Quick answer: Pick the HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask if your goal is fine lines and firmness and you want a simple mask you can wear while you move around. It runs the two most studied skin wavelengths (red and near-infrared), offers a 10 or 20 minute session, and costs less. Pick the CurrentBody Series 3 if you also want blue light for breakouts, yellow for redness and green for tone, a third, deeper near-infrared wavelength, and an app that lets you control where each light goes. The HigherDOSE is the focused anti-aging mask; the CurrentBody is the do-everything mask.
6: red 633nm, near-infrared 830nm and 1072nm, plus blue 415nm, green 532nm and yellow 590nm
LEDs
66 dual-core LEDs (132 diodes)
750
Stated output
50 mW/cm2 total (26 red, 24 near-infrared)
Up to 40 mW/cm2
Session
10 or 20 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week
10 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week
App
None
CurrentBody app with MyDose and full-face presets
Fit
Flexible silicone with face and head straps
Flexible silicone with a chin strap
Controller
Rechargeable, USB-C, about 80 to 100 minutes per charge
Rechargeable, USB-C
In the box
Mask, controller, power adapter, head straps, goggles, storage bag
Mask, controller, USB-C cable, eye inserts, storage bag
FDA status
Described by HigherDOSE as FDA cleared
Described by CurrentBody as FDA cleared
Best for
Lines, firmness and glow, kept simple
Aging plus breakouts, redness or uneven tone
Specs come from each brand’s own product page. Output figures are the brands’ numbers, measured their own way, not independent tests, so a higher number on paper is not proof of a stronger mask.
The real difference: two lights or six
Both masks share the core of an anti-aging LED routine: red light around 630nm and near-infrared at 830nm. Those are the wavelengths with the most research behind them for fine lines, texture and firmness.
The CurrentBody Series 3 adds four more. A deeper near-infrared at 1072nm sits alongside the other two, and blue, green and yellow cover other concerns:
Blue (415nm) is the best studied of the extras and is used for breakout-prone skin. If you still get blemishes along with lines, this is the strongest reason to pay for the Series 3.
Yellow (590nm) is used for redness. The research is smaller and more mixed.
Green (532nm) is marketed for uneven tone. It has the thinnest evidence of the six.
If your skin goals are lines and firmness only, the extra colors add little for you, and the HigherDOSE covers the part that matters. The full breakdown of what those extra lights do is in CurrentBody Series 3 vs Series 2.
LED count and output: what the numbers mean
The CurrentBody lists 750 LEDs against the HigherDOSE’s 66 dual-core LEDs, and HigherDOSE lists a higher total output (50 against up to 40 mW/cm2). Those two facts pull in opposite directions, which is the point: neither number settles which mask delivers more light to your skin. LED count partly reflects how many colors a mask has to fit in, and output figures depend on how and where each brand measures. If tested, published output matters most to you, the INIA vs Omnilux comparison covers what to look for.
Session length and routine
The HigherDOSE gives you a choice of 10 or 20 minutes. HigherDOSE suggests 10 minutes 4 to 5 times a week or 20 minutes 3 to 4 times a week. The CurrentBody runs 10 minute sessions, 3 to 5 times a week. Either way, consistency over weeks is what counts, and more is not better. How often to use red light therapy for wrinkles goes deeper on frequency.
App or no app
The Series 3 pairs with the CurrentBody app. Its MyDose feature lets you run one light on the chin and another across the forehead in the same session, and there are presets for anyone who does not want to build their own. The HigherDOSE has no app: pick a session length on the controller and go. If you like to customize, the app is a real plus. If you want to put a mask on and press one button, the HigherDOSE is simpler.
Fit, comfort and moving around
Both are flexible silicone masks rather than rigid shells. The HigherDOSE uses face and head straps and a rechargeable controller that HigherDOSE designed so you can move around during a session; the brand lists about 80 to 100 minutes of battery per charge. The CurrentBody uses a chin strap and eye inserts, and its controller also charges over USB-C. The HigherDOSE box includes goggles.
Which one to buy
Buy the HigherDOSE if fine lines, firmness and glow are the goal, you want a longer 20 minute option, and you would rather keep the difference in price.
Buy the CurrentBody Series 3 if you are dealing with aging and breakouts or redness at the same time, or you want app control over where each light goes.
Compare a third option if you are also weighing the Solawave mask: Solawave vs CurrentBody covers it.
LED masks are cosmetic devices, not treatments for any medical condition. Check with your doctor before starting either one if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a light-sensitive condition such as lupus, take medication that causes light sensitivity, get headaches triggered by light, or have an eye condition. If you have had injectables or an in-office procedure, HigherDOSE suggests waiting 24 to 48 hours before a session.
FAQ
Is the HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask worth it?
For lines and firmness, it covers the two wavelengths with the most research behind them and costs less than the Series 3. What it lacks is blue, green and yellow light and an app.
What is the difference between HigherDOSE and CurrentBody LED masks?
The HigherDOSE uses red and near-infrared only, with 10 or 20 minute sessions and no app. The CurrentBody Series 3 uses six wavelengths, including a deeper near-infrared and blue light for breakouts, with 10 minute sessions and app control.
Which LED mask is better for acne?
The CurrentBody Series 3, because it includes blue light (415nm), the most studied LED color for breakout-prone skin. The HigherDOSE has no blue light.
Can you use a red light mask every day?
Both brands suggest 3 to 5 sessions a week rather than daily. HigherDOSE notes that going over the recommended use brings diminishing returns.
Should you put skincare on before an LED mask?
Start with clean, dry skin. HigherDOSE advises against sunscreen, heavy moisturizer or mineral makeup under the mask, since they can block light. Apply the rest of your routine after.
How long until you see results?
HigherDOSE says most changes start to show after 3 to 4 weeks of consistent use, and CurrentBody suggests 3 to 5 sessions a week for 8 weeks. Any change builds gradually.
Sources
Sources checked on October 24, 2026. Figures from brands are reported as the brand’s own claims.
Quick answer: Buy the Solawave Wrinkle Retreat Pro if your goal is fine lines and firmness and you want the shortest routine: three-minute sessions, four red and near-infrared wavelengths, the higher stated output, and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Buy the CurrentBody Series 3 if you want more than anti-aging: it adds blue, green and yellow light for breakouts, uneven tone and redness, plus an app to build your own treatments. One is the fast, focused mask. The other is the do-everything mask.
Output and LED figures are each brand’s own claims. Brands measure output in different ways, so treat the gap as a direction, not a lab result.
The real difference: focus vs range
Both masks are built around red and near-infrared light, the pairing with the most research behind it for the look of fine lines and firmness. Where they split is everything around that core.
Solawave goes deep on anti-aging. Every one of its four wavelengths sits in the red, deep red, amber and near-infrared range. There is no blue light for breakouts and no app. It is a single-purpose mask.
CurrentBody goes wide. The Series 3 keeps the red, near-infrared and deep near-infrared trio from the Series 2 and adds blue, green and yellow. If breakouts, redness or uneven tone sit on your list next to lines, it covers more ground.
Here’s what to look for: write down your top two skin goals. If both are about lines, firmness and glow, the extra colors on the Series 3 are paying for features you will not use.
Session time: 3 minutes vs 10
This is the biggest day-to-day difference. Solawave’s routine is three minutes, three to five times a week. CurrentBody’s is ten. At five sessions a week that is about 15 minutes against about 50.
Shorter is not automatically better, since total light dose depends on output and time together. But with any LED mask, the routine you keep is the one that works. If ten minutes is the reason a mask ends up in a drawer, the Solawave is the safer bet. More on building a schedule that sticks is in how often to use red light therapy for wrinkles.
Light and output
Solawave Wrinkle Retreat Pro: 320 LEDs, amber 605nm, red 630nm, deep red 660nm and near-infrared 830nm, with a stated output of 65 mW/cm2.
CurrentBody Series 3: 750 LEDs across six wavelengths, including deep near-infrared at 1072nm, with a stated output of up to 40 mW/cm2.
More LEDs on the CurrentBody does not mean more anti-aging light, because many of those bulbs are the blue, green and yellow channels. And a higher number on the Solawave spec sheet is a brand claim, not an independent test. The honest read: both deliver red and near-infrared light in a range designed for at-home use, and neither should be bought on a single number.
Fit, controls and convenience
Solawave: soft, flexible silicone held on with adjustable head straps, a handheld remote with a rechargeable battery that Solawave rates at up to 60 minutes of use (about 20 treatments), automatic shut-off, and protective goggles in the box.
CurrentBody Series 3: flexible silicone with a chin strap, a controller, eye inserts, and the CurrentBody app. The app’s MyDose feature lets you choose which lights run, which is the point of the Series 3 if you want to target more than one concern.
If you want to set it and forget it, Solawave is simpler. If you like tweaking a routine, the CurrentBody app gives you control the Solawave does not have.
Returns and risk
LED masks take weeks of consistent use before you can judge them, so the return window matters. Solawave offers a 60-day money-back guarantee that covers opened and used masks, plus a one-year limited warranty. For the CurrentBody, check the return terms on the product page before you buy, since the window and conditions can change by promotion.
Already deciding between CurrentBody models?
If you are drawn to CurrentBody but only care about lines and firmness, the older Series 2 keeps the same red, near-infrared and deep near-infrared trio without the extra colors. The full breakdown is in CurrentBody Series 3 vs Series 2. Comparing more brands? See INIA vs Omnilux.
Who should skip both, or check first
Solawave lists these cautions for its mask, and they are worth applying to any LED mask: pregnancy, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding; active cancer; a photosensitivity disorder or medication that makes you sensitive to light; light-triggered headaches; epilepsy or seizures; recent facial surgery; a recent sunburn; or an allergy to silicone or plastics. Solawave also notes a small risk of pigment changes for deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V and VI) and suggests a dermatologist visit first. If any of these apply, or you are unsure, check with your doctor before starting. LED masks are cosmetic devices, not a treatment for any skin condition.
Which one to buy
Buy the Solawave Wrinkle Retreat Pro if fine lines, firmness and glow are the whole goal, you want the shortest possible routine, and a 60-day money-back guarantee makes the decision easier.
Buy the CurrentBody Series 3 if you also deal with breakouts, redness or uneven tone, or you want an app that lets you choose which lights run.
Look at the CurrentBody Series 2 if you like CurrentBody’s build but only need anti-aging light.
Is Solawave better than CurrentBody? For anti-aging alone on a short routine, the Solawave Wrinkle Retreat Pro is the more focused pick. For mixed concerns like breakouts or redness, the CurrentBody Series 3 covers more.
How long do you wear the Solawave mask? Three minutes per session, three to five times a week, according to Solawave.
How long is a CurrentBody Series 3 session? Ten minutes, three to five times a week.
Does the Solawave mask have blue light for acne? No. Its wavelengths are amber, red, deep red and near-infrared. The CurrentBody Series 3 includes blue light.
Are both masks FDA cleared? Both brands describe their masks as FDA cleared. Check the model on the product page before you buy.
Does either mask cover the neck? Neither is designed for the neck. Solawave sells a separate Neck and Chest mask.
Quick answer: Buy the CurrentBody Series 2 if your goal is fine lines and firmness. It uses the same red, near-infrared and deep near-infrared wavelengths as the Series 3, it costs less, and CurrentBody still sells it new. Buy the Series 3 if you also want blue light for breakouts, yellow for redness and green for uneven tone, plus an app that lets you build your own treatments. The upgrade is about range and control, not a stronger anti-aging mask.
3: red 633nm, near-infrared 830nm, deep near-infrared 1072nm
6: the same three, plus blue 415nm, green 532nm and yellow 590nm
LED count
236
750
Stated output
30 mW/cm2
Up to 40 mW/cm2
App
None listed
CurrentBody app with MyDose and four full-face presets
Session
10 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week
10 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week
Fit
Flexible silicone with a chin strap
Flexible silicone with a chin strap
In the box
Mask, controller, USB-C cable, eye inserts, storage bag
Mask, controller, USB-C cable, eye inserts, storage bag
FDA status
Described by CurrentBody as FDA cleared
Described by CurrentBody as FDA cleared
Best for
Fine lines, firmness, a simple routine
Mixed concerns: aging plus breakouts, redness or uneven tone
Specs come from CurrentBody’s own product and comparison pages. Output figures are the brand’s numbers, not independent measurements.
What actually changed on the Series 3
Three new colors. The Series 2 is an anti-aging mask: red plus two depths of near-infrared. The Series 3 keeps those three and adds blue, green and yellow, so one mask can cover breakouts, redness and dullness as well as lines.
Far more LEDs. 750 bulbs against 236. Launch coverage of the Series 3 says each LED can emit all six wavelengths, which is how it fits six colors into one face.
Higher stated output. CurrentBody lists the Series 3 at up to 40 mW/cm2 and the Series 2 at 30. Treat that as the brand’s claim until independent testing appears.
An app with dose control. The Series 3 pairs with the CurrentBody app. Its MyDose feature lets you choose which wavelength runs where on the face, and the app calculates the dose. There are also four preset full-face treatments if you would rather not build your own.
What stayed the same
The same red (633nm) and near-infrared (830nm and 1072nm) wavelengths, the ones with the most research behind them for skin.
The same flexible silicone shape with a chin strap, eye inserts and a controller that charges over USB-C.
The same routine: 10-minute sessions, 3 to 5 times a week.
Do the extra colors matter to you?
This is the whole decision. Here is what each new light is generally used for, and how strong the evidence is.
Blue (415nm): the best studied of the three, used for breakout-prone skin. If you still get blemishes alongside fine lines, this is the strongest reason to pick the Series 3.
Yellow (590nm): used for redness and a calmer look. The research is smaller and more mixed.
Green (532nm): marketed for brightness and uneven tone. This one has the thinnest evidence of the six.
If your main goals are lines, texture and firmness, those extra lights do not add much for you, and the Series 2 covers what you need. Dark spots are a similar story: light alone is not the strong move there, as Does Red Light Therapy Help Dark Spots? explains.
Is the MyDose app worth it?
It is worth it for someone who likes to customize. You can run blue on the chin and red across the forehead in the same session, for example, instead of one light over the whole face. If you want to put the mask on and press one button, the Series 2’s single program is simpler, and the Series 3’s presets get you close to that too.
Is a Series 2 still the smart buy?
Yes, for most anti-aging buyers. CurrentBody still sells the Series 2 new, in the mask-only version and in kits, and it sits below the Series 3 in price. You give up the extra colors and the app, not the core red and near-infrared treatment. Two things to check before you order:
Buy from CurrentBody or an authorized retailer. A third-party listing for an older model can mean an older stock unit or no warranty support.
Check the box contents. Both masks come in mask-only and kit versions, so compare the same version when you weigh them up.
There is no urgent reason to upgrade if you use it for lines and firmness. The anti-aging wavelengths are the same. Upgrade only if breakouts or redness have become a bigger concern, or you want the app’s control.
Which one to buy
Buy the Series 2 if fine lines, firmness and a simple routine are the goal and you would rather keep the difference in your pocket.
Buy the Series 3 if you are dealing with aging and breakouts or redness at the same time, or you want to customize where each light goes.
Look at other brands if published, independently tested output matters most to you. INIA vs Omnilux Contour compares two masks on exactly that.
CurrentBody’s own guidance says not to use its masks if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding; if you have lupus, photosensitive eczema, albinism or another light-sensitive condition; if you take medication that causes light sensitivity, such as certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs or diuretics; if light triggers headaches; or if you have an eye condition such as glaucoma or cataracts. If any of that applies, or you are unsure about a medication, check with your doctor before starting.
FAQ
Is the CurrentBody Series 2 worth it? For lines and firmness, yes. It runs the same red and near-infrared wavelengths as the Series 3 and costs less. What it lacks is blue, green and yellow light and the app.
What is the difference between CurrentBody Series 2 and Series 3? The Series 3 adds three wavelengths (blue, green and yellow), triples the LED count to 750, raises the stated output from 30 to up to 40 mW/cm2, and adds an app with dose control. Session length, fit and routine are the same.
Is CurrentBody better than Omnilux? They suit different buyers. Both CurrentBody masks add a deep near-infrared wavelength (1072nm) on top of red and near-infrared, and the Series 3 adds acne and tone lights. The Omnilux Contour pairs red with one near-infrared wavelength. The INIA vs Omnilux comparison covers what to look for in output and proof.
Can you overdo red light therapy on your face? More is not better. Stick to the brand’s schedule of 10 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week. How Often to Use Red Light Therapy for Wrinkles goes deeper on frequency.
Is the Series 2 discontinued? Not as of October 2026. CurrentBody still lists it for sale in the US alongside the Series 3.
How long until you see results? CurrentBody suggests 3 to 5 sessions a week for 8 weeks. Any change builds gradually and depends on sticking to the routine.
