Should you buy the Solawave wand or a red light face mask?
Choose the Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand if you want the lowest price and an FDA record you can look up. It was $169 on Nov 6, 2026, and the FDA cleared the Radiant Renewal wand (K232863) with its red light cleared for wrinkles on the face167. The catch: it lights one zone at a time, for 3 minutes each, and Solawave says it has a 2-year lifecycle against a 1-year warranty34.
Choose a mask if you want the whole face lit in one session. The HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask is $349, the Omnilux Contour Face is $395, the Dr. Dennis Gross FaceWare Pro is $455, the CurrentBody Series 2 is $469.99 and the Therabody TheraFace Mask is $649.991014182226. Every mask page lists a wavelength besides red, while the wand is red only at 630 nm1.
Solawave recommends its LightBoost serum, which costs $38 a bottle, and sells a wand and serum kit for $18918. Even with the kit, the lowest-priced mask costs $160 more. None of these makers’ figures shows a skin result.
- Choose the Solawave wand if you want the lowest price, 60 days to return it and a 12-minute routine, and can accept one zone at a time and a 2-year lifecycle35.
- Choose the HigherDOSE mask if you want the lowest-priced mask, 120 days to return it and a clearance for full-face wrinkles, and can accept a 1-year warranty1013.
- Choose the Omnilux Contour Face if you want a 2-year warranty on the mask and controller, and can accept a 30-day return window with a $15 fee141617.
- Choose the FaceWare Pro if you want a 3-minute routine, and can accept that no 510(k) number is published and FDA lists none under its name2628.
- Choose the CurrentBody Series 2 if you want a 2-year warranty and a 2025 clearance, and can pay $469.99 and return only a new, unused mask181921.
- Choose the TheraFace Mask if you want blue light and vibration in the same mask, and can pay $649.99 for a 1-year warranty2224.
The Solawave wand and five masks side by side, by price
Prices are US list prices on each maker’s page, before tax, checked on Nov 6, 2026. None showed a sale price for the device alone. Checkout-code, first-order and bundle discounts aren’t counted11014182226.
The light output row isn’t a fair contest. Each figure comes from the maker’s page, manual or FDA summary, and none of these sources gives a measuring distance, so a higher number isn’t a stronger dose at your skin27101123.
| Question | Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand | HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask | Omnilux Contour Face | Dr. Dennis Gross FaceWare Pro | CurrentBody Series 2 | Therabody TheraFace Mask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A handheld wand that lights one small zone at a time | A full-face mask with 120 days to return it | A mask with a 2-year warranty on the mask and controller | A 3-minute routine | A mask with a 2025 FDA clearance and a 2-year warranty | A mask with blue light and vibration as well |
| US price on Nov 6, 2026 | $169 for the wand alone. $189 as a kit with the LightBoost serum18 | $349 for the mask alone10 | $39514 | $45526 | $469.99 for the mask alone18 | $649.9922 |
| Price and where to buy | $169US price, checked Check price at Solawave for Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand | $349US price, checked Check price at HigherDOSE for HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask | $395US price, checked Check price at Omnilux for Omnilux Contour Face | $455US price, checked Check price at Dr. Dennis Gross for Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro | $469.99US price, checked Check price at CurrentBody Skin for CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 2 | $649.99US price, checked Check price at Therabody for Therabody TheraFace Mask |
| Wavelengths | 630 nm red only1 | 630 nm red and 830 nm near-infrared11 | 633 nm red and 830 nm near-infrared14 | The page lists 630 nm red, 880 nm near-infrared, 605 nm amber and 415 nm blue. Settings are red, blue or both26 | 633 nm red, 830 nm and 1072 nm near-infrared18 | 633 nm red, red plus 830 nm near-infrared, and 415 nm blue2223 |
| LEDs | 14, from 7 dual-core chips1 | 66 dual-core LEDs, or 132 diodes10 | 132, two per bulb across 66 bulbs14 | 100 red and 60 blue26 | 236: 110 red, 110 at 830 nm and 16 at 1072 nm18 | 648, with no split by wavelength published22 |
| Published light output (mW/cm², no measuring distance given) | 49.5 to 60.5 in the manual. 55 in the FDA summary27 | 26 red and 24 near-infrared on the page. 20 and 30 in the FDA summary1011 | About 301415 | Not published26 | 3018 | 73 red, 64 blue, and 73 plus 55 for red with infrared, all in the FDA summary23 |
| Session | 12 minutes: 3 minutes on each of four zones. It shuts off at 12 minutes23 | 10 or 20 minutes suggested10 | 10 minutes14 | 3 minutes, then it switches off26 | 10 minutes, then it switches off18 | 9 minutes, 3 for each light mode2223 |
| Coverage | One small zone at a time, four zones per session. It also adds warmth, vibration and a low-level current13 | A mask, 11.6 by 8.5 inches. Cleared for full-face wrinkles1011 | A mask. Cleared for full-face wrinkles. Size not stated1415 | A mask with an adjustable head strap. Size not stated26 | A mask, 190 by 98 by 207 mm and 1,220 g. Cleared for full-face wrinkles1819 | A mask, 200 by 220 by 120 mm, with 8 vibration motors around the eyes and 9 on the head. Cleared for full-face wrinkles2223 |
| Battery and charging | 500 mAh, not removable. About 4 hours to charge. Up to 90 minutes of use per charge. It won’t run while charging12 | 2,600 mAh in the controller. 80 to 100 minutes per charge, and 3 to 4 hours to charge by USB-C10 | Rechargeable battery in the controller. Capacity and charge time not stated1415 | Rechargeable. 8 to 10 sessions per charge. Charge time not given26 | 2,600 mAh in the controller. 4.5 hours to charge by USB-C1820 | Two 1,500 mAh batteries. 120 minutes per charge. Charge time not stated22 |
| FDA record | 510(k) K232863, Dec 13, 2023. Red light cleared for wrinkles on the face67 | K241933, Sept 27, 2024. Full-face wrinkles11 | K191629, Sept 12, 2019, filed as the faceLITE LED mask. Omnilux’s page gives no number1415 | None under its name. Dr. Dennis Gross calls it FDA cleared and gives no number2628 | K250966, June 25, 2025. Full-face wrinkles19 | K230293, June 9, 2023. Full-face wrinkles for the red modes, and blue light has its own cleared use23 |
| Warranty | 1 year. Solawave also says the wand has a 2-year lifecycle4 | 1 year12 | 2 years on the mask and controller. Batteries aren’t covered unless defective16 | 1 year, with no terms published26 | 2 years21 | 1 year24 |
| Return window | 60 days from receipt, with a prepaid US label. Opened or used wands aren’t ruled out5 | 120 days from delivery, even after use, if it comes back like new13 | 30 days, with a $15 return fee17 | 30 days, even gently used, with a $10 device return fee27 | 30 days, new and unused only. You pay return shipping21 | 30 days, like new. Therabody pays standard return shipping25 |
Some of these links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, and it doesn’t change our picks.
What the FDA records do and don’t show
The FDA cleared the Solawave Radiant Renewal wand (K232863) on December 13, 2023, and its red light is cleared for wrinkles on the face67. Four masks have a record you can look up, each for full-face wrinkles: HigherDOSE (K241933, 2024), Omnilux (K191629, 2019), CurrentBody (K250966, 2025) and Therabody (K230293, 2023)11151923.
A clearance isn’t proof of a skin result. Each of these was cleared as equivalent to earlier devices, and none of the five summaries reports a trial of skin results for the device711151923. FDA says the Solawave clearance rests on non-clinical testing, and that clinical testing wasn’t needed7.
The Solawave record has two gaps. Solawave’s own pages give no 510(k) number, so the match rests on FDA’s device listing, which has Solawave model HD-15A under K23286330. The FDA summary also describes a pulsed output of up to 328 µA, says nothing about the warmth and mentions vibration only as a time cue7. Solawave calls the current galvanic and gives no level1.
The FaceWare Pro is the exception among the masks. Dr. Dennis Gross calls it FDA cleared, gives no number, and FDA’s database lists no clearance under its name2628.
The skin results on the makers’ pages are their own. Solawave reports a study of 33 people who used the wand with its serum and names no study1. A 2026 systematic review of at-home LED devices found significant improvements in wrinkles and skin texture across eight studies, but it covered LED devices in general, and its abstract doesn’t say whether the Solawave wand was included29. Its authors called for larger, standardized and comparative trials29. None of the six reviews cites a trial that compares a wand with a mask.
What each costs with the serum, and how long it lasts
The wand alone is $169. Solawave recommends the LightBoost serum for every session, lists a bottle at $38 and sells the wand and serum as a $189 kit18. It doesn’t say how many sessions a bottle lasts, so a yearly serum cost can’t be worked out8. HigherDOSE also sells its mask with its Light-Activated Glow Serum, for $418 against $349 for the mask alone10.
Lifespan favors neither side clearly. Solawave says the wand has a 2-year lifecycle under nominal use, and the battery can’t be removed24. If a third year did need a second wand, two wands would cost $338, which is $11 less than the HigherDOSE mask. HigherDOSE, CurrentBody, Therabody and Dr. Dennis Gross don’t say whether the battery can be replaced10182226.
Return terms differ more than warranties. HigherDOSE gives 120 days, even after use. Solawave gives 60 days with a prepaid US label. Omnilux and Dr. Dennis Gross keep a $15 and a $10 fee, CurrentBody takes back only a new, unused mask and you pay shipping, and Therabody pays standard return shipping51317212527. For three-year totals across more devices, see red-light equipment ownership costs.
Eye safety, and who should skip these
The Solawave wand comes with no goggles. Its manual says not to shine the LEDs into your eyes or use the wand on or near the eye area, and asks for a light sensitivity test on the inner forearm with a 24-hour wait first23. Omnilux says its mask needs no eyewear and offers it through customer service14. CurrentBody ships eye inserts, and Therabody’s mask has silicone eye shields built in1822. HigherDOSE and Dr. Dennis Gross give little eye-safety wording on their product pages1026. For all 18 devices, see red light therapy dangers.
These lists are the makers’ own, not medical advice. If one applies to you, show your clinician the device’s manual before you start.
- Solawave lists pregnancy, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, being under 18, a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, active cancer, a seizure or epilepsy history triggered by light, a photosensitive condition, light-induced headaches and photosensitizing medication9.
- CurrentBody says not to use its mask in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, with a photosensitive condition or light-sensitizing medication, with an eye condition such as glaucoma or cataracts, or with light-induced headaches1820.
- Omnilux says its mask isn’t meant for breakouts and gives a minimum age of 21, and it lists pregnancy among the reasons not to use it14.
- Therabody lists epilepsy, heart disease, cancer, a light-sensitivity disorder, melasma and a retinal disorder, and separately lists a pacemaker or ICD against the vibration31.
- The Dr. Dennis Gross page and quick start guide give no contraindications that we found26.
Related comparisons
For the five masks alone, see best red light therapy masks, HigherDOSE vs Omnilux and Omnilux vs CurrentBody. For every cleared and uncleared device, see red light therapy: FDA cleared or only registered?. For small panels and the Lumebox, see the small-device comparison.
Read the full reviews
Each review lists the sources, unknowns and trade-offs behind this page.
Sources
- 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand with Red Light Therapy Solawave · manufacturer
- Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand instruction manual Solawave · manufacturer
- How to Use the Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand Solawave · manufacturer
- Warranty Policy Solawave · manufacturer
- Returns Policy Solawave · manufacturer
- 510(k) Premarket Notification K232863: Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand (HD-15, HD-15A) U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator
- K232863 510(k) summary and indications for use U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator
- Solawave store search listing: wand, kit and serum prices Solawave · manufacturer · data file
- Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand Benefits & Contraindications Solawave · manufacturer
- HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask HigherDOSE · manufacturer
- 510(k) K241933: HIGHERDOSE Red And Infrared Light Mask (MK66-L) U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator
- Warranty HigherDOSE · manufacturer
- Return Policy HigherDOSE · manufacturer
- Omnilux Contour Face Omnilux · manufacturer
- 510(k) K191629: faceLITE LED mask U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator
- Warranty Policy Omnilux · manufacturer
- Returns Policy Omnilux · manufacturer
- CurrentBody Skin LED Red Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 2 CurrentBody · manufacturer
- K250966 510(k) summary and indications for use U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator
- CurrentBody LED mask Series 2 user manual CurrentBody · manufacturer
- Shipping & Returns CurrentBody · manufacturer
- TheraFace Mask (Red Light LED Mask) Therabody · manufacturer
- K230293 510(k) summary and indications for use U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator
- Warranty Terms Therabody · manufacturer
- Return Policy Therabody · manufacturer
- DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro 3-Minute LED Device Dr. Dennis Gross · manufacturer
- Returns and refunds Dr. Dennis Gross · manufacturer
- openFDA 510(k) clearances search: device name "faceware" U.S. Food and Drug Administration (openFDA) · regulator · data file
- Efficacy and safety of at-home light-emitting diode photobiomodulation for facial rejuvenation: a systematic review Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (PubMed abstract), 2026 · systematic review
- openFDA GUDID device search: brand name solawave U.S. Food and Drug Administration (openFDA) · regulator · data file
- Precautions Therabody · manufacturer
How this was written. Written from the sources listed above, checked . It is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician before acting on anything here if you have a health condition or take medication.
Our editorial policy →