As beauty takes more cues from science and medicine, a whole new crop of gadgets,
gizmos and devices have emerged to take your skin-care routine up a notch. Many of
these products are being hailed by celebrity and social media influencers, as well as
dermatologists who are more than happy to recommend them to patients. As with
any product beauty tools, it’s important to treat these at-home devices as though you were at a
spa, taking care not to over-use them and to follow the instructions carefully (which
are usually printed on the device).
While there is no one-size-fits-all product or gadget that will deliver the promised
results, some do have a leg up on their competition thanks to reputable research
behind them, expert vetting and FDA clearance face tools. These devices also offer the benefit
of being accessible and convenient, allowing you to upgrade your beauty routine
while sitting on the couch watching TV or in the bathroom while getting ready for
work.
Some of the most popular at-home devices include cleansing brushes, dermaplaning
razors, pore cleansers, microcurrent face masks and LED light therapy gadgets for
your skin. These tools can be very helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles,
improving your complexion and delivering other targeted benefits, such as firming,
toning and depuffing your skin. In fact, a recent study found that regular use of
these devices, like those offered by LYMA or TOUCHBeauty, outperformed even the
most popular facial massagers for skin-toning and lifting.
Other at-home devices, such as the wands that come with the NuFACE Mini and
other models that look more like sci-fi hockey masks, emit low-level laser energy in a
combination of blue and red wavelengths to kill bacteria and promote cellular
rejuvenation. These devices are very effective in reducing the appearance of fine
lines and wrinkles, and some dermatologists say that they can even be used in place
of an in-office facial laser treatment for that same effect.
Another dermatologist favorite is the LightStim Acne LED light therapy device, which
uses a mixture of blue and red wavelengths to help fight acne-causing bacteria.
“Blue light kills the bacteria, while red light helps reduce inflammation and redness,”
explains Zeichner. “If you’re using acne medications, like benzoyl peroxide or
vitamin A, it’s a great way to help those prescriptions work.”
In the realm of targeted skincare, few devices can rival microcurrent technology.
This is a doctor-approved and FDA-approved technique that offers immediate visible
contouring, toning and depuffing of your face. These at-home models from ZIIP,
which was aptly described as the “Nikola Tesla of facials” in Forbes, offer a variety of
waveform shapes and frequencies to stimulate muscles in different ways for the
best results—from soft S-shaped waves for sensitive skin to higher frequency pulses
for more dramatic tightening.
A few of these gadgets can be a little confusing to use, but they’re worth the effort
and the risk to get a more radiant complexion. To learn which ones are worth your
time and money, we consulted with several dermatologists to see which ones they’d
use themselves or recommend for their clinical backing and low risk of harm.