Best Red Light Therapy Devices (2026)

TL;DR

• Best overall: Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask — $339.99 (as of 11/08/2026 13:11 UTC - Details) · Check price on Amazon

Eight outlets have published hands-on tests of red light therapy devices, updated in 2026, that we could read. Good Housekeeping's guide rests on its editors' and staffers' hands-on use; WIRED tested masks and, separately, had five reviewers with hair loss try caps and helmets for 16 weeks; Forbes Vetted's nine panelists used masks for at least eight months; CNET used every device for at least 60 days; Fortune and Garage Gym Reviews had testers use and score each device; Wareable tested panels for weeks and reviewed single devices; and Reviewed tested FDA-cleared masks for up to eight weeks. Alex Fergus, an independent reviewer, compared 17 wall panels with a spectrometer in a 2024 series he updated in July 2026. Fortune and Garage Gym Reviews appear to share test notes: Garage Gym Reviews' Sun Home tester quote is almost word for word Fortune's, and both give the Lifepro BioHeal Plus 5 out of 5 for irradiance and frequency, so we count them as one test where they overlap. [src1, src2, src3, src4, src5, src6, src7, src8, src9, src14, src15]

The Shark CryoGlow is the top pick: WIRED's best LED mask overall and CNET's best LED face mask overall, which Good Housekeeping also tested and made its best with a cooling feature. The CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask Series 2 (WIRED's best silicone mask and Good Housekeeping's best overall) is the silicone-mask pick, and the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro (Forbes Vetted's best overall) the pick for quick, three-minute red and blue sessions. The HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask (the comfort pick) and the Omnilux Contour Face (an alternative) were each tested by four of these outlets. For hair loss, the iRestore Elite is the helmet pick at CNET and WIRED. Panels are listed as alternatives, each with the verdict of the outlet that tested it. [src2, src4, src1, src3, src5, src6, src14]

On the evidence, the American Academy of Dermatology says red light may help signs of skin aging and, with repeated treatments, may regrow some hair; Cleveland Clinic says results look promising but more quality studies are needed, and finds no evidence for weight loss or cellulite removal. The FDA clears devices rather than approving them, and clearance means a device is considered safe and low risk, not that it works. The AAD advises seeing a board-certified dermatologist before using red light at home. [src16, src17, src18]

Top Pick: Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask — Check price

WIRED's best LED mask overall. Its tester ran an eight-week trial: her perioral dermatitis cleared up faster than usual, her skin looked plumper, and an aesthetician's before-and-after scan showed less inflammation and hyperpigmentation. It has red, near-infrared and blue light (WIRED lists 630, 830 and 415 nm, and 73 mW/cm² for red), cooling pads under the eyes and a controller that tracks your sessions, but WIRED found it noisier than most masks and its hard shell bulky. CNET, which made it its face-mask pick, says that when it tested LED face masks "the CryoGlow was also our pick for the best model overall"; it calls it the only FDA-cleared LED mask that combines red light therapy with cryotherapy, and notes that the cooling pads leave the under-eye area without LED light. Good Housekeeping, which made it its best with a cooling feature, had its Nutrition & Fitness Lab director try it: she found it comfortable and saw "a noticeable difference in de-puffing my under eyes", but did not find it very effective for severe acne. Forbes Vetted is still testing it. WIRED and CNET list a two-year warranty. [src2, src4, src1, src3]

Best Silicone Mask: CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask Series 2 — Check price

Good Housekeeping's best overall red light therapy device. Its beauty lab reviews analyst liked that it combines "the flexible comfort of a soft LED mask with the close fit of a hard plastic LED mask", and noted the Series 2's added deep near-infrared wavelength (1,072 nm, on top of red and near-infrared, which WIRED's text gives as 633 and 830 nm and its spec box as 630 and 880 nm) and its 236 LEDs against the previous version's 132; Good Housekeeping found it heavier than some other silicone masks. WIRED's best silicone mask: its straps and chin band held it in place well enough to do chores, it is bright enough that the eye inserts are needed if you walk around, and after consistent use the tester noticed "subtle improvements in inflammation and overall skin texture". WIRED lists 30 mW/cm², 10-minute sessions three to five times a week and a two-year warranty. Forbes Vetted, which first tested the original mask, had a tester use the Series 2 for several weeks and judged it "worth the upgrade", ranking it runner-up to the Omnilux among silicone masks; its eye inserts let her keep her eyes open. It has no blue light for acne. Forbes Vetted is now testing CurrentBody's Series 3, which has 750 LEDs and six wavelength options. [src1, src2, src3]

Best for Quick Sessions: Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro — Check price

Forbes Vetted's best LED face mask overall, chosen for "how comfortable it is to wear, its versatility in targeting signs of aging as well as acne, and its quick treatment time of three minutes". It is rigid plastic rather than silicone, and cordless, with red, blue and combined settings (WIRED lists 415, 605, 630 and 880 nm, and 60 mW/cm²); on the blue setting Forbes Vetted's tester saw redness around blemishes subside faster than usual, and a charge lasted eight to 10 uses. WIRED's best mask for quick sessions: its tester used it almost daily for six weeks without recharging and felt "a noticeable reduction in various blemishes" after two weeks on the red-and-blue setting, but "I have yet to notice a significant change in wrinkles or skin texture", and the silicone strap "constantly comes undone". Good Housekeeping lists it as its best with red and blue light and notes that some reviewers did not like the fit. Forbes Vetted and WIRED list a one-year warranty. [src3, src2, src1]

Best Hair-Growth Helmet: iRestore Elite — Check price

CNET's red light helmet for hair growth: its tester, treating thinning edges four to five times a week, was "already seeing baby hairs growing" after two months, and CNET says results take months of consistency. WIRED's best helmet: its tester used it with iRestore's Max Growth hair products, and after three months her husband's "hair density has bounced back significantly"; she credits the hair products too. Sessions last 12 minutes, from 500 diodes (300 lasers and 200 LEDs, per WIRED) at 625, 655 and 680 nm; it warms the scalp, and both outlets describe it as FDA-cleared. CNET notes that cordless use needs a separate battery pack. WIRED's best overall for hair growth is a different device, the CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet, which this card does not link. [src4, src5]

Best for Comfort: HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask — Check price

Forbes Vetted's "top pick for comfort", for its flexible silicone body and three adjustable straps, with 10- and 20-minute sessions, the longest in that roundup; a tester who has used it for more than a year notices "a post-mask glow". Forbes Vetted's testers also found it the trickiest fit, as it did not always cover the lower face, and the goggles did not shield their eyes much. Fortune's best for acne: after about four months its tester notices her "acne scars fade far more quickly with consistent use", and says it has "practically the same wavelengths as the Omnilux Contour… but it has a higher irradiance level and costs less". WIRED's tester found it "super comfortable", with "glowy skin and reduced acne". Reviewed's tester saw "a slight improvement in fine lines after a few weeks" but found the light too bright without the goggles, with some leakage even with them on. It has red and near-infrared light only, no blue: Reviewed lists 630 and 830 nm, Fortune 630 and 880 nm and 50 mW/cm². Forbes Vetted and WIRED list a one-year warranty. [src3, src6, src2, src14]

Also Tested, Silicone Mask: Omnilux Contour Face — Check price

One program, 10 minutes of red (633 nm) and near-infrared (830 nm) light, with an automatic shut-off; Fortune lists 30–35 mW/cm². Forbes Vetted's best silicone mask: its tester found it "super lightweight and very easy to set up and use", and after several months her skin tone looked "slightly more even and glowy", though the mask was not secure enough to move about in. Good Housekeeping's best FDA-cleared device: its senior chemist liked that it covers the whole face, found it a little bulky, and said the light can make it too bright to see. Fortune's best for wrinkles: its tester thought it was "helping with fine lines and overall smoothness" after about five uses. Reviewed's tester used it for over two months and saw "minor improvements in her skin texture and tone", but the bridge of her nose hurt, and Reviewed says it "got inched out by other masks with stronger results". It comes with no eye inserts or goggles. Forbes Vetted lists a two-year limited warranty, with one year on the controller. It is not a named pick because Forbes Vetted, Good Housekeeping and Fortune each name it best for something different, so no two tests support one role for it. [src3, src1, src6, src14]

Also Tested, Joints and Muscles: Novaalab Novaa Light Pad XL — Check price

Garage Gym Reviews' best deep-tissue device: a flexible pad of 400 LEDs, nearly 20 by 24 inches, with red (660 nm) and near-infrared (850 nm) light, that wraps around a leg, an arm or the back. Garage Gym Reviews' tester used it pretty much every day: "I'd notice the day after working out that I wasn't as tight or sore as I normally would be." Garage Gym Reviews lists 200 mW/cm² at the skin, falling to 25 at 6 inches, a three-year warranty, 60-day returns and $599.90, and says the Light Pad XL is the same item Novaalab also calls the Deep Healing Pad XL, the page we link. Fortune names the "Novaalab Pad (XL)" its best for travel, and its tester, Alan, wrapped it around his leg, but Fortune's link goes to Novaalab's regular Light Pad, so its test may not be of the XL. It is not a named pick because Garage Gym Reviews' is the only test we can tie to the XL. [src8, src7]

Also Tested, Full-Body Panel: BON CHARGE Max Red Light Therapy Device — Check price

Wareable's best overall panel and best full-body device: a 660 and 850 nm panel rated over 142 mW/cm² that covers the whole body, so "you won't need to reposition your body", on a stand or a door hook, with a built-in timer. After a few weeks Wareable's testers' muscles were less sore after workouts and some found their skin more even, but "these signs were very subtle"; it ran quietly and did not overheat the skin. Wareable lists it at $999 and calls it expensive. It is not a named pick because no second testing outlet we use covers it. [src9, src10]

Also Tested, Full-Body Panel: Sun Home Medical-Grade Full Body Red Light Panel — Check price

Best overall at both Garage Gym Reviews (4.6 of 5) and Fortune: 360 LEDs of red and near-infrared light (660 and 850 nm, per Fortune) at 140 mW/cm², with a remote and a 1 to 30 minute timer. The testers found it easy to set up, with coverage "as described—full-body"; Garage Gym Reviews' tester had used it for a few 10-minute sessions and wanted longer use to judge its benefits. It is large and not portable, and Fortune says it comes without a standing base. Both list it at $1,499, and Garage Gym Reviews lists a one-year warranty. Their notes on it are nearly identical, so we count one test. [src8, src7]

Also Tested, Half-Body Panel: Lifepro BioHeal Plus Red Light Panel — Check price

Wareable's best for flexible mounting and Fortune's best under $1,000, recommended by both after separate tests, though neither calls it its best panel. It has 120 LEDs of red (660 nm) and near-infrared (850 nm) light, used together or apart, with optional 10 Hz pulsing and a 1 to 30 minute timer; Wareable lists about 219 mW/cm², and Fortune's tester quotes 212 at 3 inches and 140 at 6. They disagree on mounting: Wareable describes a built-in stand, a door hook and a pulley; Fortune's tester found no stand and a pulley system he did not understand, and leaned it against a wall. Both describe a lifetime warranty, which Fortune says needs registering within 14 days. Wareable lists it at $329.99; Fortune's tester called it "excellent value" at about $300 on Amazon. Garage Gym Reviews, whose Sun Home notes nearly match Fortune's, also rated it 5 out of 5 for irradiance and frequency. [src9, src7, src8]

Also Tested, Premium Panel: Joovv Solo 3.0 — Check price

Wareable tested the Solo 3.0 hung on a door: "my skin definitely felt softer after about a month", it did not help acne, and it "slightly helped with soreness". Wareable calls Joovv "premium and reliable" but says "the price is definitely a downside" and that there are "cheaper, trustworthy devices out there". It uses 660 and 850 nm light. Alex Fergus, who measured 17 wall panels with a spectrometer, recorded 59 mW/cm² at 6 inches for the Joovv Solo and ranked the Solo 3.0 16th of the 17 overall. Both testers flag its price. [src13, src15]

Also Tested, Tabletop Panel: Mito Red Light MitoPRO 300+ — Check price

Wareable tested it for its May 2026 full-body guide and called it "a great red light therapy panel that delivers quality at a reasonable price", easy for beginners and perhaps best for the face, neck and upper chest, with 630, 660, 830 and 850 nm light rated over 130 mW/cm². In the current version of that guide the beginner pick is headed MitoPRO 1500+, the larger panel, though its entry still links the 300+. Wareable's Hooga PRO300 reviewer found that the "MitoPRO 300+ feels more refined", and costs more for "additional wavelengths and a more feature-rich experience". No other testing outlet we use covers the 300+, so it is not a named pick. [src10, src11]

Also Tested, Budget Tabletop Panel: Hooga PRO300 — Check price

Wareable's best budget-friendly panel: for a first try it would choose the PRO300 over the BON CHARGE Max "due to its price and simplicity", but with over 100 mW/cm² its testers preferred it for skin care rather than recovery. Wareable's reviewer used it daily for several weeks: a compact 660 and 850 nm panel, about 12.7 by 8.6 by 3.1 inches, with an integrated stand, manual controls and no app. "I didn't notice anything early on"; by the third week the reviewer's skin looked brighter on some mornings, though a new cream may have helped. [src9, src11]

Also Tested, Entry-Level Tabletop Panel: Hooga HG300 — Check price

Wareable tested the HG300 for over a month: 660 and 850 nm at "around 73 mW/cm² (measured at 6 inches)", a 60-degree beam, a built-in kickstand, and no app or guided routines; eye protection is not included. Sessions took 10 to 20 minutes per area, and the shoulders needed two sittings. Results were "subtle and gradual": a more even complexion and less stiff shoulders, but no change in deeper wrinkles. "You get what you pay for," Wareable concludes, but it is "a worthwhile starting point for beginners". [src12]

Head-to-Head Comparisons

CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask Series 2 vs Omnilux Contour Face

Forbes Vetted tested both and put the Omnilux first among silicone masks, with the CurrentBody Series 2 runner-up; Good Housekeeping made the CurrentBody its best overall and the Omnilux its best FDA-cleared device. The CurrentBody has 236 LEDs against the Omnilux's 132 and adds a deep near-infrared 1,072 nm wavelength, and it comes with eye inserts, which the Omnilux lacks. The Omnilux runs one simple program. [src3, src1, src2]

Pick the CurrentBody Series 2 if: you want the extra wavelength and eye inserts that let you keep your eyes open.
Pick the Omnilux Contour Face if: you want the simplest one-button routine and Forbes Vetted's top silicone mask.

CurrentBody Series 2 vs Dr. Dennis Gross FaceWare Pro

Forbes Vetted and WIRED tested both and disagree: Forbes Vetted's best overall is the Dr. Dennis Gross, with the CurrentBody runner-up among silicone masks; WIRED makes the CurrentBody its best silicone mask and the Dr. Dennis Gross its best for quick sessions. The CurrentBody is flexible silicone with red and near-infrared light and 10-minute sessions; the Dr. Dennis Gross is a rigid, cordless shell with red and blue light and three-minute sessions. [src3, src2]

Pick the CurrentBody Series 2 if: aging skin is the goal and you want a mask that molds to your face.
Pick the Dr. Dennis Gross FaceWare Pro if: you want three-minute sessions and blue light for breakouts.

Shark CryoGlow vs CurrentBody Series 2

WIRED tested both: the Shark is its best LED mask overall and the CurrentBody its best silicone mask, and CNET also names the Shark its best LED face mask overall. Good Housekeeping reverses the order, with the CurrentBody best overall and the Shark best with cooling. The Shark adds blue light and under-eye cooling pads in a noisier hard shell; the CurrentBody is a flexible silicone mask with no blue light. [src2, src4, src1]

Pick the Shark CryoGlow if: you want blue light for blemishes and cooling for puffy under-eyes.
Pick the CurrentBody Series 2 if: you want a flexible mask that hugs the face.

Face Mask vs Panel (for skin)

Wareable's full-body guide says that for hair growth or acne "you don't really need a full-body panel, as smaller devices for targeted areas will be enough", while a full-body panel suits wider goals such as inflammation, skin regeneration or overall well-being. Its testers preferred the Hooga PRO300, a small panel, for skin care rather than recovery. [src10, src9]

Pick a face mask if: your face is the target.
Pick a panel if: you also want to treat your body or sore muscles.

Joovv vs Mito Red Light vs PlatinumLED

Alex Fergus's comparison of 17 wall panels, measured with a spectrometer at 6 inches, ranked the PlatinumLED BioMax 900 first (90 mW/cm², the highest he measured), the Mito Red Light MitoPRO 1500 X fifth and the Joovv Solo 3.0 16th (59 mW/cm²). Wareable found the Joovv Solo 3.0 premium but expensive, and its full-body guide's beginner pick is now headed Mito Red Light's MitoPRO 1500+, though the entry still links the 300+. This card links the Joovv Solo 3.0 and the smaller MitoPRO 300+, not the BioMax 900, MitoPRO 1500 X or MitoPRO 1500+, and no PlatinumLED panel: the hands-on test we use, Alex Fergus's, covers the larger BioMax 900. [src15, src13, src10]

Pick a Joovv if: you value its build and are willing to pay for it.
Pick a Mito Red Light or PlatinumLED panel if: measured output matters more, and check which size the reviewer tested.

Decision Logic

If the goal is facial anti-aging

→ The Shark CryoGlow, the best mask overall at WIRED and CNET, with red, near-infrared and blue light and under-eye cooling. For a flexible silicone mask, the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask Series 2, WIRED's best silicone mask and Good Housekeeping's best overall; of the alternatives, the Omnilux Contour Face, Forbes Vetted's best silicone mask, runs one 10-minute program. [src2, src4, src1, src3]

If you also have breakouts

→ The Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro (red and blue light, three minutes) or the Shark CryoGlow (red, near-infrared and blue light, plus under-eye cooling). Good Housekeeping's tester did not find the Shark very effective on severe acne, and the AAD advises seeing a board-certified dermatologist before using red light at home. [src3, src2, src1, src16]

If the goal is hair loss

→ The iRestore Elite helmet, CNET's and WIRED's helmet pick. Expect months, not weeks: CNET's tester saw baby hairs at two months, and WIRED's results came at three. [src4, src5]

If the goal is a sore joint or muscle

→ A flexible pad: the Novaalab Novaa Light Pad XL wraps a leg, an arm or the back. Garage Gym Reviews tested it; Fortune's best for travel, the "Novaalab Pad (XL)", links Novaalab's regular Light Pad, so its test may not be of the XL. [src8, src7]

If the goal is full-body wellness or recovery

→ A panel, but the testers disagree: the BON CHARGE Max is Wareable's best overall, the Sun Home Medical-Grade Full Body Red Light Panel is best overall at Garage Gym Reviews and Fortune, and the Lifepro BioHeal Plus is recommended by both Wareable and Fortune. Wareable's testers found the BON CHARGE Max's effects "very subtle", and Cleveland Clinic says more quality studies are needed. [src9, src8, src7, src17]

If you want to spend as little as possible

→ A small tabletop panel: Wareable's budget pick, the Hooga PRO300, or the Hooga HG300, which Wareable calls "a worthwhile starting point for beginners". Both need repositioning or extra sittings to treat larger areas. Check the live table at the top of the card for today's prices. [src9, src12]

If you are photosensitive or take photosensitizing medication

→ Ask a doctor first: the AAD says red light may not be recommended if you take medication that increases your skin's sensitivity to light, and Healthline says certain medications can make skin more sensitive. [src16, src18]

Default recommendation

→ The Shark CryoGlow if skin is any part of the goal, or the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask Series 2 if you prefer a flexible silicone mask. For whole-body use, choose among the tested panels above, knowing that no panel has two independent tests naming it best. [src2, src4, src1, src9, src8]

• Masks are adding wavelengths and LEDs. Good Housekeeping notes that the CurrentBody Series 2 added a deep near-infrared 1,072 nm wavelength and has 236 LEDs against its predecessor's 132; Forbes Vetted is now testing CurrentBody's Series 3, with 750 LEDs and six wavelength options. [src1, src3]
• Cooling has joined light. CNET calls the Shark CryoGlow the only FDA-cleared LED face mask that combines red light therapy with cryotherapy, and WIRED made it its best mask overall. [src4, src2]
• Panel testers disagree. Fortune and Garage Gym Reviews put the Sun Home Medical-Grade panel first, Wareable the BON CHARGE Max, CNET the Clearlight Personal Tower and Alex Fergus the PlatinumLED BioMax 900. [src7, src8, src9, src4, src15]
• Some testing is shared. Garage Gym Reviews' Sun Home tester quote matches Fortune's almost word for word, and both give the Lifepro BioHeal Plus 5 out of 5 for irradiance and frequency: two outlets do not always mean two tests. [src8, src7]
• Clearance is not proof. The AAD and Healthline both say FDA clearance means low risk, not that a device works, and Healthline says most red light devices are not FDA-approved. [src16, src18]

• Not a substitute for medical care. The AAD advises seeing a board-certified dermatologist before using red light at home, and Cleveland Clinic calls a dermatologist or trained cosmetic therapist "your safest option", noting that at-home devices may be less powerful. [src16, src17]
• Evidence varies by use. The AAD says red light may help fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots and loose skin, and that with repeated treatments it may regrow some hair; Cleveland Clinic says results look promising but more quality studies with larger numbers of people are needed, and finds no evidence for weight loss or cellulite removal; Healthline says more research is needed. Most testers here describe results that were subtle and took weeks. [src16, src17, src18, src2, src9, src12]
• FDA clearance is not FDA approval. "The FDA clears devices. It doesn't approve or certify them," says the AAD; clearance means a device is considered safe and low risk, not that it works. [src16, src18]
• Eyes and misuse. Wear eye protection when the directions say to; testers found several masks and panels too bright without it, and the Hooga HG300 ships without glasses. Burns, lesions and blisters reported with red light units came from misuse, such as falling asleep with a device in place, or from device malfunction. [src16, src1, src14, src12, src18]
• Irradiance figures are not comparable across outlets. They change with distance (Garage Gym Reviews lists the Novaa Light Pad XL at 200 mW/cm² at the skin and 25 at 6 inches) and with who measured: Alex Fergus measured the Joovv Solo at 59 mW/cm² at 6 inches, while Wareable lists 80–120 mW/cm² for Joovv. [src8, src15, src13]
• Prices and links. The table's prices are our own latest US checks where we have one; the newly added Shark CryoGlow has none yet. The Novaalab, BON CHARGE, Sun Home, Lifepro, Joovv and Mito Red Light links go to the makers' own product pages, where we do not check prices.