Which is better for me – LED Mask or LED Panel?

February 29, 2024

Choosing between an LED Light Therapy Mask and LED Light Therapy Panel is no easy feat. At Maysama, we often get asked ‘Which is better – mask or panel?’ but the question should probably be ‘Which is better for me?’ The old adage, horses for courses runs true here because it really depends on what you are looking to achieve and what best suits your lifestyle.

Many people often think that panels are an upgrade to their red light regime because they offer higher dosing, but this is not necessarily relevant to skin rejuvenation. A higher light intensity, often referred to as irradiance or power density, is important if you are looking to treat deeper tissue like deep seated muscles, but when treating superficial tissue, as is the case for skin, we only need a small dose of red light therapy to trigger biostimulation and achieve the desired effect for anti-aging.

Maysama’s Pulse40 LED Panel offers a maximum light intensity (power density) of 200mw/cm2, relative to 40-45mw/cm2 with Maysama’s PRANA LED Mask, so our LED panel does indeed offer the potential for a higher dose, should you need this for other applications. Strictly speaking, dose is a measure of not just light intensity but also time, giving us an energy density, which is measured in joules/cm2. For pro-aging benefits an optimal dosing window has been determined, which falls between 2 and 10 Joules/cm2.

To fall within this window with Maysama’s Pulse40 panel, our recommended protocol directs that you sit at a distance of 9-12 inches away, rather than close up to the panel. With our PRANA LED light mask, the correct dosing is automatically achieved within the 6-minute treatment time. The message here is that, when it comes to treating superficial tissue, less is definitely more, so you don’t necessarily need a high-powered device to achieve great results!

Understanding that optimal dosing can be achieved with either panel or mask, where does that leave us? Personally, I believe it is about lifestyle choices.

For me, the main benefit of an LED panel is the convenience of treating face, neck and decollete in one short treatment. A key factor why other users choose Maysama’s Pulse40 LED Panel over our PRANA LED mask is because a panel offers the versatility of using it for applications other than skin rejuvenation, such as pain relief and muscle recovery. The higher light intensity lends itself to deep tissue treatment, as well as superficial tissue. Maysama's novel function of pulsed LED light will bring you the benefit of deeper light penetration for these applications too. Red plus near infrared is the desired setting for these applications.

I generally prefer an LED panel to an LED mask, but that is because I have rosacea and I'm not a fan of things touching my skin, not even my husband! I also love the routine of sitting in front of my Maysama Pulse40 panel each morning. The short downtime allows me to gather my thoughts for the day or even carry out a short meditation.

That said, I am also someone who travels a lot and I love that I can pack my PRANA LED Light Therapy Mask with me every time! The fact that my LED mask does not require a charging point means that I can take it with me on holiday, or just pop it in my overnight bag on a work trip.

My friend Gemma Wolf, aka YouTuber Pampered Wolf, tells me that she prefers Maysama’s PRANA LED mask every time because she is always multi-tasking. Her kids don’t even blink an eyelid if she serves up dinner with her LED mask on! Her Mum Jan, on the other hand, prefers to watch TV whilst masking! The most important thing is consistency, so if you are the kind of person who can’t sit still, think about whether a mask might suit you better. But if you love routine, maybe you work from home and your LED panel sat on your desk is a timely reminder each morning to take time for a treatment.

So, lifestyle choices are definitely a consideration. But let’s also consider the specification and which might be better for you.

Wavelengths

Maysama’s Pulse40 panel offers 40 five watt LED bulbs, with both red (630nm) and near infrared (850nm) wavelengths, which can be use independently or together to address skin issues such as skin tone, pigmentation, erythema and fine lines and wrinkles.

With the wider scope for LED’s, Maysama’s PRANA LED mask includes 138 LEDs with four different wavelengths; red (630nm), deep red (660nm), near infrared (850nm) and blue (450nm). We combine these waveleghts into three different treatment modes, allowing you to chose from red, red + near infrared or magenta settings. Red and near infrared is the generally recommend setting for anti-aging benefits. However, there is some anecdotal evidence that individuals who are sensitive to hyperpigmentation and melasma, may be sensitive to pigmentation from near infrared light. If this applies to you, then our red only setting allows near infrared to be excluded from your treatment, with little loss of efficacy.

Our magenta setting combines red and blue LED light for all the benefits of pro-aging, combined with the antibacterial action of blue light. This is great news if you are looking to treat a blemish on your skin or if you want to share your mask with your teenage kids to treat acne!

Pulsed Light

Both Maysama’s PRANA LED Mask and Pulse40 LED Light Therapy Panel offer pulsed light. From a skin rejuvenation perspective, pulsed light is a game changer, bringing you the benefits of ;

improved skincare absorption
accelerated cell regeneration
upregulated ATP production (more than static red light)
mitigating free radical build up / reduced oxidative stress
better skin penetration

As pulsed light increases light penetration, its benefits are further reaching than treating superficial tissue, so if you are looking to use your LED device for additional purposes, like treating back pain, you might consider that a panel would be best suited to your needs.

Maysama’s Pulse40 LED Light Therapy Panel uses pulsed light at frequencies of 10, 20 and 30 Hz, all of which are visible to the naked eye. The higher the number, the faster the pulse. Whilst we generally recommend that you start with 30Hz frequency because it is easier to adjust to, the additional frequencies are included because some individuals may respond better to one frequency than another, in the same way that some individuals may report better results with one LED wavelength over another. Some you simply have more options. We always advise that your wear goggles with your Pulse40 panel because the light intensity is superior to an LED mask and because pulsed light is distracting to the brain.

Our PRANA LED Mask is arguably more beginner friendly because it uses pulse frequency at 100Hz, which is invisible to the naked eye but still effective. This reduces the 'strobe' effect. It is not strictly necessary to wear goggles when using pulsed light with Maysama PRANA LED Light Therapy Mask because of the reduced light intensity and because, unlike with the panel, the light is not directed into the retina. We do however provide goggles for your comfort should you prefer to wear them.

Data around pulsed LED supports that pulse frequencies from 1Hz up to1400Hz are all more effective than static red light but it also suggests that the lower frequencies (1-100Hz) give better results. There is currently insufficient evidence to conclude that one frequency is necessarily better than another. If you happen to have both Maysama’s panel and mask, the good news is that you will be using different pulse frequencies, which may enhance the biostimulatory effect.

Summing up

So, in summary, optimal dosing can be achieved with either Maysama’s PRANA LED Light Therapy Mask or Maysama’s Pulse40 LED Light Therapy Panel – it’s not about the dosing! Which is better for you is more about lifestyle choices and whether you intend to use your red light therapy for applications other than skin rejuvenation. If you want the simplicity of treating face, neck and décolleté altogether, this is your most cost-effective option. If you or members of your household have a need for treating muscle recovery, pain relief or thinning hair line our Pulse40 panel has fantastic versatility other than just for skin rejuvenation. Our Pulse40 panel also has an ambient mode, to help with sleep optimisation. It’s light weight and portable and with its sleek, slimline design our panel is a beautiful addition to your vanity unit, which will have your friends green with envy!

If, on the other hand, you are just starting out on your red light journey, you may find our PRANA LED Light Therapy mask more beginner friendly. With ‘invisible’ pulsed light, there is no need to wear goggles and it is extremely comfortable to wear, so you can multi-task around the house or relax in bed with your mask on. Not only is Maysama’s PRANA LED mask an anti-aging beauty device but it is also a treatment for blemishes and acne. Our 3:1 mask offering red, red-NIR and magenta modes makes Maysama PRANA LED Light Therapy mask the best value LED mask on the market!

Choosing one or the other is a little bit like asking me to choose my favourite child, which is impossible, so I would encourage you to make the best comparison you can with the information provided and decide which is better for you.

We hope this blog helps you decide which may be more suitable for your needs, but if you just can't decide, and budget allows, then why not have both ;) ?

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