The science of light and skin.
Photobiomodulation is the study of how specific wavelengths of light change what cells do. Here is how it works, what the research suggests, and where the evidence is still young.
How light becomes cell energy.
It starts inside the cell. Red and near-infrared light is absorbed by the mitochondria, and the cell responds.
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Light arrives
Red and near-infrared photons pass through the surface of the skin. Longer wavelengths go deeper.
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Mitochondria absorb it
An enzyme in the mitochondria, cytochrome c oxidase, absorbs this light. Mitochondria turn oxygen and nutrients into cell energy.
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Cell energy shifts
Research suggests ATP, the cell's energy currency, rises, and nitric oxide that was slowing the enzyme is released. Both set off signals.
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Cells respond
Fibroblasts and other skin cells can make more collagen and settle inflammation. That is the basis for changes over weeks.
Blue light is the exception. Acne bacteria make molecules called porphyrins that absorb blue light at around 415 nm. The reaction produces reactive oxygen that damages the bacteria, which is why blue is used for breakouts.
Each wavelength, and the evidence behind it.
Each reaches a different depth and acts on a different target, and each has its own strength of evidence.
Blue · 415 nm
Targets the bacteria behind breakouts.
Acne bacteria make molecules called porphyrins that absorb blue light strongly around 415 nm. The light sets off a reaction that damages the bacteria, close to the surface of the skin.
- Depth
- Epidermis
- Evidence
- The most established of the five for acne. Open studies and lab work show fewer acne lesions and fewer bacteria, and some trials pair blue with red.
- Programs
- M5 Anti-Acne · M6 Bedtime
Yellow · 590 nm
Calms redness and evens tone.
Yellow light reaches from the surface into the upper dermis. Research suggests it has an anti-inflammatory effect on skin, which is why it is used for visible redness and uneven tone.
- Depth
- Epidermis to Dermis
- Evidence
- The thinnest of the five. Mostly clinical experience and small studies, so we keep the claims modest.
- Programs
- M2 Rejuvenation · M4 Morning · M6 Bedtime
Red · 630 nm
Supports collagen and smoother skin.
Red light reaches the dermis, where fibroblasts make collagen. Through the cell-energy pathway above, research suggests it can raise collagen and soften the look of fine lines and roughness over weeks of regular use.
- Depth
- Dermis
- Evidence
- The strongest of the five. Randomized, controlled trials, including a sham-controlled split-face study, report smoother skin and higher collagen density.
- Programs
- M1 Repairing · M2 Rejuvenation · M3 Anti-Aging · M4 Morning · M6 Bedtime
Near-infrared · 850 nm
Goes deeper, for repair.
Near-infrared travels further than red, into the deeper dermis and the tissue below. It acts on the same cell-energy pathway, so it is used alongside red for repair and firmness.
- Depth
- Dermis to Subcutaneous
- Evidence
- Good, but usually tested together with red. The wrinkle trial we cite used 830 nm, close to the 850 nm here.
- Programs
- M3 Anti-Aging · M4 Morning · M6 Bedtime
Invisible to the eye. The mask shown is the red light it runs alongside.
Deep near-infrared · 1072 nm
Reaches deepest.
Longer wavelengths travel further into tissue, and 1072 nm is the deepest in the mask. It runs with 850 nm in the programs that call for deep repair.
- Depth
- Dermis to Subcutaneous
- Evidence
- The youngest of the five. A 2023 review calls clinical research on 1072 nm limited. It is here for its depth, not because the evidence is settled.
- Programs
- M3 Anti-Aging · M4 Morning · M6 Bedtime
Invisible to the eye. The mask shown is the red light it runs alongside.
Evidence notes summarize the studies listed below. None of them tested The Ellara One itself. See the studies
The right dose, every session.
Photobiomodulation has a sweet spot: too little light does little, and low levels often work better than high ones. So The Ellara One delivers the same measured dose every time, then switches itself off.
Delivered by 360 LEDs across five wavelengths.
50 mW/cm² × 600 s = 30,000 mJ/cm², which is 30 J/cm².
Then it comes down to rhythm.
Each tick is one 10-minute session: three to four a week.
Calmer skin and less redness tend to respond first. Fine lines and pigmentation take longer.
Safety, stated plainly.
Photobiomodulation is generally well tolerated. Here is what the mask does, and who should ask a doctor first.
- FDA Cleared
- A Class II medical device, cleared over the counter for acne and wrinkles.
- No UV
- Visible and near-infrared LEDs only. There is no ultraviolet light, the part of sunlight that damages skin.
- Non-thermal
- Works through light absorption, not heat.
- Eye shield
- Built into the mask. Near-infrared is invisible, so the shield matters even when you can't see the light.
- Timed
- Every session ends by itself after ten minutes.
- Side effects
- Mild, temporary redness is the most commonly reported effect in the research (Maghfour et al., 2024).
Not for use with
Epilepsy · Photosensitivity disorders · Lupus · Light-sensitizing medication · Open wounds or active infection
Pregnant? Ask your doctor first. Not for anyone under 18. If you use prescription retinoids or other light-sensitizing products, check with your dermatologist.
Full details in the user manualWhat the research actually says.
Photobiomodulation has been studied for decades, and results vary with device, dose and person. These are the papers we lean on, and what each does and does not show.
Maghfour et al., 2024
What it found
Red and near-infrared light is absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria. That shifts ATP, reactive oxygen species and calcium levels, which set off signaling that affects how cells grow, move and specialize. Results depend on dose and duration. It is generally well tolerated, and mild redness is the most common side effect.
Limits
A review of the field, not a trial of any one device.
Maghfour J, Ozog DM, Mineroff J, Jagdeo J, Kohli I, Lim HW. Photobiomodulation CME part I: Overview and mechanism of action. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2024;91:793–802. Read the source
Hamblin, 2017
What it found
Explains how red and near-infrared light acts on cytochrome c oxidase. The light can free nitric oxide that was blocking the enzyme, raise ATP, and cause short bursts of reactive oxygen species that switch on protective signaling.
Limits
A mechanism review, not a trial of skin appearance.
Hamblin MR. Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. AIMS Biophys. 2017;4(3):337–361. Read the source
Kawada et al., 2002
What it found
People with mild to moderate acne had narrow-band blue light (407–420 nm) twice a week for up to five weeks. Acne lesions fell by 64%. In the lab, the same light reduced the number of acne bacteria.
Limits
No control group, so some of the improvement may not come from the light.
Kawada A, Aragane Y, Kameyama H, Sangen Y, Tezuka T. Acne phototherapy with a high-intensity, enhanced, narrow-band, blue light source: an open study and in vitro investigation. J Dermatol Sci. 2002;30(2):129–135. Read the source
Lee, You and Park, 2007
What it found
Alternating blue (415 nm) and red (633 nm) LED light, twice a week for four weeks, improved mild to moderately severe acne. Inflammatory lesions fell by about 78% and non-inflammatory lesions by about 34%. Several people also reported brighter tone and better texture.
Limits
No control group is described, and blue and red were used together, so it cannot show what each did alone.
Lee SY, You CE, Park MY. Blue and red light combination LED phototherapy for acne vulgaris in patients with skin phototype IV. Lasers Surg Med. 2007;39(2):180–188. Read the source
Lee et al., 2007
What it found
Randomized, double-blinded, split-face trial of 633 nm red, 830 nm near-infrared, both together, or a sham light, twice a week for four weeks. All three light groups showed measurable reductions in wrinkles and gains in skin elasticity, and skin samples showed more collagen and elastic fibers.
Limits
Small groups and a short, four-week course. The LEDs were narrow-band at 633 and 830 nm, close to but not the same as the Ellara One.
Lee SY, Park KH, Choi JW, et al. A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and split-face clinical study on LED phototherapy for skin rejuvenation. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2007;88(1):51–67. Read the source
Wunsch and Matuschka, 2014
What it found
Volunteers had 30 sessions, twice a week, with red (611–650 nm) or red plus near-infrared (570–850 nm) light. Compared with controls, treated groups had better complexion, smoother skin and higher collagen density on ultrasound.
Limits
Used broad-spectrum light sources rather than single-wavelength LEDs, and doses varied between groups.
Wunsch A, Matuschka K. A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase. Photomed Laser Surg. 2014;32(2):93–100. Read the source
Weiss et al., 2005
What it found
Two years of using 590 nm LED photomodulation in a dermatologic surgery practice, across 3,500 treatments. The authors report reversal of signs of photoaging, and better results when it was added to other procedures, through an anti-inflammatory effect.
Limits
A description of clinical experience, not a controlled trial. It is the main reason we call yellow the thinnest evidence of the five.
Weiss RA, McDaniel DH, Geronemus RG, Weiss MA, Beasley KL, Munavalli GM, Bellew SG. Clinical experience with light-emitting diode (LED) photomodulation. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31:1199–1205. Read the source
Mineroff, Austin and Jagdeo, 2023
What it found
Notes that most photobiomodulation research uses shorter wavelengths, and that clinical research on 1072 nm is limited to infections and photorejuvenation. It argues that the extra depth of 1072 nm could be useful.
Limits
Much of the case for 1072 nm is still theoretical.
Mineroff J, Austin E, Jagdeo J. Cutaneous effects of photobiomodulation with 1072 nm light. Arch Dermatol Res. 2023;315:1481–1486. Read the source
Ash et al., 2017
What it found
A Monte Carlo simulation of light moving through layered skin found that penetration depth increases with wavelength. That is the basis for using longer wavelengths to reach deeper tissue.
Limits
A model, not a measurement in living people. Real depth varies with skin tone and how the light meets the skin.
Ash C, Dubec M, Donne K, Bashford T. Effect of wavelength and beam width on penetration in light-tissue interaction using computational methods. Lasers Med Sci. 2017;32:1909–1918. Read the source
Huang et al., 2009
What it found
Reviews the biphasic dose response in low-level light therapy: low levels of light often stimulate and repair tissue better than higher levels. It also helps explain why some studies report no effect.
Limits
Covers many uses of low-level light, not only skin.
Huang YY, Chen ACH, Carroll JD, Hamblin MR. Biphasic dose response in low level light therapy. Dose Response. 2009;7(4):358–383. Read the source
These papers study photobiomodulation in general, with a range of devices, doses and wavelengths. They are not trials of The Ellara One, and results vary from person to person. This page is information, not medical advice.
Questions, answered honestly.
Still unsure? Write to us at hello@ellaratherapy.com — a founder replies.
Read the user manualIs LED light therapy actually proven?
Photobiomodulation is a well-studied field, with randomized trials for wrinkles and open studies for acne. The evidence differs by wavelength and by outcome, and many studies are small. That is why the research above lists each study with its limits, and why we say research suggests.
Why ten minutes, three to four times a week?
Ten minutes delivers a fixed dose of 30 J/cm², and research on dose shows that more light is not automatically better. Three to four sessions a week is our recommendation. Consistency matters more than any single session, and most people see results between weeks four and twelve.
Why can't I see all five wavelengths?
Near-infrared light (850 and 1072 nm) is invisible to the eye. You will see red, yellow and blue light, while near-infrared runs alongside in the programs that use it: M3 Anti-Aging, M4 Morning Skincare and M6 Bedtime Skincare.
Is it the same as UV light or a tanning bed?
No. The Ellara One uses visible and near-infrared LEDs and gives off no ultraviolet light. It works through light absorption, not heat.
Does it replace medical treatment?
No. The Ellara One is FDA Cleared for acne and wrinkles, but it is not a substitute for medical care. If you have persistent or severe acne, or a skin condition you are unsure about, see a dermatologist.
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