Silk'n dual LED mask
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- Number of LEDs: 115
- Wavelengths used: Red LED, dark red LED, near-Infrared and blue LED
- Flexible or solid: Flexible
- Wireless: Yes
- Charge type: USB
- Treatment time: 10 minutes
- Why we love it
- Smooths skin texture
- Minimises redness
- Makes skin more resilient
- Mask feels secure
- Improves skin barrier health
- Take note
- Saw no improvements to fine lines on neck
- USB-C attachments connecting the face and neck masks to the power pack are flimsy
- Neck mask isn't that comfortable
The mask
This device is essentially two masks that connect (via a two-way adaptor) to a single charger. The charger itself handily features an LED display, to let you know what mode you’re using and how many minutes are left for your treatment. The choice of four treatments plus three strengths did overwhelm me at first. Ultimately, I found myself using mode one most often – it combines three types of light for more of an all-round effect, using red light (frequency: 630nm), dark red light (660nm) and near-infrared light (830nm). For those not familiar with the effects of different light frequencies, it’s recommended red light sits within a 630-670nm (nanometres) range, while near-infrared light should sit within 800-900nm. Nanometers describe the length of the various light waves, with different wavelengths targeting different skin concerns.
Using mode one of the Silk’n mask, I made use of three out of the four treatments on offer, omitting only the blue light option, which works to target acne and acne scarring – something, as mentioned previously, I don’t typically suffer with.
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With the red, dark red and near-infrared lights up close and personal with my skin each night, the mask set about smoothing the skin, reducing sensitivity, balancing oil secretion (my main concern, given the clusters of blackheads), brightening, boosting elasticity and working to minimise the appearance of fine lines. A big task, indeed.
If you were hoping to make use of the blue light mode, it actually works a little differently from the other three and emits its 405nm treatment through the handheld power bank. This way, you can target your problem areas directly and, for ease, this fourth mode only persists for three minutes. A quick acne zap and be on your way, as it were.
As for the different strengths available within each mode, they adjust the brightness of the LEDs while maintaining the set wavelengths for the different types of light. In theory, this means brighter LEDs equal a stronger treatment, so, I was curious as to whether this might cause irritation after repeated use.
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I found the mask relatively comfortable and enjoyed the addition of a strap towards the top of the head (versus Currentbody’s single back-of-the-head fixing), which helped to prevent any slipping. The neck mask, too, is comfy, so long as you’re not trying to slouch on the sofa – the neck attachment begins to feel more akin to a brace and prevents movement in this area. Then again, the treatment only lasts for 10 minutes.
The results
After seeing a noticeable difference in the visibility of my fine lines with Currentbody’s LED mask, I was keen to see if the Silk’n dual would have the same effect – especially on my neck, as this model comes with an extra wrap-around attachment.
In short, I didn’t see as marked a difference in the state of the fine lines around the two creases between my eyebrows as I did with the Currentbody device. Plus, in terms of the two deeper creases on my neck, I saw no change. Naturally, this left me disappointed, especially considering the device’s £400 price point.
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That said, I definitely felt as though my skin looked plumper and less translucent towards the end of the testing period. I’ve always been aware of the see-through appearance of my skin, with things like broken capillaries and dark circles shining through on make-up-free days. However, after 14-plus weeks of using the Silk’n face mask, the visibility of a burst blood vessel had significantly reduced in the time between the two pictures shown below. Moreover, after overwhelming my skin with too many AHAs/BHAs, my complexion was left with red/purple-tinged clusters from the irritation but the Silk’n mask made short work of these and, back in October, after seven days of constant use I could see an improvement.
Dr Woods explained the results I experienced were down the lights, particularly red and near-infrared, because they “encourage collagen and elastin production, which are essential for firmer, plumper skin.” She added that “the more collagen your skin produces, the smoother and firmer it becomes, which will reduce the translucent look and help improve overall texture”. As for the reduction in visibility of blood vessels, she noted that red and dark red LEDs work to boost circulation, so “when blood flow improves, your skin heals better and issues like broken blood vessels or redness reduce.”
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Consistency is key with this mask and I certainly saw results drop off if I skipped a few days. In my experience, it took seven days back-to-back to see the first minor changes (as with my patches of irritation) and, after one month, I then began to notice bigger differences. For me, this was centred heavily around the concentration of blackheads on my chin, jawline and the area surrounding my nose. Not only did my skin prove less shine-prone while using the mask (also evidenced in the before/after pictures above), but my blackheads shrunk significantly.
Before using the mask, the pores on my chin had been blocked and visibly full with sebum. This resulted in a rough, bumpy texture that affected my make-up-free skin and the application of my foundation and cream products. After testing, while my pores haven’t vanished entirely, they now look and feel clearer.
To make sure this wasn’t a mere coincidence, I consulted Dr Woods who explained that while the “LEDs don't stop your skin from producing sebum, they help reduce the inflammation that can make pores more likely to clog.” In turn, this “will prevent blackheads from forming.” The near-infrared light “penetrates deeper into the skin and promotes healing and circulation. This can help repair skin issues like clogged pores and breakouts, making your skin look clearer over time.” So judging by her expert knowledge, the LED mask was responsible for my clearer complexion.
Lastly, having suffered from retinol sensitivity and various skincare acids in the past, I’ve learnt that my skin is actually more irritation-prone than I’d initially thought. After using the Silk’n LED mask I felt improvements in that department, too, and I was able to increase my weekly retinol usage, without any flaking or stinging.