LED Light in Perimenopause: Why the Infrared LED Mat Is SKINVITY's Device for This Stage
by LauraShare
When people talk about perimenopause and skincare, almost everything stays on the face. But the hormonal changes of this stage don't affect a single organ: you notice them in the skin of your body, in your rest, in your muscles and in the energy you have left at the end of the day (Davis et al., 2023).
That's why, at SKINVITY, the device that accompanies this stage isn't a facial one. It's the Infrared LED Mat: red, near-infrared and deep infrared LED light applied to the whole body in a single session. In this article we explain what changes in your body during perimenopause, what the LED light of the Infrared LED Mat works on, and why the evening is when it makes the most sense to use it.
Why does LED light make sense in perimenopause?
Perimenopause is defined by fluctuating estrogen and declining progesterone (Santoro et al., 2021). With less estrogen, several tissues lose part of their ability to maintain and repair themselves: the skin produces less collagen, muscle is less able to sustain protein synthesis, and sleep becomes fragmented (Thornton, 2013; Davis et al., 2023).
LED light works precisely at that level, the level of repair. Through photobiomodulation, light delivers energy to the cell, that energy enters the mitochondria, and the mitochondria produce ATP, the molecule the cell uses to activate its own repair processes (Hamblin, 2017). LED light doesn't change your hormones: it supports the tissues that change with them.
Why treating the whole body matters at this stage
Estrogen stimulates fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen. When its levels drop, collagen production slows down, especially in the first years after menopause, and the skin loses firmness and thickness (Thornton, 2013). This process doesn't only happen on the face: it affects the skin on the arms, abdomen, legs and décolletage, areas that rarely make it into a care routine.
At the same time, muscle depends partly on estrogen to maintain protein synthesis, and declining progesterone reduces part of its calming effect on the brain, making it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep (Davis et al., 2023).
These are changes that affect the whole body, which is why a device that works on a single area falls short at this stage. The Infrared LED Mat brings LED light to the entire body surface at once.
What the Infrared LED Mat works on during perimenopause
| Change in perimenopause | What the LED light of the Infrared LED Mat brings | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Body skin with less firmness and thickness | Supports fibroblast activity and dermal collagen density (Wunsch and Matuschka, 2014) | 630 nm + 830 nm |
| Disrupted rest | Red light has been associated with better sleep quality and higher melatonin levels (Zhao et al., 2012) | 830 nm |
| Lower muscle mass and recovery | Supports muscle recovery after exercise (Ferraresi et al., 2016) | 630 nm + 830 nm |
| Feeling of lower energy | Stimulates ATP production in the mitochondria (Hamblin, 2017) | 630 nm |
| Microcirculation | Stimulates circulation in the treated areas | 1072 nm |
A note on the evidence: the study on sleep and melatonin was carried out in young athletes, not in women in perimenopause (Zhao et al., 2012). It's a solid signal about the mechanism, not proof that light treats insomnia at this stage.
What the Infrared LED Mat doesn't do. It doesn't balance hormones, it isn't a treatment for hot flashes, it doesn't contribute to weight loss and it doesn't act on bone. That's what follow-up with your gynecologist, strength training and the therapeutic options they recommend are for. The Infrared LED Mat complements all of them.
Why the evening is the best time to use it
Perimenopause happens a lot at night. Night sweats interrupt sleep, lower progesterone makes it harder to fall back asleep, and fragmented rest shows the next day in your energy and your skin (Santoro et al., 2021; Davis et al., 2023).
That's why the Infrared LED Mat is best used in the evening: it's the time of day when its effect on rest and recovery makes the most sense. Lying down, with a comforting sensation throughout the body, the session also becomes a fixed pause in your day, something that also counts at a stage of constant change.
How to use it: consistency over intensity
Photobiomodulation follows a biphasic response: an insufficient dose doesn't generate the stimulus, and going beyond the right range doesn't increase the benefit either (Huang et al., 2011). Long or occasional sessions don't make up for a lack of regularity.
- Frequency: it can be used every day.
- Duration: up to 40 minutes a day, split into two 20 minute sessions. Beyond that, the cell can't take in more energy.
- How: on clean, dry skin, without underwear if possible, so the light reaches the skin evenly.
- When you notice it: circulation and rest are usually noticeable from the first sessions. Firmness, elasticity and skin density start to show from 28 days of continued use.
If you have a recent tattoo or an open wound, wait one month before treating that area.
The Infrared LED Mat, inside
The Infrared LED Mat is SKINVITY's most complete wellness device: more than 3,700 triple diodes distributed across around 1,500 light points, treating the whole body in a single session. Its three wavelengths work on six benefits:
- Energy recovery (ATP, mitochondria): 630 nm.
- Chronic inflammation relief: 830 nm.
- Skin firmness, elasticity and density: 630 nm + 830 nm.
- Sleep and rest balance (melatonin, oxidative stress): 830 nm.
- Detoxification and microcirculation: 1072 nm.
- Muscle recovery after moderate exercise: 630 nm + 830 nm.
The Infrared LED Mat complements your usual skincare routine as well as cosmetic and aesthetic medical treatments.
When to see your gynecologist
As soon as you start noticing changes typical of perimenopause, it's worth mentioning them at your appointment, even if they seem mild: many discomforts that get normalized can be addressed. And it's best not to wait for your next check-up if bleeding is very heavy, lasts longer than usual or appears between periods, if hot flashes or insomnia significantly affect your rest, if you have persistent pelvic pain or a symptom that doesn't fit your usual pattern, or if mood changes interfere with your daily life (NICE, 2024; Davis et al., 2023).
This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace a medical assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Why the Infrared LED Mat for perimenopause and not a facial device? Because the changes of this stage affect the whole body: body skin loses firmness and thickness, muscle recovers less well and sleep becomes fragmented. The Infrared LED Mat brings LED light to the entire body surface in a single session.
Does LED light balance hormones? No. Photobiomodulation doesn't change estrogen or progesterone levels. It works on the cell's energy and repair processes, which is why it supports tissue changes, not the hormonal transition itself.
Does the Infrared LED Mat treat hot flashes? No. Hot flashes depend on how the hypothalamus regulates body temperature when estrogen fluctuates. If they affect your rest or your quality of life, there are therapeutic options your gynecologist can assess.
How long do you need to use it to see results? Rest and circulation are usually noticeable from the first sessions. Firmness, elasticity and skin density start to show from 28 days of daily use.
When is the best time to use it? Preferably in the evening, up to 40 minutes a day in two 20 minute sessions, which is the time of day when its effect on rest and recovery makes the most sense.
Quick glossary
Perimenopause: transition stage towards menopause during which the cycle and hormones change progressively. Photobiomodulation: cellular stimulation through LED light wavelengths that supports tissue repair processes. Fibroblast: dermal cell responsible for producing collagen; its activity depends partly on estrogen. Melatonin: hormone that regulates the sleep and wake rhythm.
In summary
Perimenopause doesn't only change your face: with less estrogen, the skin all over the body loses firmness and thickness, muscle recovers less well and sleep becomes fragmented. LED light doesn't act on hormones, but it does act on the tissues' ability to repair themselves, and the Infrared LED Mat brings it to the whole body, with the evening as the best time to use it. Your hormones are changing. Your body can keep repairing itself.
If you'd like to understand first what is happening in your body, download the guide "Perimenopause: The Hormonal Map Most Women Don't Know About Until They're Already In It" → or read 4 Questions You Should Bring to Your Next Gynecologist Appointment During Perimenopause.
The SKINVITY Team
Scientific references
The following references correspond to the general scientific evidence on perimenopause and photobiomodulation cited in this article, not to a specific efficacy test of the Infrared LED Mat.
- Santoro N, Roeca C, Peters BA, Neal-Perry G. The Menopause Transition: Signs, Symptoms, and Management Options. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021;106(1):1-15.
- Davis SR, Pinkerton J, Santoro N, Simoncini T. Menopause: Biology, consequences, supportive care, and therapeutic options. Cell. 2023;186(19):4038-4058.
- Thornton MJ. Estrogens and aging skin. Dermatoendocrinol. 2013;5(2):264-270.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Menopause: identification and management. NICE Guideline NG23. Updated 2024.
- Hamblin MR. Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. AIMS Biophys. 2017;4(3):337-361.
- Huang YY, Sharma SK, Carroll J, Hamblin MR. Biphasic dose response in low level light therapy: an update. Dose Response. 2011;9(4):602-618.
- Wunsch A, Matuschka K. A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase. Photomed Laser Surg. 2014;32(2):93-100.
- Zhao J, Tian Y, Nie J, Xu J, Liu D. Red light and the sleep quality and endurance performance of Chinese female basketball players. J Athl Train. 2012;47(6):673-678.
- Ferraresi C, Huang YY, Hamblin MR. Photobiomodulation in human muscle tissue: an advantage in sports performance? J Biophotonics. 2016;9(11-12):1273-1299.