“What moisturiser will change my skin?” is the question I’m probably asked most as a Beauty Director of over a decade. In my experience? Skincare alone isn’t the answer – which is why I tried the Lyma Laser Pro.
Beauty gadgets are booming – and with good reason. They target the cells beneath the skin’s surface where all the plumping, tightening, wrinkle-smoothing action takes place. As such, I’ve used an LED face mask, ice globes, microcurrent and face roller on rotation as part of my skincare routine over the past decade – but the Lyma Laser and Lyma Laser Pro (both discounted in the Black Friday 2025 sale for the first time ever) offer something unique.
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I first heard about the Lyma Laser through its (unusually big) army of celebrity fans and endorsements. Co-signature on this skincare device is hefty, but the likes of Hailey Bieber, Sienna Miller, Sofia Richie and Gwyneth Paltrow have all spoken to its prowess. I decided to jump straight in, first test-driving the first-generation Lyma Laser (this is the one that’s reduced by 25% for the first time ever), and then, the Lyma Laser Pro (reduced by 20%). I decided this would enable me to make an honest comparison – especially given the difference between both devices is (almost) a cool £3,000. Could the Lyma Laser really deliver on its bold promise to give “transformational cosmetic surgery results for face, neck and full body”? Let’s find out…
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What is the Lyma Laser?
So, what exactly is the Lyma Laser, and how has it achieved such cult status? Let’s circle back to 2018, when Lyma’s ‘super’ supplement first launched. Packed with ingredients backed by scientific papers, the supplement put the brand on the map thanks to the endorsement of supermodels and celebrities including Kim Kardashian. The ethos was simple: offer a holistic, easy and do-it-all approach to skincare (but pay well for it). Two years later, Lyma launched its first laser: the world’s only FDA-approved at-home laser device. Lyma was propelled to cult status.
While the technology has been subtly improved over the years, the premise behind both the original Laser and the new Lyma Laser Pro remains the same. Rather than heat or damage the skin, a beam of medical-grade infrared travels deep into the skin where it communicates with the ‘battery’ in your cells to improve collagen and elastin production for plumper, tighter skin and less visible lines. It also claims to reduce the appearance of pigmentation and improve the look of acne scars.
The Lyma Laser often gets confused with red light therapy devices – but while LED light is involved, it’s not really the star of the show. To be clear, this isn’t a new-fangled LED device. In fact, the infrared beam is thought to be a hundred times more powerful than traditional LED when it comes to cell renewal – and all without the need for any downtime or pro-level expertise.
How do Lyma lasers work?
Back to the laser itself: the device uses cold, near infra-red 500mW laser technology to trigger “a genetic switch inside each of your cells,” says Lyma founder Lucy Goff. “It ensures those cells associated with renewal are switched on and empowered to behave like they did when you were in your early 20s.”
The technology, a world-first in an at-home device, was born from the medical industry called low-level laser therapy (LLLT), a therapy that has been used for decades to treat a variety of medical issues. Think: tendon repair and the rebuilding of cartilage. It was first discovered in Leipzig sometime circa 1960, when doctors found that low-level exposure to this laser could help with wound repair and healing.
Who is the Lyma Laser good for?
So far, so good – but what skin concerns will the Lyma Laser and Lyma Laser Pro (more on the difference later) actually work for?
Since it’s a holistic device at its heart, the brand claims that the device will help with a plethora of skin concerns, from wrinkles to pigmentation, sagging, the appearance of scars, and “turkey neck”. It’s also worth noting recent research from the brand that demonstrated promising early results in repairing sun damage. Low-level laser therapy can help to reduce the appearance of pesky sun-induced dark spots and hyperpigmentation, since the therapy can regulate your melanocytes (preventing them from over-distributing pigment packets and slowing dark spots).
What’s the difference between Lyma Laser & Lyma Laser Pro?
Both the Laser and the Laser Pro use the same technology. The main difference is the size of the area that they can treat as the Laser Pro is three times bigger, meaning you spend less time in the evening treating your skin. Plus, it can also be used on the body (such as slack skin on the knees, arms and on the backs of thighs).
The recommended amount of time to use the Laser on the face was 15 minutes per day for the first three months, followed by twice-weekly sessions. The Laser Pro cuts that time down to roughly nine minutes (three minutes per section of skin – both cheeks and forehead).
And then there’s the price, of course. While the Lyma Laser will set you back £1,999 without a Black Friday discount, the Lyma Laser Pro comes in at an eye-watering £4,995 (again, without a Black Friday discount) – largely because it was originally designed for use in clinics and by facialists. That said, die-hard Lyma fans are also splurging on this device for their bathroom shelf.
How I tested Lyma Laser & Lyma Laser Pro
I religiously used the original Lyma Laser three times a week for a year during the Pandemic and I certainly noticed a visible difference to the tone and texture of my skin. It even made me delay having Botox when we were out of lockdown, so that’s a pretty hefty endorsement for the technology.
Later, I used the Lyma Laser Pro three evenings a week just before it launched (I was one of the first journalists in the country to get my hands on it). I used it alongside my regular hyaluronic acid serum to give the treatment head extra slip (and prevent tugging) when manoeuvring it across my face. Lyma recommends pairing it with its Oxygen Mist and Glide products, but I wanted the device to be the only tweak to my skincare routine. I followed treatment with application of my usual facial serum, moisturiser or night cream, and eye cream.
The brand recommends using either laser regularly and consistently for best results (that part is important). You should start with a 15-minute treatment every day for the first three months, before cutting down to twice-weekly sessions after that. You move the laser around your face during the treatment – and with the Laser Pro in particular, after three minutes’ use, the white timer light in the centre of the treatment head will flash six times to indicate that the cycle has been completed and to move on to the next section of skin. I found the whole thing very easy.
Is the LYMA Laser PRO painful?
No, you actually feel very little when using the Laser Pro. There’s no heat – just the the sensation of the treatment head against your face.
Is the Lyma Laser worth it?
TL;DR: only a week after I started testing the Laser Pro, I had a full day of press appointments. At every one, the opening line when anyone greeted me was “Oh my god, your skin looks amazing! It’s so glow-y!”.
Alone in my bathroom, the first thing I noticed was that my skin didn’t shrivel up like a prune immediately after cleansing – it seemed to have more natural bounce and hydration. But the most transformative difference after the two months was how much firmer the skin on the lower half of my face felt – something that a selfie just didn’t didn’t do justice to.
When it came to my skin, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I saw “cosmetic surgery results”. And while the brand’s before and after shots on older skin are impressive – astonishing even – I still maintain that no at-home treatment will give you the same results as surgery. That said, if you don’t want to go down the cosmetic treatment or surgical route, infrared is a good option.
I also have to be honest and say that bigger wasn’t necessarily better for my routine. I didn’t find the Laser Pro as conducive to at-home use as the original Laser, which I felt was so easy to move over my face that I largely forgot I had added an additional step to my routine and would use it while watching Netflix or even cooking.
The Laser Pro is heavier and somehow the larger treatment head felt more cumbersome and less ergonomic for sitting on your cheekbones, where most of the pigmentation I want to eradicate sits. And, unless I was looking in the mirror, I didn’t see the white timer flash six times so I found myself setting an alarm on my phone to mark when three minutes was up.
The bottom line is I personally wouldn’t spend £5,000 for a Laser Pro at home. I would, however, buy the Lyma Laser Original on Black Friday discount, and I would choose a facialist who incorporates the Lyma Laser Pro into their treatments. I was impressed with the results. I also think that, in terms of ergonomics, it’s an easier device to use on someone else while lying down.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that having been re-introduced to Lyma a few years (and several major launches) after first trying it, I’m still convinced by the technology and would absolutely invest in the original Laser for use in between clinic appointments and tweakments.
For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR’s Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton. After something else? Read our CurrentBody LED face mask review, Dr Dennis Gross LED face mask review, Shark LED face mask review and our guide to the best LED devices for scalp.