The hottest trends in DIY skin-care and beauty seem to change like the wind, and sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what really works and what’s just a fad. LED skin-treatment has been a fixture in-salon beauty treatments for many years now, only recently managing to break through into the home-beauty market too. 

CELLRETURN, a huge name in Korean skincare and beauty, hasn’t shied away from this trend and garnered huge international attention by featuring in the popular Netflix K-Drama The King: Eternal Monarch. With no signs of its popularity slowing down, this LED face mask might just be the next biggest thing in DIY skin-care.

What is the CELLRETURN LED Mask?

CELLRETURN is a beauty device company that has been a fixture in Korean skincare and beauty for nearly a decade. Starting out in 2008 as an ambitious hair-loss treatment company, CELLRETURN has since developed a range of LED products to treat skin as well. 

More than a decade and four iterations later, we have the CELLRETURN LED MASK PLATINUM. A sleek, futuristic, and powerful device, the company claims that its newest LED mask delivers all of the benefits of in-salon skin treatment in just 20 minutes a day, three days a week, in the comfort of your own home.

Touted by Korean stars and beauty influencers alike, the mask is said to improve skin elasticity, dramatically reduce wrinkles and fine lines, soothe aggravated skin, and even out pigmentation. The mask can even reduce scar tissue and eczema, according to the company. With its customisable settings, the CELLRETURN LED MASK PLATINUM also claims to be useful in reducing breakouts and blemishes for glowing, spot-free skin.

These are all pretty ambitious claims for one device to boast, even though it has got the price tag to match, at $2,600 SGD ($2,561 AUD), direct from the producer. However, it will cost you a lot more including imports, taxes, etc — bringing the price up to $4,480 on Net-a-Porter.

If I’ve learned one thing about the Korean home-beauty industry, though, it’s that for Korean men and women no expense is spared in pursuing results-driven, intense personal skin-care regimes. According to the BBC, "South Korean women spend twice as much of their income on beauty products and make-up than their American counterparts. Meanwhile, South Korean men spend more on skincare than those in any other country." And though the numbers may seem astronomical, it's no surprise considering that K-beauty is constantly a world-leader where skincare is concerned. 

How Does the CELLRETURN LED Mask Work?

The CELLRETURN LED Mask Platinum uses a patented LED array to deliver near-infrared light (NIR) directly to the face, ears and neck. This type of infrared penetrates deeply into the skin, allegedly causing the fibroblasts to produce collagen. This collagen production is said to help with skin regeneration, as well as hyaluronic acid production, which keeps the skin moist and supple. 

The mask can also be used to treat blemishes, pimples and acne with its blue-light setting. Blue light has been used by dermatologists and clinicians for many years, and evidence shows that it is effective in treating mild cases of acne as an alternative to oral medicine and antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria on the surface of the skin that collects in oil glands and pores, which can cause outbreaks. Blue light treatment also lowers the activity of the sebaceous glands, which helps calm inflammation and reduce acne.

All sounds pretty exciting (if a little gross), right? 

Well, before you commit such a sizable amount of your beauty budget to CELLRETURN, it’s important to note that actual clinical evidence behind NIR therapy as a skin treatment is far from conclusive. Harvard Health reports that "it's too early to know whether these devices are effective. Some small studies have shown promise for certain conditions... But the evidence isn't quite there yet."

CELLRETURN claims that the technology in its LED masks has the confidence of various medical publications and even NASA. And while NASA has reported in the past on the potential healing effects of NIR therapy, it is still only used in clinical trials, and mainly for patients recovering from chemotherapy and bone-marrow transplants.

What should be more cause for concern, though, is that without proper protection, NIR can be quite harmful to the eyes. Have you ever noticed that your facialist might provide block-out goggles while administering treatments?

In fact, the danger NIR poses to eyes has been such a serious issue for home-use LED face masks in the past that in 2019 the Australian government issued a recall of the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Light Therapy Acne Mask and Activator. It was found that the infrared light used in this product could cause eye pain, blurred vision and bright spots for some users, and even permanent damage and vision loss in others.

While CELLRETURN LED Mask Platinum comes with demountable protective eye covers, it still can be switched on while the face is out of position. This means there is the potential for eye damage, even when the mask is used properly.

So, Is CELLRETURN Worth It?

All concerns aside, it’s hard to ignore the sheer number of beauty influencers getting behind this product and others like it. With beauty gurus like Lily Earle at the helm of the company’s UK division and Angela Caglia in the USA, it's undeniably hard to ignore. Not to mention, with countless testimonials, ‘try-its’, and talk buzzing through beauty and skin-care worldwide, it might be worthwhile to investigate and decide if the CELLRETURN LED Mask Platinum suits you. In the age of COVID, the appeal of a home-use device like this is certainly quite high.

So, if you’ve got the cash to drop on this high-tech beauty product, why not give it a go? Scroll down to see where you can purchase one (as well as a few alternative options), and be sure to let us know all about your experience!

Please consult with a dermatologist before using this product or any like it and be sure to carefully follow use instructions.

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