This LED Mask Looks Like It’s from the Future, But It’ll Make Make You Age Backwards

Magda Kmiecik

Look into the future of skin care and one thing is certain: You're going to need a bigger medicine cabinet.

"At-home devices have added a dimension to treatment that's never existed before," says dermatologist Dennis Gross, who developed the SpectraLite LED face mask seen above ($435; sephora.com). Dr. Gross is one of several leaders in the aesthetics field betting on energy-emitting power tools to advance the age-old quest for perfect skin.

Women have been experimenting with electrically charged gadgets for decades, so why expect more from the current batch? For the same reason we ditched the rotary phone — better technology is at hand, explains Dr. Gross. "Today, LED is like an ingredient," he says, adding that some of the latest devices can address specific receptors in the skin with lights that work toward prompting collagen production or targeting acne-causing bacteria.

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"What I love about modern at-home devices is that they're based on what we've done in the office," says dermatologist Ellen Marmur, who expects FDA clearance this fall for MMSphere, her LED machine that aims to rejuvenate the complexion, battle blemishes, and enhance your mood (she offers similar light treatments in her N.Y.C. office for around $85 per session).

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Georgia Louise GloPulse, $165; georgialouise.com.

And Dr. Marmur is not the only pro excited to give consumers access to these innovations. "For years I've seen how I've transformed my clients' skin with muscle-toning microcurrent, energy light to help with circulation, and galvanic current," says facialist Georgia Louise Vassanelli. "I am not an octopus; I have one set of hands. I really wanted to create something that would allow people to use my treatment at home."

For more stories like this, pick up the September issue of InStyle, available on newsstands, on Amazon, and for digital download now.

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