There seem to be thousands of different acne treatments available: over-the-counter or prescription; topical or oral; gel or cream; mask or scrub; cleanser or toner…. The list goes on, and it feels like I’ve tried most of them. My extremely sensitive skin meant that the harsh chemicals in the creams and gels left me scaly and red, and the oral ones were uncomfortably intense, with their own host of side effects. I just couldn’t find something that was strong enough to help me manage my acne, but gentle enough that it didn’t damage the rest of my skin.
{Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Mask}
How Can Light Treat Acne?
Neutrogena’s answer to this common dilemma is their new Light Therapy Acne Mask. I’ve been able to try out one of these masks over the past few weeks, and I can definitely say that I saw results. Essentially, the mask uses red and blue LED lights to treat mild to moderate acne: the red light targets inflammation, and the blue light kills bacteria under the skin. All this means that not only are you treating surface acne and redness; you’re also zapping spots before they’re even visible!
How to use:
- Wash face
- Slip on mask
- Turn on by pressing activator
- Hang out for 10 minutes
- That’s it!
Does it Really Work?
This is definitely one of the most manageable treatments I’ve tried. There’s no schedule to stick to, no multi-step regimen: all you have to do is wash your face normally, then wear the mask for 10 minutes a day. That’s it! The mask itself is hard plastic, with the lights affixed on the inside (leaving the outside free for decorating). You slip it on like you would a pair of glasses: the built-in yellow safety glasses protect your eyes and help secure the mask to your face. Then just press a button on the activator (the remote), and the lights start shining! I would watch a YouTube video or two before the lights turned off automatically after 10 minutes.
I experienced no dryness, rash or tenderness when using this mask; just the occasional feeling of gentle warmth, which quickly went away. After a few weeks of use, I really did notice a reduction in my breakouts, particularly around my cycle. I typically get at least a few pimples and extra redness just before my period (#ladyproblems, am I right?!), but I definitely saw a reduction in that this month, and the scars from my previous years of skin troubles seem to have faded a bit, too. I particularly love that this product is 100% chemical-free: I don’t have to worry about hurting my skin just to get rid of stubborn pimples!
I’m not the only one who experienced such great results. During a clinical study of the mask conducted by Johnson & Johnson in 2016, 80% of users saw improvement in their skin quality in 1 week, and 98% of users had few breakouts by week 12. Those are some pretty stunning stats!
Recycling Your Activator
The slight downside to this great product is the activator. The amount of treatments available on one activator is controlled so that you are receiving a steady amount of light with each treatment, meaning it will stop working after 30 sessions. A handy countdown lets you know how many treatments you have left: after that, you’ll need to discard the used activator and purchase another one in order to give yourself 30 additional treatments. While this extra step is a bit of a pain, Neutrogena is partnering with Stericycle to help customers more easily recycle their activators in an environmentally responsible way. Small downside for a big improvement in your skin!
The Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Mask (with 1 activator included) retails nationwide for approximately $49, and you’ll be able to purchase additional activators for $20 each.
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