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The colours are not decoration and they are not a mood setting.
Different wavelengths of light reach different depths of skin. They do different things when they get there. That is why a session is set up around what you came in about.
Here is the short version of which is which.
Red light goes deeper. It targets the general condition of the skin, not a specific breakout.
It is used for the things people describe as “my skin looks tired”: dullness, fine lines, texture, redness that lingers. It is also the setting most often added after other treatments, because it is aimed at supporting the skin while it recovers.
If you have booked a facial and someone offers to finish with LED, red is almost always what they mean.
Blue light does not go as deep, and it is not trying to. It works at the surface, and it is used for acne.
It is used for acne because it targets the bacteria involved in breakouts. That is a narrow job and blue light is good at it.
So blue belongs in an acne plan and not in an anti aging one.
It is not a treatment for acne scarring. That is a different problem with a different answer.
Near infrared goes deepest of the three, and you cannot see it, which surprises people. The panel looks like it is off.
It is used alongside red for support and recovery, not on its own. It is the least glamorous of the three, because there is nothing to look at.
Most treatments are not one colour.
An acne plan often uses blue for the breakouts and red for the inflammation and the healing. Recovery after another treatment usually pairs red with near infrared.
The combination is chosen for what your skin is doing, and it can change between visits.
So the answer to “which light do I need” is that it depends on what you booked for, and it is set at the appointment.
Undramatic, and that is the selling point.
You lie down, your eyes are covered, and the panel hangs above your face. The light is bright and it is not hot.
There is no needle, nothing is applied that stings, and nothing peels afterwards.
You can go straight back to work. Nothing shows that you have had anything done, which is why people book it at lunchtime.
Sessions are short. LED is usually the least demanding thing in anyone’s treatment plan.
Being straight about this is important, because LED is oversold online more than almost anything else in this industry.
What it does well. It supports skin over a course, and it is a good partner to other treatments. It earns its place in an acne plan.
It has no downtime, so it is easy to do often, and doing it often is where the value is.
What it does not do. It is not a substitute for resurfacing, for injectables or for prescription acne treatment. It will not lift, it will not remove pigmentation, and it will not fix scarring.
The most important one. LED is a course, not an event. One session does little.
The schedule counts for more than the settings here. A clinic that sells you a single session as a fix is not being straight with you.
For most people it is not the main treatment. It supports the main treatment, and it sustains the result between appointments.
That is not a criticism. Treatments with no downtime are the ones people continue, and consistency is worth more than intensity for skin.
If you are unsure whether you want it for acne or for general condition, that is fine. It is the question the appointment answers.
Our LED light therapy in London, Ontario page sets out the bookable options and how a session works.
Stay informed with expert insights, treatment guides, and the latest developments in medical aesthetics from Nurse Practitioner Belita Savage.
