Red Light Therapy After Dermaplaning: When and How to Use It
You can use red light therapy after dermaplaning once your skin is calm and intact, with no stinging, no open nicks and nothing active left on it, and your provider's aftercare allows it. Skin is usually red or a little irritated for a day or two, so that is the window to check first. Below: nicks, the closest evidence, red or blue light, skincare order, who should wait and a gentle mask routine.
Key takeaways
- After dermaplaning, skin is typically red and may feel irritated or itchy for a day or two. Ohio State Wexner
- A nick from the dermaplaning blade carries a risk of infection, so light stays off it until the skin has closed. Cleveland Clinic, 2022
- In a split-face trial of 20 patients, one 590 nm LED session after a fractional laser left the treated side less red in all 20 at 24 hours. Alster, 2009
- In lab work on pig skin, red light above 600 nm helped a disrupted skin barrier recover faster than no light. Abe, 2019
- A 2025 consensus of 21 experts found photobiomodulation generally safe for adults when used as directed. Maghfour, 2025
How soon can you use red light therapy after dermaplaning?
Once any redness, itching or irritation has settled, any nick has closed and your provider's aftercare allows it. No official source sets a fixed waiting time for light after dermaplaning, so the skin decides, not the clock.
Ohio State says irritation or itching typically resolves "in a day or two, depending on the extent of your procedure." Ohio State Wexner A Cleveland Clinic dermatologist says skin "may feel a little irritated for a day or so". Cleveland Clinic, 2022 Both describe healing, not a waiting time for light.
Check five things first:
| Check | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Intact | No nicks, cuts, raw patches or open spots | Our precautions rule out use on broken skin |
| Calm | No stinging, burning or itching | Stinging means the surface is still settling |
| Bare | No retinol, acid, benzoyl peroxide, astringent or medicated cream on the skin | Light works on clean, dry skin |
| Cool | Not straight after a hot shower, bath or sauna | Ohio State advises avoiding excessive heat after dermaplaning |
| Cleared | Your provider's aftercare allows it | The provider knows how deep the treatment went |
If a peel followed the dermaplaning in the same appointment, go by the peel's healing time instead. Our guide to red light therapy after a chemical peel covers that timeline.
What does dermaplaning do to your skin?
Dermaplaning uses a sharp, sterile blade to shave off dead skin cells and fine vellus hair, often called peach fuzz. It leaves skin smoother for a while, and the outermost barrier layer needs a short time to settle.
Ohio State describes it as a treatment that "gently removes the top layer of your skin". Ohio State Wexner
Cleveland Clinic says it "lightly disrupts your skin barrier". Cleveland Clinic, 2022 Lab work fits that picture: blade strokes removed the outermost layer of lab skin and lowered its electrical resistance, a marker of barrier function. Tijani, 2023
What should you do if the blade nicks your skin?
Treat it as a small cut and keep light off it until the skin has closed. The rest of the face gets light only if it passes the same check.
Cleveland Clinic warns: "If you cut or nick your skin, you risk infection". Cleveland Clinic, 2022 The AAD adds: "Never exfoliate if you have open cuts or wounds". AAD, 2026 Keep it clean, do not pick at it, and ask your provider or a doctor if it becomes painful, swollen or weepy.
To avoid nicks, Harvard Health suggests:
- A new blade: use a new, clean blade each time. Harvard Health, 2025
- Technique: hold the skin taut, use short downward strokes at about 45 degrees, and avoid the hairline, eyelids and sides of the nose.
Why do spas pair dermaplaning and red light therapy?
Many spas finish a dermaplaning facial with an LED step as a calm close to the treatment. The provider has just looked at the skin, so the light goes onto skin they have checked.
Cleveland Clinic notes that a spa or dermatologist may give "additional treatments before LED light therapy, such as a facial". Cleveland Clinic, LED The AAD says dermatologists usually use red light as "a complementary therapy". AAD, 2024
Dermaplaning and red light therapy do different jobs, and at home the skin check before the light goes on is yours to do, using the table above.
What does the research on LED after skin treatments show?
The closest evidence comes from LED after other clinic treatments, mainly lasers, and from LED face trials on intact skin. Small post-laser studies found early redness eased faster with LED, and face trials report better skin quality over weeks.
In a 10-patient split-face pilot, 635 nm LED was given straight after a fractional CO2 laser and then daily for 7 days. Redness cleared faster on the LED side, with "statistically significant improvements first noted on day 4". Oh, 2013
In 20 patients, one 590 nm LED session after a fractional laser left the treated half less red at 24 hours; by 96 hours both sides looked the same. Alster, 2009
A review of 31 randomised trials found "few incidences of adverse events" with LED. Jagdeo, 2018
| Study | Who | Light | Minutes or dose | Sessions per week | Weeks | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee, 2007 (sham-controlled) | 76 adults with wrinkles | 633 nm, 830 nm or both | Not given in the abstract | 2 | 4 | Wrinkles down by up to 36% Lee, 2007 |
| Kim, 2020 (controlled) | 48 adults | 660 + 850 nm home mask with a hyaluronic acid serum | Not given in the abstract | Home use | 4 | Faster, greater improvement than serum alone Kim, 2020 |
| Sonbol, 2020 (no control) | 30 adults with sensitive skin | About 630 nm LED | 3 minutes, 7 J/cm² | 2 | Up to 8 | 28 of 30 reached a 60% fall in symptom score Sonbol, 2020 |
| Oh, 2013 (split face) | 10 after CO2 laser | 635 nm LED | Not reported | Daily | 1 | Redness cleared faster from day 4 |
| Alster, 2009 (split face) | 20 after fractional laser | 590 nm LED | Not reported | One session | Day of treatment | Less red at 24 hours |
| Abe, 2019 (lab) | Pig skin, barrier disrupted | Red above 600 nm | 10 or 60 minutes | One exposure | n/a | Barrier recovered faster than control |
Twice a week was the most common schedule. The post-laser studies started in a clinic on the day of treatment; at home, a routine starts once the skin passes the check. These doses do not convert into a mask session, so stay gentle with the lowest brightness and a short timer.
Does dermaplaning make red light work better?
Nothing published shows that dermaplaning changes how much light reaches the skin or improves LED results. The two do different jobs: the blade clears dead cells and fine hair from the surface, while red and near-infrared light are absorbed by cells in the skin.
The "better absorption" idea comes from skincare products. Cleveland Clinic says that after dermaplaning "your products may absorb better into your skin". Cleveland Clinic, 2022 The lab study above measured drugs passing through skin, not light.
What LED does need is a clean, make-up-free face: Cleveland Clinic says "you need to have a clean, makeup-free face" before a session. Cleveland Clinic, LED
Should you use the red or blue mode on freshly dermaplaned skin?
Start with the red mode. Red light helped a disrupted barrier recover in lab work and did not darken skin in pigment studies, while blue-violet light did.
In the pig-skin study, red light brought barrier function back "almost to its original level" faster than no light. Blue and purple light did "about the same or rather slower than the control." Skin temperature barely changed, by less than 1°C. Abe, 2019 This is lab work on animal skin.
A 2020 review reports that 415 nm blue-violet light darkened skin with "a clear dose effect", while "630 nm did not induce hyperpigmentation." Photochem Photobiol Sci, 2020
Our mask's blue mode uses 460 nm, at the long end of the blue band. Keep it for later, on settled skin, if you want it for breakouts, and count blue and red sessions together towards the weekly limits. Anyone prone to melasma or dark marks stays with the red mode; see red light therapy for hyperpigmentation.
Which skincare goes on after dermaplaning and a light session?
Light goes first on clean, dry, bare skin, then a gentle moisturiser, and sunscreen when you go outdoors. Retinol, acids, benzoyl peroxide and astringents stay off for a few days, or for as long as your provider advises.
- Actives: Ohio State lists retinol, glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide and astringents to avoid after dermaplaning. Ohio State Wexner Harvard Health says acid or retinol products should wait "for a few days afterward". Harvard Health, 2025
- Moisturiser: the AAD says to "Apply moisturizer immediately after exfoliating". AAD, 2026
- Sunscreen: use a high-quality sunscreen and limit sun on the days after. Red light contains no UV, so it gives no UV protection. Cleveland Clinic, RLT
When actives return, bring them back one at a time, with light first on bare skin and the product afterwards. Our guide to red light therapy before or after skincare explains the order. If you use a prescription retinoid, ask your prescriber, and see red light therapy with tretinoin.
Who should skip dermaplaning or wait before using light?
Skip dermaplaning during an acne breakout, a rosacea or eczema flare, or with cold sores. People with darker skin that marks easily should see a dermatologist first.
- Acne: Cleveland Clinic advises waiting out a breakout, since dermaplaning can agitate and worsen acne. Cleveland Clinic, 2022 The AAD warns that "Scrubbing can irritate your skin, causing acne to flare." AAD Light has its own acne evidence on intact skin, without the blade; see red light therapy for acne.
- Rosacea: Ohio State and Harvard list rosacea as a reason to skip dermaplaning, and the AAD's rosacea advice is: "If you exfoliate your skin, stop." AAD, 2024
- Other skin conditions: Cleveland Clinic also lists cold sores, eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, skin burns and growths in the area. Cleveland Clinic, Dermaplaning
- Sensitive skin: Harvard Health includes it; see red light therapy for sensitive skin.
- Darker skin: the AAD advises avoiding strong mechanical exfoliation with a darker skin tone AAD, 2026, and notes darker skin is "more sensitive to visible light". AAD, 2024 Use the red mode only, the lowest brightness and the shortest timer, and take photos every 2 weeks.
Medicines matter too. The NHS advises against skin treatments such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels while taking isotretinoin. NHS Cleveland Clinic lists isotretinoin and lithium among medicines that make LED unsuitable. Our precautions rule out use with photosensitising medication, so anyone taking a medicine should check with their pharmacist or doctor before using the device.
How often can you combine dermaplaning and red light, and in which order?
Dermaplaning is spaced weeks apart, while red light sessions can carry on several times a week on intact skin. On a day you dermaplane, do the blade first and use light only once the skin passes the readiness check.
Ohio State advises at least a month between professional treatments. Ohio State Wexner For home dermaplaning, a Cleveland Clinic dermatologist says: "I wouldn't do it more than once a week". Cleveland Clinic, 2022
Professionals check the skin first. California's rules for estheticians say that with open acne wounds, abrasions, sunburn or irritation: "If present, do not perform the service." California Board, 2022
After deeper treatments by a plastic surgeon or dermatologist, recovery can take longer, and the provider sets the timeline. Cleveland Clinic, Dermaplaning
Tell your provider you use a light mask. Keeping the two on different days makes it easier to tell what caused any redness.
How do you use the Kivorla mask after dermaplaning?
Start in the red mode at 50% brightness with the 5 or 10 minute timer, every other day, on clean, dry, calm skin. This is a cautious starting point built from official aftercare guidance, not a protocol from a trial.
The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask is a cordless, full-face silicone shell with an eye opening and no diodes over the eyes. Its red mode combines 665 nm red with 850 and 1064 nm near-infrared; its blue mode pairs 460 nm blue with 850 nm. Brightness runs at 50, 70 or 90%, the timer at 5, 10 or 15 minutes, and the mask switches off by itself when the timer ends. You control it by voice or with the handheld controller.
- Check: run through the five-point table. Any nick means no session until it has closed.
- Settle: adjust the strap so the mask rests lightly without sliding over freshly treated skin.
- Eyes: keep them closed and never look into the light.
- Build up: move to 70% then 90%, and 10 then 15 minutes, only while any pink flush fades within the hour.
- Limits: the manual allows 10-minute sessions up to 4 times a week at high brightness, or 15-minute sessions up to 3 times a week, and never more than 20 minutes a day.
- Afterwards: your provider's moisturiser, and SPF 30 or higher when you go outdoors.
- Stop: if the skin stings or burns, redness lasts for hours, or a rash or new dark marks appear, stop and contact your provider.
- Care: wipe the shell with a damp microfibre cloth.
The mask does not cover the jawline, under-chin or neck; if those areas were dermaplaned too, our panel reaches them from the side, with goggles on.
Before ordering, read the precautions: the mask is not for use during pregnancy, with epilepsy, a thyroid condition or thyroid medication, photosensitising medication, or on broken skin. Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices. Follow your dermaplaning provider's aftercare, keep light off any nick or irritated skin, and see a dermatologist if redness, pain or dark marks do not settle.