How long does red light therapy take to show results on wrinkles?

Trials measured results after 4 to 16 weeks of regular sessions. In a 16-week trial of a home mask, raters saw a difference from the sham mask at weeks 8, 12, and 16. The American Academy of Dermatology says results take time and not everyone sees them.

Are home LED masks as strong as the devices in a dermatology office?

No. The American Academy of Dermatology says in-office red light is more powerful than home devices. Home devices need regular use over weeks, and the directions differ from device to device.

Can red light therapy cause skin cancer?

Research has not found that red light causes cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. A 2023 systematic review found no clinical trial data that linked it to a new or returning cancer. Red light is not ultraviolet light, but its long-term effects are not known.

Do you need goggles with a red light mask?

Follow the directions for your device. The American Academy of Dermatology says to wear the recommended eye protection when the maker directs it. It also says not to use sunglasses in place of protective goggles.

Can you use red light therapy with tretinoin?

No trial we found tested the two together, so the answer is not known. The tretinoin label tells patients to avoid or minimize sunlight and sunlamps. Ask your dermatologist before you combine a light device with a prescription cream.

Does Red Light Therapy Do Anything for Skin Aging?

The short answer: Probably a little. Several randomized trials found that red and near-infrared LED light made fine wrinkles look modestly better over 4 to 16 weeks. The trials are small, they use different devices and doses, and some have no sham comparison. Sunscreen and prescription tretinoin have stronger evidence, and red light does not replace them.

What is red light therapy?

Red light therapy shines red or near-infrared light on the skin. The technical name is photobiomodulation. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) describes it as a non-invasive treatment. Most home devices use light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

The light is not ultraviolet, and it does not heat or peel the skin. Trials usually test red light near 630 to 660 nanometers and near-infrared light near 830 to 850 nanometers. The theory is that this light stimulates the skin cells that make collagen. Collagen is the protein that keeps skin firm.

Dermatologists usually offer red light as an add-on to a standard treatment, the AAD says. Office devices are more powerful than home devices.

What did randomized trials find for wrinkles and collagen?

Most trials report a benefit. Five of them show the range.

A 2007 split-face trial. Korean researchers treated 76 patients with 830 nm light, 633 nm light, both, or a sham light. Treatment was twice a week for four weeks. Measured wrinkles fell by up to 36% from baseline in the treated groups. Skin elasticity rose by up to 19%. Skin samples showed more collagen and elastic fibers.
A 2014 trial of light panels. A German study enrolled 136 volunteers. It treated 113 of them twice a week for 30 sessions and compared them with 23 controls. Collagen density on ultrasound, skin roughness, and blinded photo ratings all improved against the controls.
A 2023 trial of red against amber light. A Brazilian trial of 137 women gave 10 sessions over 4 weeks, one color on each side of the face. Wrinkle volume near the eyes fell 31.6% with red light and 29.9% with amber light. Skin hydration and elasticity did not improve.
A 2025 trial of a home mask. Sixty adults at two Korean hospitals used a 630 nm and 850 nm mask or a sham mask for 16 weeks. Independent raters scored crow's feet as improved in 86.2% of the mask group. The gap between the mask group and the sham group was 69.5 percentage points.
A 2025 trial of a home neck device. Seventy participants wore the device or a sham for 9 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 60 sessions. Investigators rated neck wrinkles as better in the treated group. The participants' own ratings did not differ between the two groups.

How strong is the evidence?

It is weaker than the headline numbers suggest. There are four reasons.

The trials are small. The five trials above enrolled between 60 and 137 people each.
Some lack a sham comparison. The Brazilian trial compared two colors of light and had no untreated side. A drop in wrinkle volume from baseline cannot be separated from measurement variation or other skin care. A 2017 trial of 52 women compared red LEDs with white LEDs for 12 weeks. Both groups improved on skin replicas, with no statistical difference between them. Assessments by blinded dermatologists showed no significant differences.
The doses differ. Wavelength, power, session length, and number of sessions change from trial to trial. The AAD says this makes results hard to compare.
Observers and users can disagree. In the neck trial, the people who used the device did not rate their own results as better than the sham group did.

Systematic reviews reach a cautious verdict. A 2018 review of 31 randomized LED trials gave its second-highest grade of recommendation to acne, herpes simplex and zoster, and wound healing. Other skin conditions received lower grades. The authors listed small samples (fewer than 20 patients), absent blinding, and missing sham groups as limits.

A 2022 review of home devices covered 37 clinical trials. It recommended home LEDs for acne. For wrinkles it recommended a different technology, low-power radiofrequency. It also noted a lack of long-term data for every device type.

One more caution: several trials test a specific commercial device, and the abstracts do not name who funded them. We apply the same standard to other popular devices, such as cold plunges and saunas.

Does "FDA cleared" mean a home device works?

No. Home LED wrinkle devices are Class II medical devices. They reach the market through a pathway called 510(k) clearance. The FDA explains that a maker gets clearance by showing the device is "substantially equivalent" to one already on the market. Premarket approval is a separate, stricter pathway for the highest-risk devices.

A recent clearance shows what this means in practice. In August 2026, FDA cleared an over-the-counter LED mask for "treatment of full-face wrinkles." The summary bases its conclusion on a comparison with an older device and on non-clinical tests.

The AAD puts it plainly: "FDA cleared doesn't tell you anything about how effective the device is." It adds that "FDA approved" and "FDA certified" have no meaning on these devices.

Is red light therapy safe, and who should be careful?

Short-term use appears to be safe, according to the AAD. Side effects are usually mild, such as temporary pain or skin irritation. Unlike ultraviolet light, red light has not been found to cause cancer. A 2023 systematic review of cancer safety found no clinical trial data that linked this light to a new or returning cancer. Long-term effects are not known.

The AAD names three groups who should talk with a dermatologist first:

People with darker skin tones. Darker skin is more sensitive to visible light. Dark spots can develop, and they can be intense and long-lasting.
People with a light-sensitive condition. Lupus is one example. Red light can make such a condition worse.
People who take a medicine that increases light sensitivity. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if any of your medicines do this.

Protect your eyes. The AAD says to wear the eye protection the maker recommends, and not to use sunglasses in place of protective goggles.

How does it compare with sunscreen and tretinoin?

Both have firmer regulatory backing. The FDA says that time in the sun increases the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. It advises regular use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, reapplied at least every two hours. A sunscreen that is not broad spectrum, or is below SPF 15, must carry a warning. The warning says the product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.

Tretinoin is a prescription vitamin A cream. The FDA label for tretinoin cream 0.02% covers fine facial wrinkles, as one part of a skin care and sun avoidance program. Its trials ran for 24 weeks. The label is blunt about limits. It states the cream does not eliminate wrinkles or reverse photoaging. It also says the cream should not be used during pregnancy. Peeling, dryness, burning, and redness are common.

No trial we found tested a home LED mask against tretinoin. Red light is best seen as an optional extra. It belongs after the basics in our guide to evidence-based wellness habits. See also our review of longevity habits. For supplement claims about skin, our sibling site supplements.md checks the evidence the same way.

The bottom line

Red and near-infrared LED light probably gives a modest, temporary improvement in fine wrinkles. The best trials are sham-controlled, but they are small and short. An FDA clearance tells you a device is similar to an older one. It does not tell you the device works. Home devices cost from $100 to more than $1,000, the AAD notes, and need continued use. Daily sunscreen has a stronger case. If you still want a device, choose a cleared one, protect your eyes, and check with a dermatologist first if you have darker skin, a light-sensitive condition, or a medicine that raises light sensitivity.

Last updated: October 2026. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Talk with a board-certified dermatologist before you start a light device or a prescription skin treatment.