, but image measurements found shorter frown and eye wrinkles with real light. Satisfaction was higher than sham, and three sessions weekly were no better than two.
- Study
- Bragato EF, Paisano AF, Pavani C, et al. Lasers Med Sci. 2025;40(1):170.
- Design
- Randomised, sham-controlled, double-blind
- People
- 95 women
- Topic
- Facial wrinkles
Why it matters
It is a rare double-blind, sham-controlled trial of a mask-style LED device and reports both positive and null outcomes.
What they did
- Randomised women to three sessions a week, two a week, or sham, for four weeks.
- Used a 660 nm mask at 6.4 mW/cm² for 21 minutes (8.05 J/cm²).
- Used blinded specialists, image analysis and the FACE-Q questionnaire.
What they found
- No significant difference in specialist Wrinkle Assessment Scale scores.
- Image analysis showed shorter glabellar and right periorbital wrinkles versus sham.
- Satisfaction was 79.6% and 73.4% in the two treated groups, significantly above sham.
What it cannot tell you
- Short four-week programme.
- Main clinical score showed no difference.
- Single 660 nm research mask, not a commercial product.
Takeaway
Real red light beat sham on some measures but not on dermatologists’ wrinkle scores. Twice a week was as good as three times.
Matching devices
Devices whose published technology and wavelengths match this study (red): CurrentBody Series 3, Dr. Dennis Gross FaceWare Pro, Dr. Renú SpectraLift, Omnilux Contour and Shark CryoGlow. 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.