LED light therapy colours: what each one does

The principle

Wavelength determines depth. Shorter wavelengths, at the blue end, stay nearer the surface. Longer wavelengths, at the red and near-infrared end, travel further into the skin. That single fact explains why blue is the acne colour and red is the skin rejuvenation one.

The colours

Blue

Used to treat acne. Sits closest to the surface, where acne-causing bacteria live.

Red

Used for skin rejuvenation. Reaches the deeper layers where collagen sits, supporting repair processes and the appearance of fine lines.

Near-infrared

Invisible to the eye and the deepest-reaching of the wavelengths. Generally paired with red rather than used alone.

Yellow and amber

Commonly selected for redness, sensitivity and general comfort in reactive skin.

Green

Typically used where tone and pigment are the concern.

Cyan, purple and white

Each carries its own skincare benefits. Purple is often used as a combination of red and blue, and white is used where a broader coverage is preferred.

Which one you actually need

The honest answer is that this is a judgement made on your skin, on the day, by the person treating it. A chart tells you what the colours are for. It doesn’t tell you what your skin needs, and choosing a colour from an article isn’t a substitute for having someone look at your face.

At e-skin your therapist selects the wavelength based on what we’re treating in that appointment, which is often not the colour clients expected before they arrived.