Does LED therapy really work? There's plenty of scientific evidence in its favor, but will that translate to actual, visible results you can see in the mirror? Members of WIRED's Reviews team have spent the past year and a half testing all the popular masks, hats, and helmets to see for ourselves which devices are worth your money. Luckily, some of our favorites are on rare discount during Nordstrom's annual Anniversary Sale, which runs through August 9.
For more in-depth information on our tests, check out our guide to the Best Red Light Therapy Masks and Best Red Light Therapy for Hair Growth.
Dr. Dennis Gross Spectralite FaceWare Pro (Red) for $340 ($115 Off)
- Photograph: Kat Merck
- Photograph: Kat Merck
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Dr. Dennis Gross
Drx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
$455 $340 (25% off)Nordstrom
This is an excellent price on a mask that isn't often on sale. I own this mask and highly recommend it due to its short treatment time. Many red-light therapy masks require 10-minute sessions several times a week, but with this model, you only need three minutes a day. Given that skin needs to be totally clean—that means free of makeup and skincare—to use any LED mask, those longer treatment times can be disruptive to your typical morning or nighttime routine. That’s not a problem with the SpectraLite. Note that the sale is only on the red color, not the rose gold shown above.
HigherDose Red Light Hat for $359 ($90 Off)
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
HigherDose
Red Light Hat
$449 $359 (20% off)Nordstrom
$449HigherDose
$449Dermstore
After months of trying all manner LED devices for hair growth, many of our testers have been impressed with their results. One of the biggest hits was this hat from HigherDose. It looks and wears like a normal baseball cap, and WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell saw tons of new growth after her trichotillomania-related hair loss. Just note that these devices are designed to stimulate dormant or weakened hair follicles—they will not perform miracles on follicles that have died due to aging, alopecia, or other damaging conditions.
TheraFace Mask Glo for $300 ($80 Off)
Courtesy of TherabodySave to wishlistSave to wishlistTherabody
TheraFace Mask Glo
$380 $300 (21% off)Nordstrom
$380Therabody
$380Best Buy
When our tester tried this hard-shell mask for our guide to LED Face Masks, she didn't love it as much as the original TheraFace mask. (The older edition is unfortunately not on sale.) This updated model moved TheraBody's signature vibration feature to the mask straps, rather than the mask itself, which our tester didn’t love. But it’s still a solid option and a rare sale if you're interested in an LED mask that offers massage.
Omnilux Contour LED Face Mask: Gift With Purchase ($29 Value)
Photograph: Medea GiordanoSave to wishlistSave to wishlistOmnilux
Contour LED Face Mask
$395Nordstrom
Some people prefer a flexible silicone mask as opposed to the hard-shell style. I personally don't think it's as comfortable, but it is inarguably easier to store and pack for travel. This Nordstrom-exclusive model features 633 nanometers (nm) and 830 nm of near-infrared light, which is on par with most other flat masks. It only has one mode—there's no blue-light acne-targeting option or other wavelengths—and the treatments are 10 minutes long (recommended three to five times a week). There's no discount on the Contour during the Anniversary Sale, but it does come with a bonus gift of three hyaluronic acid Hydrogel Facial Masks ($29).
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