Is the Lyma laser really worth it? Sienna Miller thinks so
The beauty gadget boom shows no signs of slowing, and there’s one innovation in particular that is causing quite a stir in the most skincare-obsessed circles.
While tools such as LED masks and microcurrent have become staples in many a beauty routine, the Lyma laser brings something wholly unique to the space, claiming to go one step further in the skin rejuvenation stakes.
The A-list approval is hefty: Ana de Armas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sofia Richie, Jourdan Dunn, Hailey Bieber and Sienna Miller are loyal users (the latter showcasing hers in our video interview, top, declaring that "it really works"). Meanwhile, renowned facialist Joanna Czech is a long-time brand collaborator, having used it on the likes of Phoebe Dynevor and Cynthia Erivo, and Amber Valetta has signed on as the face of Lyma Skincare: a duo of products designed to be used alongside the Laser at home.
So, what exactly is this buzzy device? It occupies a different space in the market to the brand’s debut product – a maximalist, holistic ingestible ambitiously named The Supplement – yet follows the same do-it-all approach to offer what the brand is hoping will become the ultimate skin investment.
Here, read everything you need to know about the Lyma laser, from how the technology really works, to the things it can (and the things it can't) have a tangible effect on – and one Bazaar editor's honest verdict after road-testing it diligently for a year.
What is the Lyma Laser?
The Laser is the world's first medical-grade at-home laser device. It's often mistaken for an LED light-therapy tool, and while there is indeed LED light involved, it serves more as a backdrop to the real star: a central laser beam that is said to regenerate skin at cellular level, rather than simply skimming over the surface.
“The Lyma Laser works in a way topical skincare simply can’t," explains founder Lucy Goff. "It employs cold, near infra-red 500mW laser technology – a world first for at-home beauty devices – making it unlike every other cosmetic device. It’s a technology born from the medical industry called low-level laser therapy (LLLT), which has been used for decades to treat a host of medical issues as diverse as rebuilding cartilage and healing tendons.”
The LLLT technology was originally discovered by a medical research unit in Leipzig back in the 1960s, when doctors found exposure to low-level laser could help heal wounds and rebuild the cartilage following damage. This concept of building up the skin, rather than taking away from it, is one we’re hearing more frequently today (Augustinus Bader’s famed cream was originally intended to treat burns) as industry focus shifts from cosmetic beautifying to tangible skin health: treating the root of the issue, rather than rectifying the visible symptoms.
So far, so promising: but which skin issues can this technology actually tackle to visible effect? The brand claims the benefits are far reaching, promising everything from plumper skin to brightened hyperpigmentation, and even the smoothing of old scars.
Interestingly, the brand's latest research has demonstrated promising results in the sun-damage realm, showing the LLLT technology to be capable of taking on those famously hard to treat dark spots. "Low-level laser therapy has been shown to regulate your melanocytes, in terms of the way that they distribute melanosomes – the packets of pigment," explains Dr Dan Belkin MD, surgeon and dermatologist. 'When melanocytes overdistribute those pigment packets, you get brown spots and freckling that happens over the summer, following sun exposure. So low-level laser therapy, like that used in the Lyma Laser, helps to regulate that to reduce brown spots and hyperpigmentation.”
How does the Lyma Laser work?
The continual-output (non-flashing) laser is able to penetrate deep into the skin, reaching the muscular layers. Here, it can ‘communicate’ with the mitochondria (the energy source of the skin’s cells) giving them the power to accelerate collagen and elastin production. Like an energy bar for your skin, it coaxes back the skin behaviours that were prevalent in our younger years – and all of this is done, according to Goff, "without causing damage to a single cell". With regular use, inflammation is brought down, soft tissue heals more effectively, and the skin surface appears smoother and more unified in tone.
"As with most areas of our lives, we’re adopting technology to enhance or supercharge our routines and that is what advanced, proven-to-work beauty technology does," says Goff. "Intrinsically, it reaches deep down into the base layer of the dermis, where the light energy triggers a genetic switch inside the skin cells telling them not to die off, but to recharge, regenerate and repair – the destruction of healthy skin cells is reversed. Extrinsically, the light energy of the laser instructs the existing cells to produce more proteins to fight free radicals: less free radicals equals more collagen and elastin."
Does the Lyma Laser work on the neck?
One of the main draws of the laser is the fact it works beyond the confines of the face. As the skin's collagen and elastin matrix begins to weaken, horizontal lines appear on our necks. The Lyma works in the same way on the neck to 'switch on' the production of these vital proteins.
As Dr Graeme Glass, aesthetic surgeon and Lyma consultant explains, “if we want to see profound transformation in skin quality across the neck and décolleté, we need to target muscle tone and reinforce skin’s underlying scaffolding, rather than merely the superficial skin on the surface. By strengthening the back of the neck at a deeper level, the full circumference of the neck is unilaterally lifted and smoothed.”
How to use the Lyma Laser
Lyma recommends using the laser regularly and consistently for best results: a 15-minute treatment every day for the initial three months (and yes, you can do it while on the sofa) before moving to maintenance sessions of twice weekly. The device can be moved over the entirety of the face, or held still over specific patches of pigmentation, scarring or acne. There's no need for goggles and you aren't tethered to a cable, so committing to daily use is realistic.
When treating the whole of the face, you may wish to apply an emollient face serum, cream or oil beforehand, to allow the laser to glide over your face without tugging. Lyma recommends using the laser alongside its own duo of prep products, although they aren’t essential to the treatment: unlike devices such as microcurrent wands, the laser will conduct with or without skincare being applied beforehand.
The brand’s Active Mist is a mineral-rich facial spritz that holds up to 100 times more oxygen than water. According to Goff, it "acts as an oxygen mask, with the right pH balance to penetrate skin, nourishing the epidermis to increase turnover of cells and give an immediate hit of plumpness".
Next, the Priming Serum (which contains humectant beta-glucans alongside a trademarked compound Wellmune®), which Goff says "immediately hydrates the skin 20 per cent more than hyaluronic acid". By activating the macrophages (the skin’s bacteria-fighting cells) and stimulating the fibroblast cells, it further boosts the laser’s collagen-amplifying abilities.
The laser is powerful, but can be used around the eyes, due to the two internal diffusers that diffract the beam and remove the heat energy. It’s suitable for all skin types and tones, and slots into any topical skincare routine without compromise.
The Lyma Laser Pro
This month, Lyma has introduced the Laser Pro: a supercharged new take on the cult original, designed to treat the body from head to toe. Created with clinics in mind (but available for hardcore fans to purchase for home use too), the Pro is essentially a scaled-up device containing three LLLT lasers in a larger head. It's ideal for quickly treating the face, but it's the before-and-after results on the arms and chest that are truly remarkable.
Lyma laser: the Bazaar review
As a sensitive-skinned beauty editor, this is one skin-tech device I couldn't wait to get my hands on: the promise of no redness, irritation or downtime appealing to my risk-averse ethos. Plus, the unique ease of use (no set-up, no wires, no faffy face-washing required) meant I was more than willing to commit to a year of diligent testing.
Indeed, first impressions did not disappoint: using the Lyma laser is an experience as slick as you'd likely expect for a device nestled this firmly in the investment category (the complete Starter Kit comes in at a whisker under £2000). Every aspect is undeniably polished, from the video tutorials performed by leading facialist Nicola Joss on the brand’s site to the weighty yet silent function of the laser itself, there are no corners being cut here.
What’s more, the treatment is completely free from sensation, involving no pain or downtime (not even a hint of redness) and doesn’t follow the damage-to-repair ethos that makes treatments such as microneedling intimidating for some. Indeed, Goff adds that “traditional laser devices work through the stress/damage response, inflicting injury to the skin in order to stimulate collagen, but the Lyma Laser’s near-infrared beam is dispersed so many times – 25,000 times to be exact – it removes all the heat, making it completely cold. We’re not relying on the laser’s heat to damage skin, but on the near-infrared cold technology to regenerate and renew.”
Defining whether the Lyma laser will be a satisfying investment for you depends on the results you’re expecting, and the commitment you’re willing to put in. Consistency really is key, and you’ll need to carve out 15 minutes each day to use your device. I found this to be no problem at all: the process is as simple as flicking on the switch, and can be performed while you're slumped in front of the television, or reading a book before bed.
The testing process
I use the laser in two ways: as a full face treatment in conjunction with the brand's oxygenating Mist and slip-enhancing Glide serum, and as an on-the-spot aid for patches of pigmentation and stubborn acne scars that no topical has managed to shift. Most nights, if Netflix is on, my Lyma is in my hand: I find it remarkably effective at bringing down hormonal blemishes, which seem to heal much quicker when treated with the Laser.
As for the results? I'm genuinely impressed. In time, my post-acne scarring has visibly faded and breakouts are all but eliminated. When I use my device diligently, I notice my skin generally looks and feels and happier – it's plumper, and feels better hydrated without layers of serum – and I'm much less prone to the bouts of hormonal acne that have blighted me long into my Thirties.
The final verdict
Would I recommend making the investment? Honestly, it depends on what your expectations are. I can confirm it's brilliant for both sun damage and breakouts: both will become calmer and clearer, although rosacea won’t magically vanish (it’s a chronic skin disorder, after all).
I've also seen impressive before-and-afters focused on fine, feathery lines, and the fact you can safely use the laser around the eye area is a major plus in this area. With slow, progressive improvements in tone and texture, skin takes on a plumper, brighter appearance that is altogether subtle but incredibly satisfying. Of all the buzzy beauty devices I've trialled, the Lyma is the only one that has kept its position at the side of the sofa, keenly used almost every evening – and I suppose that's somewhat of a hefty endorsement. If you're looking for something to deliver better skin that lasts, this may well be it.
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