Published: 12:39 BST, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 01:02 BST, 13 August 2026
It's the beauty trend known for making A-listers look as if they've morphed into an other-worldly cyborg.
LED masks – devices that beam specific wavelengths of light on to the skin – are hailed by celebrities and beauty gurus alike for their apparent ability to reduce inflammation, fine lines and wrinkles.
Advocates say the light emitted stimulates skin cells to repair areas of damage and produces collagen – the protein that plumps the skin.
But now the same technology is being used to beautify the body.
Retailers are selling 'wraps' or belts fitted with thousands of tiny coloured lights to tone, tighten and even shrink the tummy. Others, like exercise recovery experts ThermoLab sell LED sleeping bags you can slot yourself into, while online beauty giant Cultbeauty is selling a light-up yoga mat for an eye-watering ÂŁ1159.
According to skincare brand This Works, their ÂŁ100 red light body wrap – which comes with a removable strap – can even shave 3cm off your waist, as well as reduce the appearance of stretch marks and crepey or sagging skin that's common after pregnancy.Â
It's this product that caught my eye, as a beauty editor of two decades and mother left with unsightly sagging skin on my abdomen following my two pregnancies.
I'm already a big fan of LED technology. Small studies have shown that wearing a good quality mask combining both red light and near infra-red light several times a week can help boost collagen production, soften fine lines and wrinkles, improve pigmentation and reduce inflammation.Â
Trinny Woodall is one of a host of celebrities who swears by their LED masks – but can a body wrap offer similar benefits for your waistline?
Jennifer Aniston, 57, is another high profile fan of the light therapy gadgets
I’m firmly committed to mine. While it involves some commitment and can take at least eight weeks to notice the complexion-smoothing results, skin really does become glowier and smoother. These days, I wouldn’t be without it.
As per the brand's instructions, the This Works wrap must be worn for 20 minutes three times a week. Within a month users see a significant change to their waistline, according to a trial conducted by the brand.
If it works, it's welcome news. A recent study linked a large waist circumference to an increased risk of a host of life-threatening diseases. Shrinking your waist could even be a more protective measure than losing body weight, the scientists from Johns Hopkins hospital in the US suggested.
'Both red and near-infrared light is thought to activate the pores in fat cells, causing fat to leak into the surrounding tissue,’ says leading aesthetics doctor Dr Brendan Khong.