Can this scary MASK make your wrinkles disappear?
GROWING old is scary stuff — but this antiageing device is even spookier. Who would have thought Hannibal Lecter could hold the secret to youthful-looking skin?
A creepy face mask — just the thing for any discerning serial killer in a scary movie — lined with LED lights, claims to do just that and is the latest wacky invention to (quite literally) set the beauty world alight.
LED lights — the same technology which adds a twinkle to your Christmas tree — are being hailed by beauty experts as the next big advance in the war on ageing.
Celebrities — including Hollywood actress Jessica Alba, who tweeted a picture of herself wearing the ghoulish gizmo — have been quick to embrace the technology which is non-invasive, safe and, crucially, free from tell-tale signs of nips, tucks and chemical fillers.
But is the LED facial just another celebrity fad, destined to flicker and die like last year’s fairy lights or could it really be the secret to turning back time? I decided to find out.
Beautician Kate Kerr has been dubbed ‘the facialist of the future’ because of the space-age techniques at her London clinic. She uses LED masks during treatments, which cost £195 per session.
‘LED lights stimulate our cells and kick-start a number of processes which help rejuvenate the skin,’ she explains.
‘First, LED therapy stimulates cells called fibroblasts which produce collagen. It also slows down the production of enzymes which break down collagen and make older skin lose its elasticity. LED lights also speed cell production, making skin regenerate faster which creates fresher-looking complexions.’
The science sounds convincing, and so it should. Nasa scientists started using LED (light-emitting diode) lights to help grow plants in space in the Nineties. They noticed that when red LED lights shone on astronauts, wounds tended to heal faster.
Research revealed cells exposed to LED light regenerate 150 to 200 per cent faster than those not stimulated by the light. LED light, or photodynamic therapy, was then developed by Nasa and in 2003 they published a groundbreaking report highlighting its healing properties. It is now used in skin treatments. KATE uses an LED mask developed by British company Neoelegance, costing £600. At 43 and a mother of three, I admit I could do with an urgent dose of rejuvenation, but despite the enticing promises and the science behind it, I am taken aback when I clap eyes on the mask.
It looks terrifying. A white, expressionless face: think Munch’s The Scream meets a Hannibal Lecter cast-off. The front is made of glistening white, heavyduty plastic, with holes for the eyes and mouth. The reverse is covered with rows of tiny, clear lightbulbs — more than 100 Kate tells me — covered by transparent plastic. It feels heavy and I wonder if I really want this sitting on my cheekbones.
LEDs emit lightwaves of different lengths. The longest (650-730 nanometers) are red and used for anti-ageing treatments due to their cell regenerating properties. Like Jessica Alba, I will be road-testing ‘red light’ therapy in the hope of turning back the years.
Kate uses the mask routinely during facials — she does 30 a week — which can also include treatments like micro-needling, where needles puncture the skin to stimulate collagen production, or ‘extractions’ (removing black heads and impurities). She says her clients ‘love’ the mask because it doesn’t need ‘downtime’ — the period required for inflammation to fade after more abrasive treatments such as chemical peels.
One of the reasons she thinks stars are keen on the mask is that a single treatment also gives the skin a ‘temporary lift’, tightening the features, which is ideal if you have a red carpet appearance a few hours later.
Kate starts by taking a medical history and asking me about my skin. Although I’m over 40, she declares I am not as wrinkled as she would expect (hurrah!) but drops the bombshell that, after 28, collagen production cells hibernate.
Before the therapy can begin, Kate preps my skin. First she cleanses with glycolic acid, which apparently helps dissolve the bonds which keep dead cells attached to the skin and then she gently exfoliates.
Next she applies vitamin C serum, which is thought to minimise damage from harmful ‘free radicals’ like UV light, which can accelerate ageing. FINALLy, she spreads on hyaluronic acid, currently touted as a ‘wonder’ treatment due to its powerful moisturising and skinplumping properties.
Kate puts on the mask. I’m pleasantly surprised to discover it is not uncomfortable. Rubber protectors around the eye sockets (a bit like swimming goggles) mean it does not dig in and I have no problem breathing. It is heavy, though: I find myself wondering how I would feel if I were claustrophobic.
Kate turns on the lights and I don’t feel a thing. LEDs don’t emit heat, so the mask remains cool and I am not at all aware of the red glow, even from the corner of my eyes. The treatment lasts 20 minutes. Afterwards, I make for the mirror. Would the years have fallen away?
My skin certainly felt soft and in good condition and my cheeks looked plumper. However, I can’t honestly say the change is as dramatic as I had hoped for.
Kate explains the mask is not intended as a ‘quick fix’ and she normally recommends six to eight treatments.
I went for lunch in a restaurant, full of well-off ladies who frequent the area’s beauty clinics. At the next table was a woman about my age who bore the distorted signs of someone who had indulged in more than her share of Botox.
I made up my mind: if there’s just a chance looking like an alien or killer can help turn back time without needles or knives, I’m with Jessica Alba.