Some people love clothes. Others love makeup or home decor. I love skincare — especially the type that comes in the form of an at-home anti-aging device.
Needless to say, from the moment that I learned of the LYMA laser, I was fixated on reviewing it. FDA-cleared and with promises to deliver serious skin benefits like tightening, minimizing wrinkles and fading scars, can you blame me?
What is the LYMA laser and how does it work?
To fully appreciate what the LYMA laser is and isn’t, I feel I need to give a brief (and I mean brief) overview of what a facial laser is.
A facial laser uses a laser or light source to heat the dermis while removing the top layer of skin. This not only nixes things like dark spots but fine lines, while also boosting collagen. The latter is especially important because the protein plays a critical role in keeping skin buoyant, tight and supple.
We begin losing collagen as early as our mid-twenties, which is why we start seeing things like crow’s feet, smile lines and other little things as we age.
I’ve wanted to try facial lasers ever since I heard Christina Ricci credit the in-office procedure for her tight, poreless skin on Whitney Cummings’ “Good for You” podcast. However, the procedure isn’t cheap, ranging between $300 to $2,000 plus. Add in needing multiple treatments and repeating the procedure year after year? Well, that gives a whole different meaning to the term beauty tax.
What intrigued me about the anti-aging LYMA laser is that it not only promised to give the benefits of in-office treatments but could save me money in the long run because I wouldn’t have to deal with routine appointments and the cost that came with them. Celebrities like Ana de Armas and Sabrina Carpenter have also used it!
The FDA cleared, medical-grade device uses cold therapy laser technology — which is more powerful than traditional LED light therapy — to penetrate and rejuvenate deep skin cells. It’s pain-free, safe for all skin types, proven to soften lines and improve skin texture with consistent use over 12 weeks.
Lyma Laser, at a glance
Pros
- Addresses wrinkles, acne, sagging, and uneven skin texture
- Uses cold laser therapy to renew skin on a cellular level
- Painless, FDA-cleared and can be used at home
Cons
- Expensive
- A time commitment — the device needs to be used daily for 90 days for the best results
The LYMA laser works through cold therapy, also known as Lower Level Light Therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation. The process triggers changes on a cellular level, increasing the production of mitochondrial Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and growth factors to reduce oxidative stress.
In a small study published in Skin Research & Technology in 2023 with participants between the ages 45 to 70, researchers found that LLLT performed for 12 minutes, twice per week for three months resulted in:
- Decreased skin slacking
- Smaller pores
- Reduced crow’s feet
- Increased dermal density
Intriguing, you say? I agree.
The LYMA laser has 500 milliwatts of power, making it a “whole new category of power for the at-home consumer,” according to LYMA founder Lucy Goff.
The thin, handheld device has a patented diffuse lens technology that disperses the central laser beam multiple times across its 3-centimeter lens, which works to remove the heat of the laser. “It’s not like traditional lasers that are used to heat up tissue to stimulate collagen production,” Goff explained when we spoke via video chat. “It’s not damaging any cells whatsoever.”
Along with not damaging tissue, what also makes the LYMA laser special is that its light is strong enough to go beyond the epidermis (the top layer of skin), to penetrate cells and regenerate them to a youthful, resilient state.
In plainer English, the anti-aging device activates the building blocks responsible for youthful, resilient skin. “Fundamentally, what you’re doing is switching on more and more cells that naturally died off as part of the aging process, and you’re empowering your skin to behave before the aging process sets in.”
How to Use the LYMA Laser
According to its website, the LYMA laser needs to be used a minimum of 15 minutes per day for 90 days. Afterward, you’ve entered into what Goff refers to as the “maintenance mode,” and only need to do treatments three times per week.
For anti-aging purposes, it’s recommended to use the LYMA skincare with the device. The process begins with spritzing the face with the Oxygen Mist, followed by the Glide. Both are included as part of the LYMA laser’s starter kit. Goff was kind enough to give me a tutorial during our call, but the site has super short and helpful videos on how to use both.
LYMA Skincare
As you can see, all you need to do is slowly move the devices up your face, holding it on any areas that need extra TLC (think under eyes or laugh lines) for three minutes. Afterwards, the glide can be removed with a clean, damp cloth, before applying the serum and moisturizer.
Designed by a group of dermatologists, plastic surgeons, biochemists and geneticists, the skincare uses bioactives and has retinol, peptides, antioxidants and moisturizing ingredients. Is it necessary to enjoy the laser? No. But Goff recommends them, as they’re made to support skin renewal. There are also a variety of studies on the benefits of the ingredients, which you can find on the site’s ‘How It Works‘ page.
LYMA Laser: The Review
Before I dive in about my experience with the LYMA laser (including some before and afters), I want to preface this by saying that I hate the language used around skin care and aging.
Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t believe youth is synonymous with beauty, or that having crow’s feet or less than dewy skin makes one unattractive.
However, I wholeheartedly understand how upsetting it is to see your face change in ways you don’t like, and if there’s something you can do to prevent it? Do you!
Before the trauma of 2020, people still assumed I was in my mid-twenties. (For the record, I’m an eighties baby. I haven’t been a 20-something for a while.)
Before my stress level hit an all time high, my skin, while dry, was much plumper than it is now. It was also brighter. According to old selfies, I had fine lines but I didn’t notice them the way I do today. Also, my skin’s current texture…not into it.
I haven’t tried Botox but I have done a variety of at-home skincare devices: Nuface’s Mini, LED therapy masks and the MLAY RF machine are my main three. I like and recommend them all, but I still have visible pores, and recently, my face looks more gaunt and not in that hot, supermodel way.
I’m not into, you guys. I’m.Not.Into.It!
The device takes 90 days to really show its magic but according to Goff, results can be seen as early as a month. My hope? To see a more even tone, potentially smaller pores and to look less tired. And since the LYMA laser reviews that I’ve seen are promising, I think things may go well.
Week 1:
Like a lot of at-home anti-aging devices, the LYMA laser needs to be charged before use. Thanks to the very easy-to-follow directions that are included in the package, I had no issue popping out the device’s battery, and charging it with the USB for the recommended 4 hours. (FYI, you won’t need to do this before every use.)
After cleansing my face and prepping it with the mist and glide, I got to work slowly moving the device up over my skin. It’s easy to use and doesn’t hurt at all. For the most part, I feel as if I’m giving myself a facial massage. Highly enjoyable. I love how light and refreshing the mist feels but am not a fan of the glide. It’s heavy and sticky.
It also dries fast, which means I’m stopping every few minutes to reapply.
I hold the device in the spots I want to see improvement in the most (mainly my cheeks, where the most texture shows). I use a stopwatch but keep getting distracted and messing the process up.
Because the laser needs to be used a minimum of 15 minutes per day, I opt to use it at night. Goff suggested using it while I watched TV, and if possible, for 30 minutes or more. This is what I aim for but by day 3, I’m done. Between the fast-drying gel and my ineptitude with the stopwatch, it leaves me frustrated. Fifteen minutes will have to suffice.
Verdict after week one? There’s a bit of a learning curve. I like how easy it is to use but there’s a bit of thought that has to go into it, which I’m not in the mood for after my hour-plus commute home.
I do like that my skin looks a bit more alive afterward. Is it the device, the power of facial massage or a combo of both? Not sure yet. However, it’s only been a few days and I know good things take time.
Week 2:
It’s the week of my birthday, which means I’m juggling work and lots of after-hour activities that may or may not include drinking, sleeping on my friend’s hotel floor and pounding the streets of Midtown and the Upper West Side.
Do I bring my LYMA laser to use when I power down? Yes. Is it something I want to deal with for 15 minutes when I have a splitting headache? No, but I do. However, there are two nights where all I can manage is about 7 minutes.
As a journalist, I feel bad about this. As a real-life person? I’m okay about it, because the reality is most of us are so busy these days that even 15 minutes can feel like too much at times.
At some point toward the end of the week, I realize my face feels different. Not tight but more taught, sort of like when you have it pulled back in a messy bun. “Firmer,” an editor friend suggests, when I try to explain the feeling to her.
Is there a visible difference yet? I can’t say. I’m still seeing the pores and fine lines. However, this new feeling…maybe similar to how my face always used to feel, is all the encouragement I need.
I’ve started using the skincare. Both the serum and moisturizer are light, and I even enjoy the herbaceous smell they both have. Although I’m not a fan of the $525 price tag, the bottles are very big, which means they’ll last a long time. It’s also a complete skincare regimen, so I technically don’t need to add anything else other than SPF during the day.
Week 3:
I think my pores are shrinking.
I can still see them, but they seem cleaner somehow. Along with improving texture and wrinkles, the LYMA laser can also reduce acne. I wonder if the light is killing the bacteria and sludge that’s made my pores look larger.
At the end of week 2, I make the mistake of mixing one of my skincare products with the moisturizer, because I always do stupid stuff like this. The result? My face becomes inflamed and flakey.
To ease the situation, I decided to just use jojoba oil for a bit after finishing with the laser.
Even though we’re moving closer to the one-month mark, I’m still not used to the amount of time I need to invest in the device. However, I find setting an alarm (not a stopwatch) to be helpful. Ten minutes gliding the machine around my face, 3 minutes on each side of my cheeks — done!
Week 4:
I’ve made it. I’m sick, so now my skin is red from sneezing and blowing my nose. However, as far as my skin is concerned, not bad.
My skin feels firmer. I still have a lot of texture but the areas I focused the laser on look a bit smoother, which is all the evidence I need to know the device works.
The Final Verdict: Is the LYMA laser worth it?
At $2,695, the LYMA laser is expensive. I mean, there’s no way around that. However — and this is a big, however — for some, it really may be worth the investment.
Here’s what I liked:
- Portable
- Can be used at home
- Targets the causes of aging on a cellular level
- Doesn’t cause damage to the skin
- Uses technology backed by science
As I previously mentioned, routinely going to have laser treatments is also expensive. In fact, I’ll say it’s cost-prohibitive for a lot of people, which is why I advocate for at-home devices. And unlike in-office treatments, where you’re at the mercy of your provider’s expertise, the LYMA laser is safe to use solo.
For the person who doesn’t have access to skilled providers or wants to keep things as natural as possible, the initial investment may pay for itself in the long run.
I really appreciate the science behind it, the fact it’s triggering repair from a cellular level and that it’s good for all skin types. A payment plan (about $149 a month) is available, plus it comes with a warranty.
I do wish that it was either bigger to cover more surface areas at once, or could be used in less time. However, the promise of being able to move into maintenance mode after 90 days is enough for me to stick with it for the next two months.
Like many at-home skincare devices, I strongly suspect the biggest results will be seen further down the road or when/if I stop using it. The reality is that no cream, device or procedure can make you forever twenty-one. On the plus, there are a lot of things that can keep you looking really good for the unforeseeable future, and the LYMA laser just may be one of them.
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