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Does Light Therapy Really Work?

From infrared saunas to LED beauty masks, a billion-dollar market has grown around the healing power of light. But where does the science end and the hype begin?
A cosmetologist performs LED light therapy for facial rejuvenation.
A cosmetologist performs LED light therapy for facial rejuvenation. (Shutterstock)

Light therapy is certainly having a moment. You can now buy glowing gadgets for everything from skin conditions and wrinkles to sore muscles and gum disease, the latest being a toothbrush enhanced with tiny red LEDs, described by its makers as “a breakthrough in at-home oral care.” Globally, the market was worth $1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1.8 billion by 2035. You can even go and sit in an infrared sauna, where instead of hot coals (real or electric) heating the air, your body is warmed directly by infrared light. According to its devotees, it’s like bathing in one of those LED-lit beauty masks, boosting skin collagen, relaxing muscles, relieving inflammation and chronic health conditions while protecting against dementia.

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Further Reading

Can Beauty Devices Bring the Medspa Home?

SharkNinja’s latest innovation, the Facialpro Glow, mimics in-office aesthetic treatments. Like competitors Omnilux or Medicube, its parent company hopes to entice consumers to take procedures into their own hands.

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