Light therapy is a treatment that utilizes natural light to help with various medical disorders and diseases. People who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, conditions such as acne, and eye problems like myopia can use infrared saunas to relieve inflammation.

How to use a red light therapy? Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of the visible light spectrum to provide benefits. However, the types of wavelengths used may vary with the type of device you are using. Some machines use LED emitters, while others use infrared energy to provide phototherapy benefits.

Although red light therapy is still considered experimental, light wavelengths can treat a wide variety of medical conditions. There is ongoing research to answer the question, are red light therapy beds safe. There are 5 main types of light therapy.

Full Spectrum Light Therapy. Typically used for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Full-spectrum light therapy is a treatment that uses the same type of light found in sunlight.

Ultraviolet Light Therapy. Ultraviolet light therapy can lessen the symptoms of psoriasis. UV lights help treat skin disorders by drying out patches of skin and speeding up the removal of dead skin cells.

Blue Light Therapy. Blue light therapy can treat osteoarthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, and other types of arthritis. It is a treatment in which certain types of blue light are passed into the body to help wound healing and stimulate bone growth.

Infrared Therapy. Does infrared help with inflammation? Thermal infrared may provide relief for chronic pain sufferers. For example, some people use infrared therapy to lessen fibromyalgia pain.

Red Light Therapy. It can treat short-term wounds such as burns or scrapes and longer-term conditions like acne or eczema.

Considering high-end light therapy for your skin? You may not have to go to the spa or dermatologist. Entrepreneurs are looking to deliver portable beauty treatments right to your door.

In the last ten years, light therapy has gotten increasingly popular with dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Several studies have confirmed that red and infrared light can improve the look of aging skin, and may even be effective as an acne treatment.

Until recently, the procedure has cost patients an expensive trip to the doctor’s office: as much as $150 for a session lasting only about 15 to 30 minutes. To cut the cost, several at-home devices have hit the market, including the Baby Quazar Clear Rays for $249 and the Tanda Luxe for $195.

Illumask is one of the cheapest options at $30, and it’s flying off shelves at major retailers like Walmart and Target. It also received extremely positive reviews in Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and InStyle.

The device resembles a plastic hockey mask lined with LED lights and is placed over the face daily to create a subtle airbrushing effect. The science is still inconclusive, but users have reported softened lines, smoother complexions, and reduced acne.

Illumask was created by Dr. David Shuter, a Florida-based plastic surgeon, and Jay Tapper, an entrepreneur from Philadelphia whose past ventures include Tap King and the Spinbrush toothbrush. They developed the device to tap into an increasing demand for home-based, high-end beauty care.

The product’s jaw-dropping price was achieved by putting fewer and weaker lights in the mask and limiting its usage to 30 15-minute treatments. It also hasn’t been peer-reviewed by medical experts, but it did receive clearance for its anti-acne claims from the Food and Drug Administration.

Products with higher price tags often have the benefits of peer-review and extended use, so for the home beauty care enthusiast, shopping around for the best value is a must.

Some medical professionals caution that light from the devices might trigger migraines or seizures in people who are sensitive to them, and others warn not to expect dramatic, miraculous changes. Light Therapy can enhance skin’s beauty, but it doesn’t reduce the need for daily skin care and sunblock.

“LED therapy is a safe and gentle, non-invasive treatment that has shown strong efficacy for improving fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage, uneven skin tone, rosacea, inflammatory acne and managing pain,” says Kimberly Langford at Jellen Skin Care Products. “There are a variety of quality in-home light therapy systems available that can offer immediate and temporary benefits with regular application providing more cumulative, longer-lasting results.”

Still, it’s hard to beat the availability and convenience of the many new home beauty devices on the market. Has one of these products worked for you? Share your recommendations in the comments!