Paying a visit to your dermatologist or plastic surgeon for a treatment tends to be an expensive decision, and it often feels like it’s only a matter of time before life takes its toll and you’re back in that chair for another round. While there are really no at-home alternatives that compare to procedures like Botox, fillers, CO2 lasers, brow lifts, and facelifts, thanks to technological advancements, there are a number of devices that can help maintain and even extend the results of in-office treatments. These are the LED masks, microneedling-inspired rollers, and product infusers pros recommend for healthy skin in-between visits.
Marmur Metamorphis MMSphere2Go ($395)
LED light has been used to target skin concerns for years, but as of late, the technology is no longer available only at your next derm appointment or facial. At New York City board-certified dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur’s office, LED is used immediately post-procedure and prescribed for maintenance use at home. “If you received an in-office treatment for hyperpigmentation, we recommend pairing green LED light, as we have found it to reduce the appearance of redness while brightening, evening complexion, improving sensitivity, and combating inflammation,” she says. “For patients who receive filler and are concerned with collagen loss, we would recommend red LED setting, which we have found stimulates collagen production while also reducing fine lines and calming any inflammation.”
Dr. Marmur’s MMSphere2Go light consists of nine settings of five colors and is FDA-cleared for the treatment of wrinkles, blemishes, and breakouts. The varying wavelengths of light (which correspond to different colors) penetrate the skin at different depths and trigger different responses, such as increasing circulation or reducing oil production. Treatment is recommended for 20 minutes a day, and biopsy testing of treated versus untreated skin show biologically meaningful improvements in wound healing, reduction of inflammation, and promotion of collagen growth. Unlike other LED products with more limited light settings, MMSphere2Go offers five light settings—blue (for the treatment of acne), red (flights inflammation and pain relief), purple (maximizes red- and blue-light benefits simultaneously), green (reduces redness and skin sensitivity), and amber (boosts endorphins and overall radiance). With prolonged use, Dr. Marmur says, patients can even skip some in-office procedures: “We hope that LED therapy can replace one IPL/BBL session or one Clear + Brilliant session in your series per year.”
ReFa CARAT ($290)
Adored by skin experts, makeup artists, and celebrities alike, the ReFa CARAT is designed to replicate the deep facial massage that most estheticians offer in their treatments. With two Double Drainage textured rollers and a solar-powered microcurrent, the device works to refine, tighten, and tone skin and can be used on the cheeks, jawline, neck, chest, underarms, waist, and inner thighs. Users can adjust the intensity of the roller by angling it up or down, delivering not only a soothing massage for tight muscles but also a more contoured and rejuvenated appearance. “When used corrqectly, lymphatic drainage rollers can be great in some patients for an immediate and short-term result,” says Dr. Bruce Moskowitz, a New York City oculoplastic surgeon. He notes, though, that while a roller like ReFa CARAT may enhance in-office procedures and deliver temporary results, it is not a replacement for Botox, filler, plastic surgery, and other medical treatments.
ZIIP Beauty Nanocurrent Device ($495)
Developed by LA esthetician to the stars Melanie Simon, Ziip is a small, handheld device that uses tiny electric currents to offer nine different facial treatments that address a number of skin concerns. Electrotherapy has been an important tool in the facial arsenal for the last five decades, and it’s been used to treat cellulite, tighten muscles, and drain excess fluid from the lymph nodes, but Ziip uses microcurrents specifically to stimulate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, a driving force for collagen and elastin. Through the supporting app, users select their treatment based on their desired results. For an immediate lift and tone, choose “Instant Gratification”; for lymphatic drainage and facial sculpting, try “Lymph and Lift”; for troubling acne, go for “Total Clearing”; and for stubborn hyperpigmentation spots, select “Pigment.”
Related: How to Speed Up Your Lymphatic System Post Body Contouring
Skin Inc. Tri-Light Glasses For Bright Eyes ($175)
The Tri-Light Glasses from Skin Inc. focus LED technology on the skin surrounding the eyes, often the first place signs of aging will appear, and use red, yellow, and orange light in 10-minute treatments. “Some experts believe that red LED light acts on fibroblast cells in the skin, which play a role in collagen production,” says Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “So, in theory, red light could help to reverse some signs related to photoaging in the skin.” However, she warns that there is not yet enough scientific evidence to prove effectiveness. Yellow light, perhaps less familiar to most consumers, is known to reduce redness and wrinkle-causing inflammation while brightening skin, especially in the under-eye area. And for those who want the benefits of both, there’s orange light, which combines red and yellow lights to reduce redness and boost collagen production simultaneously. Because they focus solely on the eye region, the Tri-Light Glasses are ideal for anyone who’s gotten Botox or filler under their eyes or who has had an eye or brow lift.
Related: 15 Concealers Almost As Good As Under-Eye Filler
Jenny Patinkin Rose on Rose Derma Roller ($75)
“A great way to help maintain in-office procedures is to have a good skin-care regimen at home, full of effective active ingredients like antioxidants, anti-aging peptides, and retinoids. At-home derma-rolling can help these important active ingredients penetrate better,” says Dr. King. Although the needles won’t penetrate as deeply as those used in a professional microneedling treatment and therefore probably won’t stimulate collagen production, she says they can help your skin-care products work double time. “I recommend Jenny Patinkin’s Rose on Rose Derma Roller because it’s well-made and helps skin-care products perform better by creating thousands of painless microchannels that enhance absorption,” Dr. King says. In addition to increasing product absorption, the roller will also help boost circulation, soothe tension, and reduce inflammation—and its rose quartz gemstone is said to emit energy-healing properties (if you believe in that sort of thing).
Foreo IRIS Illuminating Eye Massager ($139)
Inspired by the lymphatic finger-tapping massage technique that’s popular in parts of Asia, the Foreo IRIS is a small device that sends T-sonic pulsations to the skin around the eyes. The IRIS has two modes, each with eight speeds: Pure Mode, which replicates the sensations of a manual massage and is gentle on the skin, and Spa Mode, which recreates a professional treatment by combining tapping and light pulsations. If used morning and night for 30 seconds on each eye, the IRIS can depuff the treated area almost immediately, increase product absorption, and, over time, smooth the appearance of crow’s feet, fine lines, and wrinkles and brighten dark circles. Given its focus on the under-eye area, this device is ideal for those who have had in-office treatments like Botox and filler around the eye, brow lifts, or eye lifts.
JeNu Plus Ultrasonic Infuser ($199)
While heightened product absorption is an added benefit of many devices, it’s the aim of the JeNu Plus Ultrasonic Infuser. Using ultrasound technology, the infuser vibrates at a rapid pace to push your previously applied product deeper into the skin. “In a study of 160 women who used the JeNu Ultrasonic Infuser with 200+ skin-care products from over 80 brands, nine out of 10 women reported that the system made the products they were already using work better,” Dr. King explains. “Other tests commissioned by JeNu showed that the infuser, on average, tripled absorption of hyaluronic acid and retinol palmitate.” Results can be seen almost immediately, and users should expect to see the same benefits of their skin-care products on a more amplified level. So, if your concern is of the aging variety and you are using topical ingredients to target wrinkles and fine lines, you will see greater benefits of this, and if your go-to products are treating acne, they will theoretically be even more effective with the JeNu infuser. However, Dr. Moskowitz advises, “patients should always discuss this with their doctor before combining therapies, which can deliver more drug or product than anticipated and result in possible complications.”
