There’s no shortage of these light-powered devices on the market, including LED face masks and panels, but we’ve found that one of the most convenient way to integrate this tech into our routines is through handheld tools. Portable and power-packed, red light therapy wands make it easy to target localized concerns, like glabellar lines (a.k.a. forehead wrinkles) or a particularly stubborn blemish. Here, we share the best red light therapy wands to rejuvenate skin—plus, expert insight on incorporating them into your daily routines.
Best Overall: LightStim LED Light Therapy Device for Wrinkles
- Why We Love It: LightStim’s LED devices can be found in treatment rooms around the world, including Matney’s. “It’s my absolute favorite—a tiny miracle for fine lines and inflammation, with a side of that ‘just got a facial glow,’” she says, noting that she uses the professional device at the end of every client’s service. This at-home version features 72 lights (an impressive number for such a portable tool) in amber, light red, dark red, and infrared colors to target different depths of your facial tissue for smoother skin. It’s supported by data, too: In clinical studies, 100% of participants showed significant improvement of fine lines and wrinkles in eight weeks with consistent use of the wand.
- Best For: Wrinkles anywhere on the face, including crow’s feet and lip lines
- Specs: FDA cleared, 72 LEDs in four colors (amber, light red, dark red and infrared)
- Usage: Three minutes per facial area, five to seven days a week
Best For Travel: Solawave Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand
- Why We Love It: Solawave’s handy device is about the size of your standard toothbrush and far more sleek, making it easy to tuck into any cosmetics bag. It’s designed to be used after applying your favorite formulas—glide the wand over your skin and the combination of built-in galvanic current and warmth will enhance absorption, while the facial massage and red LED lights will promote a smoother, more radiant complexion. Try it when you need to bliss out after work, or to reawaken skin after a long flight.
- Best For: Uneven texture and fine lines, puffiness, dull skin
- Specs: Not FDA cleared, seven red LEDs, galvanic current, facial massage, therapeutic warmth
- Usage: Three minutes per facial area on damp skin daily
Best Korean: Medicube Age-R Booster Pro
- Why We Love It: The Age-R Booster Pro—the enhanced version of the Hailey Bieber favorite Age-R Booster H—from K-beauty brand Medicube is designed to help you achieve glass skin, with a lot of unique settings as well as an app that’s as smooth and reflective as a windowpane. In addition to microcurrent, electrical muscle stimulation, and a needleless take on microneedling, Age-R Booster Pro delivers five LED wavelengths to tackle a full spectrum of skin concerns, Matney explains. While red and blue light (and their combination, purple) are most well known for their use in treating signs of aging and blemishes, respectively, the Age-R Booster Pro also offers inflammation-reducing green light and radiance-boosting orange light. Use these light wavelengths with any of the other glow-boosting settings after your skin-care routine for best results.
- Best For: Uneven tone, enlarged pores, redness, laxity
- Specs: Five LED colors (red, blue, purple, green, orange), electroporation, microcurrent, EMS, electric needles
- Usage: Varies depending on setting—see user manual for best results
Best Multipurpose: Therabody TheraFace PRO
- Why We Love It: While we’re big fans of TheraBody’s LED face mask, this is the device we reach for when we need more targeted, bespoke treatment. “This FDA-approved device helps with skin toning using microcurrent and tension-reducing, circulation-boosting facial massage,” says Matney, as well as three LED attachment options to treat fine lines, breakouts, and dark spots, plus a cleansing ring attachment that you can pair with your favorite face wash for a deep clean. There are also hot and cold attachments sold separately to help boost collagen and quell puffiness—making the TheraFace Pro an 8-in-1 device.
- Best For: Fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, discoloration, enlarged pores, facial tension
- Specs: FDA-cleared, features three LED colors (red, blue, infrared), microcurrent, massage, cleansing
- Usage: LED can be used daily for up to eight minutes, moving to a new area of the face every 15 seconds
Best For Aging: NuFace Trinity Wrinkle Attachment
- Why We Love It: If you’re one of the countless beauty tool aficionados who swear by the NuFace Trinity, you should absolutely treat yourself to this attachment. “It’s FDA-cleared, fast, effective, and perfect for when you want glowing skin and don’t have time to come and see me for a facial,” teases Matney. Simply use the attachment with its red, amber, and infrared lights for three minutes on each area of your face (such as your forehead, nasolabial folds, and so on) to help smooth and firm, then swap it out for the microcurrent head and slick on some conductive gel to start tightening and toning.
- Best For: Fine lines, wrinkles
- Specs: FDA cleared, 36 LEDs in three colors (red, amber, and infrared)
- Usage: Five days a week for up to 21 minutes, three minutes per facial area
Best For Breakouts: Solawave 3-Minute Pimple Spot Treatment
- Why We Love It: Matney cites this as the best option for blemish-prone skin thanks to its mix of blue and red LEDs. The former helps to destroy acne-causing bacteria and reduce sebum production while the latter rejuvenates and soothes, making for a comprehensive three-minute treatment to calm and clarify skin. In most cases, this petite gadget can clear up a pimple in three days.
- Best For: Blemishes
- Specs: FDA cleared, combination of red and blue LEDs
- Usage: Once daily for three minutes until blemish improves
Do red light therapy wands actually work?
While we completely understand any skepticism around these tools (they’re just delivering a gentle wash of light, after all), red light’s efficacy is backed by legitimate data. A 2019 article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology shared that low-level red light therapy promotes the production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid within the skin; a 2017 article in AIMS Biophysics shares that it can also reduce inflammation and promote healing. Just maintain reasonable expectations, says Sobel. “A red light wand you can buy on the internet will not be as powerful as the light you can be treated with in a dermatologist office,” he explains. That’s not to say they don’t offer any benefit—they’ll just deliver results a little more slowly.
What skincare should you put on your face before a red light wand?
In most cases, you’ll want to use a red light therapy wand on clean, dry skin, Matney says, but some devices are designed to be paired with product. In those cases, she recommends sticking to gentle, hydrating formulas, like a hyaluronic acid serum. “Skip anything with alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, or retinoids,” Matney warns—this combination could inadvertently sensitize the skin.
How long does it take to see results of red light therapy?
Don’t expect instantaneous results from LED therapy, says Matney. “It will probably take several months to see a difference,” agrees Sobel, noting that you’ll have to be consistent in using your red light therapy wand several times a week to get real benefit. Consider taking photos of yourself before integrating red light into your regimen—that can make it easier to observe more subtle changes. Remember, “it doesn’t target one flaw, it enhances everything, yielding results like improved tone, texture, and elasticity over time,” Matney says. These cumulative benefits take a while, but they’re worth the effort.
How often should you use a red light wand?
Most devices on the market, including the ones we’ve picked, are designed to be used multiple times a week—some even suggest every day. However, our experts recommend starting with two to three times a week to see how your skin tolerates it. “More isn’t better—overdoing it could leave you irritated instead of glowing,” says Matney, adding that you should treat your skin for no more than 20 minutes each time. Sobel also advises that you shield your eyes to avoid sensitizing them. That said, red light therapy wands, especially those made for at-home use, are generally regarded as safe, gentle, and very low risk. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself hooked on daily treatment—red light is a great add-on to any hardworking skin-care routine.
Meet The Experts
- Dr. Howard Sobel is a board-certified dermatologist and clinical attending cosmetic dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, NY.
- Audrey Matney is a medical esthetician and the founder of 123 Beauty Lab in New York, NY.
