Why lips love LEDs – Guide to LED Lip Care

You always want the strength of your skincare treatment to match the situation. For example, you may take a foot file to a particularly stubborn callus on your heel, but you wouldn’t dream of being that aggressive with a dry patch on your face. With their ultra-thin skin, your lips are even more delicate than the rest of your complexion. They really don’t appreciate being scrubbed or polished, but they do enjoy getting special treatment, as long as it’s gentle. That’s where LEDs enter the picture. 

What are LEDs?

LED stands for light-emitting diode. LEDs are semiconductors that produce light when electric current runs through them. They also emit energy in varying colors and wavelengths, which is what makes them a treatment device for skin. Even if an LED appears to be one single color, such as red or blue, it’s actually kicking out multiple wavelengths of energy, some of which are invisible. (This is different from a laser, which only produces a single wavelength of energy.) 

LEDs are extremely gentle — LED treatments are completely painless and have no downtime. But don’t confuse that soft touch with ineffective: Used consistently, LEDs can do everything from reduce acne to increase collagen production.

Why are red LEDs great for lips?

NASA scientists were the first to discover that red LEDs could have beneficial skin impacts. Those researchers found that red LEDs helped heal skin lesions. Since that time, additional research has shown that red and deep red LEDs, with wavelengths of 630 and 660 nanometers respectively, help spur collagen synthesis and protect existing collagen fibers. The more collagen skin has, the firmer it is and the fewer fine lines and wrinkles it displays. Knowing how vulnerable lips are to collagen breakdown, due to factors like UV exposure and lips’ inherent thinness, you can see why the collagen-producing prowess of red LEDs is such a boon for lips. 

As mentioned above, some LEDs are invisible. Those are infrared (IR) LEDs. At wavelengths of 830 and 880 nanometers, IR LEDs have been shown to increase circulation, bringing more nutrients to the area to help speed cellular functions, and also to improve the penetration of any topical applied to skin post-IR LED treatment.

Amber LEDs also fall under the red LED umbrella. Those LEDs have a wavelength of 605 nanometers. Unlike red, deep red, and IR LEDs, which penetrate the dermis and hypodermis, amber LEDs only get as far as the epidermis. However, even at that surface level, amber LEDs are able to help repair visible signs of sun damage to lip skin.

Where can you find LEDs for lips?

In order to deliver the benefits of red LEDs to the lips, you need a device made specifically for the mouth. Our new Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite LipWare Pro is FDA cleared (a very big deal) and emits all the red LED wavelengths that positively impact lips and the surrounding area. Boasting 56 red LEDs, our LipWare Pro provides 360-degree lip area coverage, can be used any time of day, and takes all of three minutes. After four weeks of daily use, our LipWare Pro has been clinically proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the lips, smooth texture, and even tone.

Shop Our LED Therapy Device For Lips

Discover Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare for All Your Skincare Needs