JULY/AUGUST 2019 34 SHAPE.COM
bewaterproofRED LIGHT FOR ANTIAGING
Red LED light penetrates the skin deeper than most other
colors, stimulating fi broblasts to produce more collagen,
which results in tighter, fi rmer, smoother skin in 10 weeks
to six months. Red light has also been shown to help dial
down infl ammation, making it eff ective for reducing red-
ness associated with acne and rosacea. You can receive
red-light therapy at a doctor’s offi ce or a medical spa (it can
be added on to a Hydra Facial; hydrafacial.com) and by
using tools like Dr. Marmur’s MMSphere ($495, marmur
metamorphosis.com) at home. Red LED light can also help
stimulate hair growth, “most likely because it increases cir-
culation to the treated area, providing extra nourishment
to hair follicles,” says Thomas Rohrer, M.D., a derma-
tologist in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Treatments can
be done in a doctor’s offi ce or with an at-home cap like
iRestore Laser Hair Growth System ($695, irestorelaser.com) that you wear for 25 minutes every other day.
BLUE LIGHT FOR ACNE
Blue LED light kills Propionibacterium acnes, the bacte-
ria on the skin’s surface that can cause pimples. Doctors
can administer blue-light therapy in the offi ce and com-
bine it with acne-fi ghting topicals like retinoids and oral
antibiotics. “I don’t like to keep patients on oral antibiotics
indefi nitely,” says Neal Schultz, M.D., a dermatologist
in New York and a Shape Brain Trust member. “So if we’re
not seeing results, I often stop them and switch to blue
LED therapy.” At home, try Neutrogena Light Therapy
Acne Mask ($35, drugstores).PURPLE LIGHT FOR A DOUBLE WHAMMY
Purple LED light is a combination of red and blue light for
patients who want a treatment that’s both antiaging and
antiacne. Doctors may also use it on young patients with
acne that’s especially red and infl amed. Dr. Dennis Gross
DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro ($435, sephora.com) is an
FDA-approved LED mask with both red- and blue-light
settings that can be used separately or together. Each
treatment takes three minutes.YELLOW LIGHT FOR MOOD
This is sometimes used as a mood elevator, especially
during the winter, when people are at risk for seasonal
aff ective disorder. “ While yellow light isn’t strictly for
skin, it can help you feel happier and less stressed, which
lowers levels of cortisol, known unfavorably as the aging
hormone,” Dr. Marmur says. Her MMSphere device
emits yellow LED light as well as red, blue, purple, and
green (red and green light boost collagen production).
You sit in front of the halolike screen (checking email,
meditating) for 20 minutes twice a week.