Light for face, body and scalp
Red light vs near-infrared: which wavelength do I actually need?
The short answer
Red (630 to 660 nm) for the surface: tone, texture, fine lines.
Near-infrared (810 to 850 nm) reaches deeper: studied for muscle recovery and, with red, collagen support. The good devices use both.
Wavelength is the single specification that separates a light therapy device from a coloured lamp. Here is what each band does, and what the colour wheel on a 7-colour mask is really selling.
Red, 630 to 660 nm
Absorbed in the upper layers of skin. This is the band behind most of the skin studies: smoother texture, fewer fine lines, and better tone after eight to twelve weeks. If a device only has one wavelength, this is the one to want for the face.
Near-infrared, 810 to 850 nm
Invisible to the eye and penetrates deeper, into the dermis and beyond. Studied for muscle and joint recovery, and it adds collagen support in combined-wavelength skin studies. A mask that glows red but also lists 830 or 850 nm is using it.
Blue, about 415 nm
Surface only. Studied for its effect on the bacteria involved in inflammatory acne. It is not a wrinkle light, and best kept away from the eyes.
Green, yellow, cyan, purple, white
Marketing. There is thin to no controlled evidence for these in consumer devices. They are on the wheel because seven sounds better than two. We do not price a device higher for having them.
Red Light Therapy · Questions people actually ask
Straight answers
Is near-infrared dangerous because I can't see it?
No. At consumer powers it is heat you barely feel. The reason to respect it is the same as red: do not stare into LEDs at close range for long sessions.
Does more LEDs mean more results?
More LEDs at the right wavelengths, close to the skin, means more dose per minute. More LEDs of random colours means a brighter light show.
Can I use red and blue at the same time?
Devices that alternate or combine them are fine. Blue is the band studied for breakouts, red the one studied for tone. Do not expect blue to do anything for lines, and see a dermatologist for acne that persists.
Updated 2026-09-06. Nothing here is medical advice. A device is never a substitute for a dermatologist.