Is Blue Light The Secret To Acne-Free Skin?

Red light LED masks, wands, and at-home devices have been everywhere for the last few years. Thanks to social media and the stamp of approval from dermatologists, at-home LED masks in particular have been positioned as a skin care must-have for staving off the signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles, minimizing inflammation, and encouraging collagen production. While red light therapies aren't going anywhere, blue light devices are making headway, particularly for their ability to shrink pimples fast and keep skin clear.

Blue light (not to be confused with the type of non-visible rays emitted from digital screens) is growing in popularity and finally getting the recognition it so well deserves partially because of its viral appeal and because it’s a safe, easy, and noninvasive way to care for the skin. The options consist of do-it-yourself at-home and in-office treatments, which differ a bit. Dr. Corey L. Hartman, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Birmingham, AL, says that people are generally curious about the benefits surrounding light therapy, and more are drawn to reaping the benefits of light therapy beyond infrared.

Ahead, TZR dives into the growing trend of blue light therapy devices and tools, how they improve skin health, and when it’s time to add one to your acne routine.

What Is Blue Light?

Like its big sister, red light, blue light therapy harnesses the power of light-emitting diodes (LED) in a wavelength typically between 400 and 420 nm. Administered to the skin either at your dermatologist's office or at home with a handheld device or tool, Hartman says the range of skin health benefits that blue light offers includes treating precancerous sun damage and sunspots (with professionally administered treatments), in addition to reducing acne.

How blue light clears up acne is a bit of a science lesson. Exposing areas of blemished skin to blue light physically kills the P. acnes bacteria living on the skin, which is responsible for causing pimples and cysts to form. "This particular wavelength emitted by the light leads to a chemical reaction that then decreases inflammation and [promotes the] improvement of acne," explains Dr. Kiran Mian, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. With fewer bacteria on the skin, the pimples start to shrink in size and severity since inflammation within the skin improves. Hartman adds that reducing the number of bacteria on the skin also lowers the risk of new acne lesions.

For years, dermatologists have relied on blue light as a tool to help improve problematic and acne-prone skin. Hartman shares that the rise of at-home blue light devices is also bringing newfound awareness about these stronger in-office treatments. “For someone with moderate to severe acne, pairing blue light treatments with prescription topicals can be life changing,” he adds. In addition to tackling breakouts, dermatologists often use blue light therapy to treat patients with precancerous and cancerous sunspots.

The Skin Benefits of Regular Blue Light Treatment & How It Works

Blue light therapy can benefit anyone with breakouts, and some dermatologists, including Hartman, find that when treating those with moderate to severe acne, it works best when used with prescription topical treatments. "The combination helps to maximize the light's potential," Hartman says. That's because more severe and stubborn acne cases usually don't respond positively to just one avenue of treatment. "Acne is multifactorial in its etiology, and while blue light targets the bacterial component, other medications will control keratinization, comedogenesis and other factors contributing to acne," Mian adds.

The benefits of blue light go beyond just busting up bacteria to shrink a monster zit or clusters of inflammatory pimples. It can also reduce the amount of sebum the skin produces, which, in turn, also improves more inflammatory acne lesions. Even if red, inflamed pimples aren't your primary concern, treating your skin with a regular dose of blue light may do the trick to help curb oil production leading to fewer blackheads and clogged pores.

To treat precancerous and cancerous spots at your dermatologist's office, photodynamic blue light treatments are used to hone in on the red, scaly patches of skin that result from extreme sun damage, which run the risk of morphing into carcinomas. During a blue light photodynamic treatment, a photosensitizing medication is applied directly to the area, making it sensitive to the blue light. After about one hour, the skin fully absorbs the medication. Next comes a 15-minute blue light session to kill off the potentially cancerous cells once the damaged areas flake off.

In-Office Vs. At-Home Blue Light Therapy

Blue light therapy has two different purposes: It can be used as part of a protocol to treat acne or to target precancerous spots (actinic keratoses) and some types of skin cancer. At-home devices, which offer lower strengths than professional versions so as not to damage the skin, only offer pimple-reducing benefits; professionally administered blue light treatments, which are more powerful, can remove precancerous skin lesions or skin cancer lesions, making them a win-win. However, Mian says that at-home blue light tools may not be standardized, “although there are plenty of effective blue light devices on the market that can be used at home."

The easy-to-use at-home option is only effective on blemishes since it works completely differently. But, no matter if you take to an LED face mask for more of an all-over clearing effect, a pen for spot-treating specific areas or a wand, all of the dermatologists TZR interviewed believe that blue light is most effective when paired with a proven, topical skin care routine since the light helps to further deliver topicals into the skin and enhance their benefits. Dr. Anna Chacon, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Miami, says that at-home blue light therapy is more about ease of convenience, while in-office treatments treat a larger surface area of the skin and typically have longer sessions, making them more costly. "At-home treatments are meant to be used for shorter periods of time and with greater frequency."

As with any skin treatment, multiple in-office blue light sessions are necessary to see the results. Chacon recommends sessions about two to three times per month until optimal results are achieved. Blue light masks should be used a few times per week at home. While most insurance companies cover a portion of a professional blue light treatment, they can cost anywhere from $60 to $200.

What To Expect From An At-Home Blue Light Treatment

Blue light masks and tools are painless and effective, and they work best if you consistently use them a few times per week. The benefits of blue light become amplified when paired with red light, a combination approach Hartman often recommends to quell inflammation in the skin. "Blue and red lights offer different benefits but using them together will not discount each of their benefits. Red light helps reduce inflammation, a main cause of skin aging, yet it also stimulates collagen and elastin production in the skin. Acne-prone skin benefits greatly from red and blue light therapy as the lights can reduce sebum production, a cause of acne and current inflammatory breakouts. Even patients with skin conditions like eczema and rosacea can find relief from symptoms via ease of inflammation."

With so many blue light devices to choose from today, picking one that works can be confusing, but those with a doctor's stamp of approval include Medicube Age-R Booster Pro, which Mian says is one of her favorites. "It's a handheld that is easy to use while watching TV or doing other things.” Hartman prefers the LightStim LED Light Therapy Device for Acne and the Foreo Espada LED Light Acne Treatment for spot-treating trouble areas. "It's also small and easy to take with you on the go."

The Bottom Line

If you're not already using a blue light device at home, especially if you deal with breakouts regularly, now might be a good time to invest in one. Even though blue light comes hot on the heels of red-light treatments and tools, Mian says it makes sense that blue light is becoming known as another LED-based option to treat the skin from the comfort of your home. While all types of light therapy are safe and effective, a quick consult with your dermatologist can help determine whether at-home or professionally administered treatments are best for you.