Skin appearance
LEDs for skin therapy: systematic review and meta-analysis
Ngoc, Moon & Lee · 2023 · Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine
Ngoc LTN, Moon JY, Lee YC. Utilization of light-emitting diodes for skin therapy: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2023. doi:10.1111/phpp.12841
What they found
Pooled analysis of 31 studies found LED phototherapy significantly reduced wrinkles and fine lines. Red, amber/yellow and near-infrared LEDs all showed rejuvenation benefit, with low statistical heterogeneity for several outcomes (i.e. fairly consistent results across studies).
Evidence grade
moderate
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
partially replicable
Key outcomes
- 31 of 554 screened records met inclusion criteria
- LED illumination significantly reduced wrinkles and fine lines
- Red, yellow and near-infrared wavelengths all showed rejuvenation benefit
- Low heterogeneity for several outcomes suggests reasonably consistent effects
Protocol details
| Device | Various LED devices (panels, arrays, masks) |
|---|---|
| Wavelengths | 590, 633, 660, 830, 850 nm |
| Irradiance | Not reported |
| Dose (fluence) | Not reported |
| Session time | Not reported |
| Frequency | Not reported |
| Sessions / course | Not reported |
| Study length | Not reported |
| Treatment area | Skin / face (varies by included study) |
| Study size | 31 studies included after screening 554 records |
Caveats
- Pools heterogeneous devices, doses, frequencies and outcome measures.
- Most included trials are small and several have industry ties.
- Summarizes skin-appearance outcomes, not treatment of any medical condition.