Is the Dr Dennis Gross LED light therapy mask really worth the hype?

A dramatic increase in pre-Christmas party mirror activity can create an obsession with crow’s feet,blemishes,pigmentation and patchy skin before leaving home searching for negroni sbagliatos with prosecco. You could drink more water or work on your self-esteem,but wouldn’t it be more fun to treat skin concerns with the type of mask Iron Man would wear to World Pride?

Since 2020 the penetrating pink glow of the Dr Dennis GrossLED masks have become as familiar on the Instagram accounts of models and influencers as puppies,big hats andSNL comedian Pete Davidson. Celebrities such as Halle Berry,Lucy Hale and Kris Jenner,who all appear to live under a perpetual filter,have fallen for the social media trap and sung the device’s praises.

This social media support would usually send my friends straight to Mecca to buy the Spectralite Faceware Pro,but the device’s $679 price tag has diverted them to text me with the constant message of “is it worth it?” and “have you tried it?”

My own skin is the perfect testing ground to answer these questions meaningfully,with a nose dotted by cavernous pores cultivating blackheads large enough to be recycled as Spakfilla,a forehead resembling the dusty Nullarbor Plain dissected by a wrinkle masquerading as the Eyre Highway and a murder of crow’s feet around my eyes.

Unleashing my inner beauty superhero I donned the mask to test its powers.

What does the Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware Pro do?

The Spectralite Faceware Pro offers treatments of red light,blue light and a combination I called “disco”. In the 1980s USresearchers funded by NASA looking into LED light’s impact on plant growth discovered that abrasions on their hands healed more quickly under the glow,which led to development around skin treatment.

“LED therapy uses light in the visible spectrum – including blue,yellow,amber and red – as well as light beyond the visible spectrum to penetrate different depths of skin,” says Dr Dennis Gross,a New York-based dermatologist. “As the light wavelength increases,so does the depth of penetration.”

Claims for red light treatment include collagen stimulation to combat wrinkles and plump skin,while blue light supposedly tackles acne-causing bacteria to reduce redness,inflammation,and help prevent future breakouts. The desired results are cumulative,so be prepared to don your mask daily.

While medical research into LED light continues,theeffectiveness of at home face masks has not been fully evaluated. They have been declared safe to use by the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG),which is not an indication of effectiveness.

Is the Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware Pro easy to use?

The hardest part of using the mask is stopping for the timed three-minute daily treatment. The USB charger is easy to use,and I recharged it on Fridays for my three-week test.

A button on the Spectralite Faceware Pro’s forehead shifted easily between the settings of red,blue and double-duty “disco”. A strap can be affixed to the mask,but I preferred to go strapless and lie down during my treatment.

The recommended three-minute treatment is timed. The first time I used it,that time was taken up capturing the perfect selfie. During my next sessions I tried breathing exercises,social media doomscrolling and putting my socks on without the mask falling.

What’s the most surprising thing about the Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware Pro?

I would use the mask in the morning,following asmear of Trinny London Enzyme Balm Cleanser in the shower. During the treatment there was a pleasant warm sensation,like catching the sun’s early rays but without the threat of UV. I soon came to realise that for me this sensory response was triggered by the light rather than any heat coming from the mask.

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After the treatment I would apply a hyaluronic serum,which absorbed more easily than usual and would then slather my face with Medik8 moisturiser. After two weeks my crow’s feet were more like cat’s whiskers and removing creases from my forehead with FaceTune on Instagram was much easier.

I dabbled with the settings but preferred the red light setting. The colour energised me for the rest of the day,or perhaps that was the coffee I had beside me.

Ten weeks is the recommended time to wait for results,so I’m still going,and it’s still difficult to decide whether the mask,or more focused attention to my skincare routine,produced results that had me smiling at my next mirror inspection.

Is the Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware Pro worth the price?

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t baulk at buying moisturisers that cost more than $100 and has a dedicated refrigerator in your guest bathroom for serums,go for it. There’s a feelgood factor to using the mask and treating yourself.

It’s a significant investment,and I’ve felt equally enthusiastic following trials of less expensive jade rollers and sheet masks,so if you’re on a budget,explore other ways of improving your skin through massage and diet before purchasing a mask.

After trialling the Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware Pro I am thinking of buying one,secondhand from a girlfriend who stopped using hers after four weeks. She’s now contemplating a Dyson Airwrap.

Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware Pro,$679,Mecca

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Every product review is purely editorial and independently chosen. The writer was loaned a Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware Pro unit for the purpose of this review.

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