My new toy. This is the LightStim LED tool.
Some of you asked me if it’s possible to use LED at home. Yes! Here’s an example.
Lightstim is a FDA cleared LED device sold to consumers and professionals. I’m holding the RED light (Lightstim for Wrinkles). You can buy LED devices online or in certain spas.
LED light therapy is great for skin. I love how it makes my skin feel. Red light is collagen-boosting and very therapeutic. It has an immediate soothing and relaxing effect.
If you have redness or irritation, it calms your skin right away. If you have acne, it reduces the underlying inflammation and therefore helps it to heal faster. If you have aging skin, it jumpstarts your skin cells. So everything runs better. Including more of the good skin molecules being made, like collagen.
Red light also speeds up healing and relieves pain.
What To Look For When Choosing A LED Tool
What matters in a LED tool? A few factors:
1). The number of light bulbs
The more bulbs, the better. More bulbs means more light reaches your skin.
The Lightstim has 72 LED bulbs.
Some tools, such as this Illumask LED face mask on the right, have very few bulbs. Not much will happen then.
2). More than one wavelength
A tool that emits several different wavelengths is better than one that emits only one wavelength.
When there are different wavelengths, the lights can reach different layers of the skin. For example, the dermis (middle layer) is where the important structural skin components are located (collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans).
As far as I’m aware, Lightstim is the only consumer tool in the U.S. that has multi-wave technology. It can emit several wavelengths at once.
These wavelengths are:
- amber (605 nm)
- light red (630 nm)
- dark red (660 nm)
- infrared (855 nm)
*Wavelength is measured in nanometers (nm).
In this picture, do you see how there are different colored lights? Different shades of red and some yellow and orange hues? Those are different wavelengths of light.
3). Power
How much power (energy) does the device emit? The more power the device emits, the more effective.
This Lightstim device emits 65 milliwatts of energy per square centimeter (65 mW/cm2).
Professional tools used in a medical spa or doctor’s office are made with more power than consumer tools.
4). Comfort & Weight
Then there are comfort factors such as ergonomics and weight. The Lightstim has a long handle that is easy to hold.
It’s also very light, which is important to me because if you are holding this for a few minutes, you don’t want your hand getting tired out.
Aesthetically, I personally think the design is elegant and pleasing to my eye. I have seen some other tools that look clunky or cheap.
What Matters When You Use LED
1). Frequency of Use
To get results, you need to use this at least a few times a week consistently. 5 times a week is a good target.
When I use LED, I spend about 5 minutes total on my face. I shine it all over my face but spend more time on certain areas: forehead, lower cheeks, and nasolabial folds (my obsession).
LED is also great on areas where skin is irritated. Occasionally, I will get a small red rash. The LED reduces the redness and makes it go away sooner. If you have a wound or dry, cracked skin (e.g. a fissure), the red light will heal it faster.
2). Proximity to Skin
The LED bulbs need to be touching your skin. The light will be absorbed better.
The further away the light, the less effective the light will be. The light won’t travel as far into the skin.
Adding a serum to skin before you use LED is helpful. The LED light will enhance penetration of those ingredients.
Lightstim makes a serum (shown here) that can be used with the LED. But you can use your own. Most serums and moisturizers will be compatible. The ones to avoid are those that cause dryness, such as benzoyl peroxide, Retin-A, or alcohol.
You can buy the Lightstim LED Tool here:
Related Posts:
- What Is LED Light Therapy?
- What Light Does For Skin – A Guide To Understanding Light Treatments
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
- Microcurrent for Toning Skin
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Hey! I’m in my early twenties and I want to try this but is it too soon for me?
No, it’s not too soon. Light therapy is helpful at any age (adult), especially if your skin needs healing or is showing the signs of aging. You can read more about what light therapy does here: LED Light Therapy.