My boyfriend has probably heard about my skin struggles more than anyone else. I’m talking hormonal breakouts, redness, and hyperpigmentation, not to mention skull-squeezing tension headaches. He understands my issues: We both took Accutane as teenagers, though I’m still dealing with some adult acne — and since my dermatologist-prescribed spironolactone wasn’t doing the trick, I’d been searching for ways to clear it up.
So for Christmas this past year, he surprised me with the TheraFace. (He read about it in Esquire and thought it sounded particularly effective because it tackles multiple skin concerns at once.) As I unwrapped the rigid mask, it immediately reminded me of a Stormtrooper helmet or Optimus Prime’s head. I prefer to think of it as the latter since that robot is more of a hero figure — and, I mean, I hoped it would be similarly heroic for my skin. As it turns out, it was.
If you’re not familiar with the TheraFace Mask, it’s made by wellness brand Therabody, the creator of the TheraGun and many other massage tools. The brand also makes a TheraFace Pro, a handheld facial device featuring similar LED technology, but the TheraFace device I received is a plastic mask. It fits over your face with head straps and emits three kinds of light — red, red and near-infrared, and blue — to help make skin look smoother and firmer and to minimize fine lines and dark spots. It’s one of several LED masks like this on the market (there are versions from Omnilux, CurrentBody, and HigherDose), but unlike others, TheraFace includes a blue-light setting and vibration therapy.
It’s most similar to Dr. Dennis Gross’s popular LED mask in that the TheraFace is hard-bodied and cordless, but sizewise, Therabody is wider, which means it covers my entire face. The mask has a whopping 648 medical-grade LEDs (powerful!), and I was especially intrigued by the fact that it has 17 vibration nodes that massage pressure points around the eye area and scalp to promote relaxation, increase blood flow, and, I hoped, relieve my headaches.
When I first tried the mask, I appreciated how simple it was to use (and yes, I did feel like Optimus Prime). All you have to do is wash and dry your face, strap the device onto your head, and turn it on. Then, a nine-minute pre-programmed LED light therapy and massaging treatment begins. There are three minutes of red light to stimulate collagen production and reduce signs of aging, three minutes of red plus near-infrared for a circulation boost, and three minutes of blue light to fight acne-causing bacteria. After I first used it, my skin appeared less inflamed, and the tense spot between my eyebrows felt more relaxed thanks to the massage feature. The mask did leave some indentation marks from the eye shield and vibrating motors, but that didn’t deter me — after a few uses I got the hang of how to position it properly.
As the weeks went on, I realized that the mask’s vibration program — which you can use either alone or as part of an LED-light treatment — was more effective at relieving my tension headaches than the Botox and Dysport I’d tried in the past. The tiny motors alleviate tightness from squinting and reduce puffiness in my face by pulsing on my temples and brow bone plus the top and back of my head. The massage also just felt damn good. It’s like getting a facial but more rhythmic, because the mask follows a continuous vibration pattern. More than once, I’ve almost fallen asleep with it on.
Around the four-week mark, I noticed my breakouts clearing and my skin tone becoming more even — and by eight weeks, I was truly impressed by the changes in my skin after using the TheraFace. I’ve seen improvements in the overall texture of my skin, and the deep headless pimples along my chin have disappeared. Any dark spots I once had have softened completely, my complexion is brighter, and my face has a firmness similar to the snatching effects of a microcurrent device. (But I find that it’s much easier to throw on my mask than stand in front of a mirror and manually use the NuFace.)
Most of all, I’ve learned that consistency is key. I always opt for the preset treatment because it combines all three LED-light modes (but if you’d prefer one specific setting, such as only red light or just vibration, the side buttons allow you to toggle through each option.) The mask’s hands-free design and (removable) eye shields also make it easy to use consistently — I can put it on while I’m folding laundry or checking emails. My favorite way to wear it is before bed while I’m reading. But do be careful if you’re using it in the evening, as this beaming headpiece can become a sci-fi jump scare in the dark: I’ve startled my boyfriend a few too many times by looking like a Star Wars droid while filling up my bedtime water glass.
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