You have to give some credit to the Kardashian women; they don’t shy away from trying the most bizarre (and sometimes effective) beauty treatments out there. Remember vampire facials? So, when Kourtney Kardashian started talking about LED facial treatment on Poosh, I knew I had to give this a whirl. After my initial research, I discovered though, that it has been there for a while now—with celebs such as Bella Hadid, Chrissy Teigen, Lili Reinhart, Kate Hudson etc. swearing by this treatment. The hype, it seemed was real. Ofcourse, just like google ads work, my IG was flooded with numerous ads about at-home LED masks which also promise superlative results from the comfort of your home. Taking this as a sign from the above, I fixed an appointment with Dr. Apratim Goel, MD, Cosmetic Dermatology and Director of Cutis Skin Studio to get an insight into the treatment; plus, to try one myself to see what it can really do to my skin!
But first things first...
What Is LED Treatment?
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode which can be either put in a small hand held device or in the panels for clinical use. “We use the professional devices that are very powerful. It uses wavelengths from 40-700 nm and encompasses Red (improves cellular rejuvenation and blood circulation), Green (soothes sensitive skin), Blue (inhibits acne bacteria) and Yellow Light (relieves redness). It heals the skin and that’s why it’s used as a wound healing device (used by NASA as well). Secondly, it also increases the penetration of serums and other skincare products”, explains Dr. Goel. “Clinically though we use it to treat acne and rosacea wherein the blue light aids in killing the bacteria in the oil glands, thereby reducing acne”, she added.
Who And Why Should You Use it?
According to Dr Goel, the treatment is suitable for people with sensitive skin, prone to rosacea (redness on the face) or has acne and acne related conditions; plus, anyone who is looking to take their skincare to the next level. “If you are investing in a lot of serums and skincare products, you can use an LED mask to increase their efficacy. Moreover, since it's anti-inflammatory, it also reduces the inflammation in the skin”, opines Dr Goel.
Homecare Vs Professional Use
Explaining the difference between the two, Dr. Goel explains, “The ones that are sold online and can be used at home are low powered devices to be used daily. However, the professional ones are much more powerful (40W and above), and that’s why we use it weekly for a 20 min session. So naturally, there is a difference in the efficacy between the two. Should you be doing it? Yes. If you are investing in skincare products, you should also invest in a LED homecare device which you should use every day for 20 mins (and not more). But, in case you experience any irritation, suffer from photosensitive disorder, psoriasis etc. then it might get aggravated. Hence, always consult your dermatologist before incorporating this in your skincare regimen”.
Now, onto the account of my first EVER LED Treatment.
Duration: 45-60 mins
Consultation: After a brief consultation with Dr Goel, she informed me that I have really sensitive skin, which has turned uber dry due to the present weather conditions. So, what I expect the treatment to do: calm and soothe my skin, plus, increase the efficacy of the products that would be used to replenish the glow and moisture level in my skin.
Process: We started off with a thorough facial cleanse to remove my makeup, dirt etc. This was followed by light scrub to gently remove all the impurities that might have been left behind. Next, the aesthetician applied steam and extracted the whiteheads and blackheads from my face. Think: a regular face clean-up to prep my face, prior to the LED treatment. Since, I have missed on these clean-ups because of the pandemic, my skin was thanking me for this initial TLC.
Since my skin has been lacklustre recently, Dr. Goel recommended a Vitamin C serum as a quick pick-me-up for the skin; once the potent serum was applied, my skin began to feel tingly (and nice). This was then combined with an ultrasound treatment to maximise the benefits of the products; also I started to feel my skin relax and calm down thanks to the cool device head. The session lasted for 10 minutes, post which the aesthetician applied a Vitamin C mask.
Now, I was at the much awaited part of this procedure: time to treat myself to some LED goodness! Dr. Goel informed me that they would be using a combination of red and green light on my skin to improve cellular rejuvenation and soothe my sensitive skin. Before placing the LED panel over my face, an eye patch was given to me to refrain the bright light from hitting my peepers. To be honest, apart from the hazy brightness of the lights, I didn’t feel a thing. The LED session lasted a whole 20 minutes. The treatment concluded with the removal of the mask, and application of sunscreen (really important, ladies).
My verdict
When I first looked at my skin, it felt a lot brighter than what it was earlier. In fact, it seemed it had gotten a new lease of life and can finally breathe again. It also felt really hydrated and soft—sans the inflammation. I also felt that unlike regular facials, the LED treatment did help the products absorb better into the skin. I would recommend it to anyone who has acne-prone skin, as I feel it would really work and they can observe visible changes. For me, I would totally combine them with my facial treatments to give them a boost; also thinking of investing in a home LED device so that I can make this a part of night-time skincare routine! Adios.
