Product review

Acne-free
magic wand?

Could this little magic wand be the cure for acne-prone skin? SheKnows’ product reviewer Julie Ruditzky Loffredi puts Tria Skin Perfecting Blue Light to the test.

Acne still haunts me. Nothing like those teen years, but annoying pimples still pop up.

Dermatologists claim the secret to flawless skin is to stop these breakouts before they happen. To eliminate acne-causing bacteria, many doctors use blue-light treatments to treat patients. But wouldn’t it be great if this “magic wand” could be used at home? Well, now it can. But does the new DIY Tria Skin Perfecting Blue Light really deliver skin-smoothing results?

What it promises

According to Tria, this FDA-cleared device is just as good as a trip to the skin doctor, promising 70 percent reduction in acne within two weeks if used daily. Tria says the Blue Light “delivers an effective dose in the shortest time to clear breakouts fast. Unlike most cleansers and lotions that use benzoyl peroxide to fight breakouts, Tria is gentle enough to use every day without harsh side effects such as redness or irritation.”

How it held up

Just in time for this review, a pimple erupted under my chin. With an eye on my target, I turned on the handheld device and started rubbing the Blue Light over my entire face (a few extra times on the pimple itself). It automatically shut off after five minutes, meaning the treatment was over.

Right after the session, my face felt incredibly smooth and clean in that just-had-a-facial kind of way. But here comes the shocking part: My pimple actually flaked off within a few minutes. Granted, it was drying out on its own and probably going to peel off soon anyway, but I wasn’t expecting a pimple to disappear right after using the product. I’ll definitely be trying this product again, and it did boost my overall confidence in the tool’s capabilities. I’m anxious to see how my skin will look with long-term use.

The bottom line

The $245 price tag may deter some, but when you add up the cost of over-the-counter skin products (or doctor visits) it could actually be a money-saver in the long run.

Tria also offers payment plans, along with a 60-day money-back guarantee, which helps ease the price tag sting.

As with any device, be sure to read all the warning labels and instruction booklet prior to use. The Blue Light is not designed for severe acne, and should be used with care.

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