I'm a Laser Dermatologist—Here's What Most People Don't Tell You About LED Light Therapy for Skin

The Lineup is a monthly series where we're giving you an inside peek at the beauty lineups of the most sought-after experts and tastemakers in the industry. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at all the can't-live-without products that make their worlds go 'round.

A laser dermatologist (meaning, one who specializes in laser- and light-based therapies to treat skin concerns like rosacea, melasma, acne, scars, skin cancers, and signs of aging) for over 22 years, Ellen Marmur, MD, is a human encyclopedia when it comes to LED. Seriously, whenever I'm lucky enough to visit her Upper East Side office, I walk away with no less than five game-changing tips and seven hot takes. One of the biggest discoveries I've brought home? Don't sleep on green light.

"While red light has captured the imagination of social media, and it is a potent anti-inflammatory with many benefits, green light is very underappreciated," the derm and founder of MMSkincare tells me. Namely, it's a godsend for hyperpigmentation and redness, but Marmur actually conducted a clinical study that showed multiple skin benefits associated with green light: improved collagen, improved fat, improved retinoic acid benefits (aka, more bang for your buck when using retinol), and reduced inflammation. Given these science-backed perks, she made sure to include full-range green light when creating her own LED device, which features five colors and nine light settings in total. She personally uses the green setting for 20 minutes three times a week, noting "it’s [her] secret to keeping [her] skin young." If you've ever seen Marmur's smooth, glowing skin up close like I have, the only logical response becomes "Sign me up."

For those looking for a no-BS derm to shepherd you through your skin journey, consider Marmur your pro. In fact, when I ask her to bust three pervasive skincare myths, she responds with: "Only three?!" There are a number of TikTok-born notions that make her cringe (namely #FillerMigration; "Fillers do NOT last forever," she shares), and she's quick to share the hard, cold facts of retinol and vitamin C. "The entire world—okay, I exaggerate, but it seems so—believes that the more you use these two holy-grail ingredients, the younger your skin looks," she says. In reality, using them together or too often can result in cosmeceutical contact dermatitis, marked by red, peeling skin with inflamed pimples. "Less is more with these two ingredients," she adds.

As for her personal beauty routine? That "less is more" philosophy rings true, as you'll find an edited lineup of calming, smoothing serums, full-face makeup palettes, and multitasking hair tools below—plus, of course, some high-quality LED.