LED light therapy is very safe for skin—it works without breaking the skin or transmitting enough heat to cause burns, avoiding any physical damage. It’s also free of UV radiation, so there’s no risk of tanning, sunburn, or skin cancer. Rare side effects include rashes, hives, and swelling.Â
Your doctor or aesthetician should provide safety goggles for you to wear during your in-office treatment though. “It’s important to protect your eyes when having LED light therapy. You likely won’t have any immediate vision problems if you skip the safety goggles, but you might increase your risk of developing cataracts,” says San Francisco dermatologic surgeon Dr. William Ting. “I advise wearing appropriate goggles, specific to the wavelength of LED therapy emitted, at all times during LED therapy.”
In 2019, the popular Neutrogena home-use face mask was recalled, due to concerns over eye safety—particularly, in the delivery of blue LED light. “Blue light is the highest energy portion of visible light and is not filtered out by the clear front of the eye [cornea], so these rays can reach the sensitive back portion of the eye [retina],” Dr. David Samimi, a Los Angeles–based ophthalmologist and oculofacial plastic surgeon, told RealSelf News. “For people susceptible to retinal problems—those with genetic predisposition for conditions such as macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa—there is a theoretical risk for retinal damage and potential loss of vision from this concentrated blue-light exposure.” Though the Neutrogena mask is likely safe for the vast majority of the people when used as directed, the company took it off the market because of these potential safety concerns.
The flashing diodes of LED light therapy could also potentially trigger migraines or seizures, so it’s wise to avoid the treatment if you experience either of those conditions.
Related: What You Need to Know About LED Safety in the Wake of the Neutrogena Light Therapy Mask Recall
