LED phototherapy: what Dermalux can and cannot treat

LED light therapy helps skin look calmer, brighter and more even, and it supports the skin while it settles after other treatments. It will not lift, tighten or shift a patch of pigmentation on its own. Our Dermalux Compact Lite is a cosmetic device, so everything below is written in cosmetic terms, and we think that is the honest way to describe LED anyway.

What the three colours do

The panel uses three wavelengths. Blue light at 415 nm reaches the top layer of the skin, up to about 1 mm by the manufacturer's figures. Red light at 633 nm reaches 2 to 3 mm. Near-infrared at 830 nm, which you cannot see, reaches 5 to 10 mm. None of them heat the skin. Some people feel a gentle warmth, which the manufacturer puts down to circulation rather than the light itself.

In plain cosmetic terms, this is how we use them. Red and near-infrared for skin that looks tired, dull or pink, and as a calming step straight after microneedling, a peel, Hydrofacial or IPL. Blue, usually with red, for skin that is blemish-prone and wants to look clearer. The combined programme for general freshness. You lie under the panel with opaque goggles on for up to 20 minutes. Many people fall asleep.

What it cannot do

This is the section most LED marketing leaves out. Light does not add volume, so it will not fill a hollow. It does not heat deep tissue, so it will not lift or tighten the way HIFU does. It does not break pigment, so it will not fade a sun spot the way IPL can; it may help the skin look more even over a course, which is not the same thing. One session is a pleasant boost after another treatment, not a lasting change.

Dermalux also makes medical versions of its panels, which are cleared as medical devices for uses the cosmetic model is not. Our Compact Lite is the cosmetic model. So we do not use it to treat a medical skin condition, and we will not tell you it will. If your skin is blemish-prone or persistently red, prescription treatments exist for the underlying conditions, and those are a conversation with your GP or at a face-to-face consultation, not something a light panel replaces.

What the evidence actually says

LED has been studied in randomised trials; a 2018 systematic review set out to grade them for efficacy and safety. We have not quoted effect sizes here because we did not open the full text this session, and we would rather say nothing than quote a number second-hand. The manufacturer says results can last several months and recommends maintenance. Our own experience is that people notice calmer, fresher-looking skin after about two to four sessions, with the best result at the end of a course. Results vary and cannot be guaranteed, and the evidence for cosmetic LED is thinner than the marketing around it.

How a course works

The manufacturer recommends an initial course of 8 to 12 sessions and says more frequent sessions tend to give faster results. We run two a week for the first course, then a monthly top-up if you want to keep the effect. Each visit is about 30 minutes in total, up to 20 under the light. We start at the lowest of the three intensity levels for a first session, for sensitive or darker skin, and after any treatment that has opened the skin, and we use red or near-infrared only, never blue, over freshly needled or peeled skin.

The panel is kept at the distance the manufacturer sets. Dermalux warns that its LEDs placed directly on the skin can leave temporary blue or purple marks or a patch of darker pigment, and asks for at least 2.5 cm of clearance. There is no numbing, nothing applied, and nothing to peel.

Who it suits, and who it does not

It suits almost anyone who wants their skin to look calmer and fresher, who is having another treatment and wants the skin settled afterwards, or who wants a low-commitment start. It is included in our Hydrofacial with massage and LED.

We do not treat anyone with epilepsy or a history of seizures, anyone with a condition made worse by light such as lupus or polymorphic light eruption, anyone taking a medicine that increases light sensitivity unless it has been checked, or anyone having cancer treatment without their team's clearance. The manufacturer has not tested the device under 16 and leaves pregnancy to the provider's discretion; at Nova we do not treat under 18 or during pregnancy. Please bring a list of your medicines, including any new ones, because some common antibiotics and acne tablets make skin react to light.

Risks and recovery

Low. Warmth during the session and slight pinkness or dryness for a few hours are common. Uncommon: a headache or tired eyes if the goggles move, marks if the light touches the skin, or a flare in someone with a light-sensitive condition. Opaque goggles are supplied with the unit and worn for the whole session. There is nothing to recover from; you go straight back to your day, with sunscreen if you are going outside. If LED follows a peel or microneedling, that treatment's aftercare comes first.

FAQ

Does LED light therapy really work for skin?

It helps skin look calmer and brighter over a course and settles skin after other treatments. It does not lift, fill or clear pigment. If someone promises more than that from a panel of lights, ask them for the study.

Is LED light therapy the same as a laser or IPL?

No. Lasers and IPL deliver heat to a target such as pigment or a vessel. LED is low-intensity light with no heating, which is why there is almost nothing to recover from and also why it cannot do what IPL does.

How many LED sessions do I need?

A course of 8 to 12, usually twice a week, then monthly. A single session after a facial is a boost, not a course.

Can I have LED if I have acne or rosacea?

We can use the panel on blemish-prone or easily flushed skin as a cosmetic calming step, and we will say so plainly. We do not treat the condition itself. Prescription treatments exist for both, and those are discussed face to face.

How much does it cost?

£40 a session. Course prices at consultation. Included in the Hydrofacial with massage and LED at £150.

For what we treat with it and who it does not suit, see our LED phototherapy page.

This is information, not medical advice. What suits you depends on your own history and your own skin, so book a free consultation: novabeautyclinic.com or WhatsApp 077 21 400 600.