When I was eleven or twelve, I noticed a strange red spot on my skin.
I asked my parents, and with a slight chuckle, they told me that the red bump protruding from my skin was a pimple.
I was mortified. I had hoped I'd make it through puberty unscathed — but unfortunately that doesn't happen for most of us.
"It's just something that happens when you hit puberty," people told me. "It's a normal part of being a teenager."
But what people don't tell you is that yeah, while it is a normal part of being a teenager, it doesn't stop when you're no longer a teenager.
The idea that acne and pimples and breakouts just go away after you become a young adult is a myth.
Now that I'm well into my 20s, I fully expected to be out of the woods with my acne.
I've tried a bunch of things — like baking soda as a face wash — but they haven't been all that successful. When I saw commercials for the Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Mask, I knew I had to try it out.
Read below to find out what happened when I used the light therapy mask for a week!
What Is Light Therapy?
Before I started using the mask, I wanted to know what makes light therapy effective.
According to Neutrogena, "Light therapy is a clinically proven, effective acne technology used by dermatologists for over a decade."
The American Academy of Dermatology explains that there are two primary types of light therapy: lasers and visible light.
How Does Light Therapy Work For Acne?
The mask, which is bright pink/purple on the box, uses blue and red light to treat pimples.
Neutrogena explains, "The energy from red and blue lights gently filters through skin and has been scientifically shown to target acne-causing bacteria, reducing the appearance of breakouts."
"Blue, red, and blue + red light devices: Called visible light because you can see the colors, these devices can treat pimples," explains the American Academy of Dermatology. "Visible light is not effective against blackheads, whiteheads, acne cysts, or nodules."
So what do light therapy devices treat? They treat acne that is already forming — a.k.a. the actual red bumps with heads that appear on your face. Because they kill off acne-causing bacteria, they may also help prevent pimples from forming.
How To Use The Light Therapy Acne Mask
Using the mask is really simple — all you have to do is put it on (it stays on like sunglasses, over the ears and bridge of the nose), activate the light, and wait ten minutes while the mask does its thing.
I was actually surprised at how easy the face mask was to use. It's just as simple as it looks.
Before Using Light Therapy Acne Mask
According to Neutrogena, the mask only works for mild and moderate acne, not severe acne. People with cystic acne or nodules probably need a more in-depth consult with a dermatologist.
Luckily, I have pretty mild acne, which means the mask is just right for my skin.
Before starting to use the mask, I had a few big zits on my face, along with some smaller pimples.
I was hoping that the mask would reduce the redness, pain, and bumps from my biggest pimples.
While Using Light Therapy Acne Mask
When I put the light therapy acne mask on for the first time, I was happy that it was comfortable and easy to wear.
The box told me to relax and hang out during the ten minutes, so I went to sit on the couch with my boyfriend and my dog.
I pressed the button on the activator and was immediately blinded by bright purple light. It was significantly brighter than I had originally expected, but I got used to it after a few minutes.
I wasn't expecting to notice any changes after the first few days, but I was actually pretty surprised that I didn't feel anything at all.
Even when I don't notice overall changes with other face masks, I still usually feel some sort of immediate skin tightening or dryness.
A few days into the light therapy process, I thought that I noticed some of my pimples starting to go away, but I don't know whether that was due to the mask or just the regular life cycle of a zit.
I did notice that, on good days, the mask made me feel like some kind of world-protecting superhero. Seriously, it makes you look like a pretty Ironman. Ironwoman?
In my less lofty moments, I felt like a stormtrooper, minus the clunky armor.
After Using Light Therapy Acne Mask
At the end of my light therapy experiment, I had about the same number of pimples as I started with.
The ones I began the week with weren't there anymore, but I had new ones that were just as bad.
So much for the promised acne-prevention.
It's hard to tell whether or not the light therapy acne mask really affected my acne, but I'm pretty sure it didn't do much.
That being said, I didn't notice any negative effects from the mask (other than making my face warm), so overall it definitely wasn't a wasted experiment.
I also only used the mask for one week. Someone who used it for, say a month, might have a totally different experience.
Light Therapy Acne Mask: Final Thoughts
So, here's my final review of the Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Mask:
Would I use it again? The jury's still out on this one — I have the mask at home and my activator still has 23 uses on it, so I definitely could use it again. It's possible I didn't give the mask enough time, so maybe I'll give it another go at some point.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Sure! According to the American Academy of Dermatology, "Results vary from person to person. Right now, there's no way to know who will see clearer skin and how much the skin will clear when treated with a laser or other light treatment." So even though the mask didn't really work for me, it definitely might work for someone else!
If you plan to test this out for yourself, make sure to SHARE for anyone else who could try it too!
