My Mom & I Tested The LYMA Laser Pro For 4 Months — Before & Afters
There are certain beauty products that seem to reach a level beyond simply being popular. They show up in celebrity bathrooms, dermatologist offices, luxury wellness stores, and all over my social media feed. Case in point: the LYMA Laser.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Martha Stewart, and Sabrina Carpenter are reportedly fans, and our own beauty director spent more than six months testing the near-infrared cold laser technology, which comes with a hefty price tag.
But while this little black device has officially become a status symbol—even making an appearance on Your Friends & Neighbors—you can't help but wonder whether the patented tech is actually worth the money, especially when you take into account the newer LYMA Laser Pro. This upgraded device is larger and more powerful than the original (and also about twice the price).
So when I got the chance to try LYMA myself, I was ecstatic to see what the buzz was about. But I also knew that, as someone in my twenties, my results would likely be most noticeable down the line.
That's where things get interesting. I was able to get two devices: one for me and one for my mom in her mid-50s. A fellow skin care fanatic, she jumped on the chance to give feedback to help me create the most in-depth LYMA Laser Pro review possible.
Here's what you need to know, whether the LYMA Laser Pro is worth it—and my final say on whether you should splurge on your own.
FYI
A mother-daughter skin experiment
We went into it with pretty different goals. My 54-year-old mom has been a skin care junkie since her early 20s. She was preaching sunscreen long before I appreciated why it mattered, and to this day, you will almost always find her outside in long sleeves and a giant sun hat.
But even after decades of taking really good care of her skin, regular facials, and hundreds (probably thousands) of dollars worth of skin care products, she still had a few things she wanted to improve, namely fine lines, dark spots, and the crepey texture that can start to show up around the neck, chest, and hands.
I'm in my mid-20s, and while I'm certainly not immune to thinking about skin aging, I don't have deep wrinkles or significant sun damage I'm trying to reverse. I'm much more interested in what I can do now to keep my skin healthy as I get older. I also deal with redness across my lower cheeks and the occasional breakout, so I was curious whether I'd notice changes there.
It gave us the chance to test the same technology from two very different angles—mine being much more about prevention and hers being more about treating changes that were already there. After about four months of using it, we both had a lot to say.
So, what exactly is the LYMA Laser?
Calling LYMA an at-home laser initially made me a little nervous. My association with lasers was a treatment at the dermatologist's office that leaves you red, peeling, and hiding from the sun for the next week.
However, the LYMA Laser Pro uses low-level laser therapy (LLLT), a form of photobiomodulation that uses light to influence cellular activity, rather than heat, to intentionally damage the skin. This is why it's often called a "cold laser."
The original LYMA Laser uses 808-nanometer near-infrared light alongside 620-nanometer red light and received FDA-clearance for full-face wrinkle reduction. The newer LYMA Laser Pro is also FDA-cleared for over-the-counter wrinkle reduction, though that doesn't mean every health or longevity benefit associated with photobiomodulation has been proven for the device.
The way it approaches skin aging is one of the main reasons I was so drawn to it. Many professional resurfacing lasers create controlled damage that triggers the body's repair response, including collagen production. While effective, these treatments can come with redness, peeling, sensitivity, and downtime.
The LYMA Laser Pro takes a different approach, aiming to support the cellular processes involved in repair and regeneration without first injuring the skin.
Why LYMA is really about cellular health
When I spoke with LYMA founder Lucy Goff, she explained that a big part of the technology comes back to cellular energy. The more efficiently our cells can produce ATP, the better they can keep up with things like repair, renewal, collagen production, and inflammation.
I actually loved this explanation because it made the whole device feel much easier to understand.
We hear so much about mitochondrial health in longevity. We want our muscles to function better, our brains to stay sharp, and our metabolism to remain resilient as we get older. Skin really isn’t separate from that conversation.
I’m still careful with how far I take that idea. Supporting mitochondrial activity in the skin doesn’t mean you’re suddenly reversing aging. But it does make me think about skincare a little differently. Healthy-looking skin is ultimately the result of healthy, functioning cells, not just whatever product happens to be sitting on top of them.
What I learned about collagen & skin aging
Collagen inevitably comes up in any conversation about skin aging. We make less of it as we get older, contributing to thinner skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and changes in firmness. But one thing I learned while researching this story is that collagen production isn't just about making as much as possible.
There are different types of collagen, and the organization and quality of those fibers matter, too. Goff explained that one of the goals with LYMA is to support collagen production and remodeling in a way that more closely resembles younger skin, rather than triggering a wound-healing response.
LYMA has also explored changes in cellular pathways and gene expression associated with its technology, including SIRT1, a protein involved in cellular metabolism and stress responses.
These findings are interesting, but they don't necessarily mean LYMA makes your skin biologically younger or that changes in a particular pathway translate to long-term benefits. There's still a lot we're learning about photobiomodulation and how these cellular changes relate to skin aging.
My mom's experience with the laser
As mentioned, my mom was starting to notice more fine lines, pigmentation, and changes in texture, particularly around her eyes, neck, chest, and the backs of her hands. While not against cosmetic treatments like Botox or filler, she hasn't felt ready to take that step. So an at-home option that didn't involve needles or downtime was right up her alley.
My mom focused most of the treatment time on her forehead, eye, neck, and chest—as well as the tops of her hands. The routine was pretty manageable. About three to four nights a week, she would shower, do her skincare routine, and then sit on the couch with the laser for 20 to 30 minutes while winding down.
This looked super similar to my own routine, and is worth calling out. The LYMA Laser Pro requires time and consistency. The recommended protocol suggests about 30 minutes of daily use during the initial three months, before moving to roughly three to four sessions per week for maintenance.
Thirty minutes every day is a commitment. There's no getting around that. But once I stopped thinking of it as a separate task and started using it while I was already sitting on the couch reading or watching something, the treatment became pretty easy to keep up with over time.
My mom's results were obvious
After four months, my mom noticed improvements in several of the areas she had been targeting.
The fine lines around her eyes looked softer, and the skin itself looked a little fuller. Several dark spots had started to fade. Texture of the skin around her neck and chest also looked less crepey and more firm, which was the benefit she was most excited about.
The changes weren't dramatic from one day to the next. Neither of us woke up after a week looking like we had completely different skin. And that's perhaps the most important expectation to set with the LYMA Laser Pro. Unlike an ablative laser, injectable, peel, or even a really good facial, you're not necessarily going to wake up the next morning thinking, Whoa.
Instead, you'll look in the mirror one day and realize there's a noticeable difference (especially if you're keeping track with before and after photos).
Why I wanted to try LYMA in my 20s
If you're a woman in your 20s right now, there's a good chance "baby Botox" has come up in conversation. It definitely has in mine.
I've never been against Botox, and I could potentially see myself getting it one day. I'm just not sure I want to start now simply because “preventative Botox” has become another thing we're told we should be thinking about in our 20s.
I think about longevity this way with almost everything else. We don't wait until we lose muscle to start strength training or until our cardiovascular fitness declines to start exercising. So when it comes to my skin, I'm interested in supporting the things that help keep it healthy before I have something I want to "fix."
That's ultimately what made the LYMA Laser Pro appealing to me at this stage of my life.
My redness changed the most
I've always had redness across my lower cheeks. It's not severe, but it is reactive. Heat, exercise, travel, certain foods, and even a glass of wine can leave my cheeks noticeably flushed.
A few weeks into using the LYMA Laser Pro, my skin started looking calmer. The redness across my cheeks wasn't as noticeable, and my skin looked smoother. Over time, I noticed a difference in situations that would normally trigger flushing, too. I'd finish exercising, and my cheeks wouldn't be nearly as red. I could have a glass of wine without immediately seeing it on my face.
Interestingly, our beauty director had a similar experience, noticing improvements in redness and inflammation well before the more gradual changes in fine lines.
That said, the LYMA Laser Pro isn't FDA-cleared as a rosacea treatment or a replacement for dermatologist care. I'm simply sharing what changed for me. After four months, my skin was noticeably less red and reactive.
My blemishes didn't stick around as long either
Acne isn't a major skin concern for me, but I still get the occasional pimple, especially when I'm traveling or around certain points in my cycle.
Normally, once one starts brewing, I know I'm going to be dealing with it for a few days. It gets red, raised, and inflamed before eventually calming down. While I was using the LYMA Laser Pro, I started noticing that process seemed to move much faster.
I would feel a blemish coming on, use the laser over the area, and by the next day it often looked significantly calmer. They didn't seem to become as raised or inflamed, and they generally disappeared faster.
Then I started passing it around my family
The most important part of using the LYMA device is staying consistent. Results are gradual. One month became two. Two became three. And, at some point, both my mom and I realized our skin just looked...better. Her skin looked firmer. Mine looked calmer. Both of us felt like the overall texture and quality of our skin had improved.
Of course, I wanted to ensure this wasn't just the result of great genetics (thanks mom!). So I also let my sister-in-law and mother-in-law borrow the laser for about a month each. Because they knew they had a limited amount of time with it, they were actually more consistent than we were, using it almost every day for around 30 minutes.
Both came back with similar feedback. Their skin looked fuller and firmer, fine lines looked softer, and overall texture improved.
Of course, a month isn't enough time to say much about long-term changes to collagen or skin structure. But it was interesting to hear such similar feedback from all four of us, each at different life stages and using the laser for slightly different reasons.
Is the LYMA Laser worth it?
The LYMA Laser Pro is certainly an investment, but I think it's worth considering the price in the context of what you already spend on skin care and treatments.
My mom, for example, regularly invests in facials and high-end skin care and has considered Botox, fillers, and other cosmetic treatments. When you start adding up years of those expenses, a device you can use consistently at home starts to make more sense.
The original LYMA device has an expected lifespan of around 10 years, making it an interesting long-term investment for someone who already prioritizes skin care.
After four months, I can confidently say I'd keep using it. My redness is noticeably better, my skin feels smoother and less reactive, and blemishes don't seem to stick around as long. My mom saw improvements in fine lines, dark spots, and the texture of the skin around her eyes, neck, and chest.
More than anything, I like what LYMA represents for skin aging. Rather than waiting until something bothers us and trying to erase it, there's something appealing about supporting the health and function of our skin along the way.
RELATED READ: We’re Not Fighting Aging Anymore — We’re Optimizing It
The takeaway
I spend a lot of time testing supplements, wellness tools, and new longevity technologies, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that the basics are usually still the most important.
Skin health is no different. Sleep, nutrition, stress, and sun protection are going to matter far more than any device you add to your routine. But once you have those foundations in place, I do think there's room for tools like the LYMA Laser Pro.
For my mom, it's become a way to address some of the changes she was already noticing without jumping straight to injectables or more aggressive treatments. For me, it's much more about prevention and taking care of the skin I have now.
Four months ago, I wasn't sure either of us would notice enough of a difference to justify keeping a 20- to 30-minute laser routine several nights a week. Now, both of us are still using it. And I think that probably says more than anything else I could put in this review.