Solawave: is it worth it?
Not for most people. The RENPHO Rejuven ($169.99) is FDA cleared for wrinkles and acne. The Solawave face mask ($399 from Solawave) is cleared for wrinkles only and costs $229 more. Buy the Solawave only if a 3-minute session is what will get you to use a mask; the RENPHO takes 10 minutes or more. The only proof that the Solawave works is a study Solawave reports: FDA did not test results.
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Buy on Amazon $169.99Most people: buy this instead
RENPHO Rejuven $169.99 Amazon, Oct 26, 2026
FDA cleared for wrinkles and acne. The best-selling cleared mask under $200 in our LED mask guide. Sold by Smartindex. Soft silicone with eye cups and a wired handheld controller; sessions of 10 minutes or more. RENPHO says it is not for darker or tanned skin.
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See it at Solawave $399Buy the Solawave for 3-minute sessions
Solawave Wrinkle Retreat Pro mask $399 Solawave, Oct 19, 2026
FDA cleared for wrinkles. Amber, red and infrared light, rechargeable, 3 minutes a session. About $2.56 a session if you use it 3 times a week for a year.
Quick answers
- Is Solawave FDA approved?
- Two Solawave devices are FDA cleared (LED devices are cleared, not approved). The face mask was cleared on December 17, 2025 under K252983, for wrinkles. The 4-in-1 wand is cleared under K232863 (FDA's device listing names the Solawave wand), for wrinkles (its red light) and skin stimulation (its current). The Neck & Chest mask is not cleared: FDA lists it only as an infrared heat lamp.
- Is the Solawave mask worth it?
- Only if a 3-minute session is what gets you to use a mask 3 to 5 times a week. Otherwise, 12 masks on Amazon are FDA cleared for wrinkles for less, and the RENPHO Rejuven ($169.99) is also cleared for acne.
- Should I buy the Solawave wand or the mask?
- The mask, if you can afford it. It treats your whole face at once in 3 minutes. The wand ($151.20 with serum on Amazon) treats one area at a time, 12 minutes for the whole face, and Amazon's review summary says many owners report it stopped working.
- Is there a cheaper Solawave dupe?
- The closest is the Qure Q-Rejuvalight Pro ($283): also 3-minute sessions, and FDA cleared for wrinkles and acne. It is one of the two masks FDA compared Solawave's with. But a tester measured about 8 mW/cm² of light from it, far below its filing. No one has measured Solawave's. For the lowest price, the RENPHO Rejuven ($169.99) is cleared for both, with longer sessions.
- Is Solawave cheaper on Amazon?
- The mask is not on sale on Amazon today. Solawave sells it for $399, with 60-day returns.
- Does the Solawave wand use microcurrent?
- Solawave calls it "galvanic current." FDA's record covers the wand's current only "for facial and neck stimulation," as a cosmetic use. The wrinkle clearance is for its red light (630 nm).
- Is the Solawave Neck & Chest mask FDA cleared?
- No. We found no FDA clearance for it. FDA lists it as a "Lamp, Infrared, Therapeutic Heating," a kind of device that does not need a clearance. Solawave's own page lists it as "Listed · Exempt," not cleared. It is not cleared for wrinkles.
- Is Solawave safe?
- FDA's injury database has no reports that name Solawave (read October 19, 2026). That does not prove it is safe: reports can be filed under the factory's name. Read who should not use it first.
01 / The FDA record
What FDA cleared, product by product
Solawave does not file with FDA itself. The factories that make its devices do, and Solawave sells them. We matched each product to its record on October 19, 2026.
| Device | FDA record | Cleared for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Retreat Pro face maskFiled by Shenzhen Goodwind Technology Development; the filing names "Solawave Inc." as the seller | K252983, December 17, 2025 | Full-face wrinkles | $399 at Solawave |
| 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal wandFiled by Shenzhen Kaiyan Medical Equipment; FDA's device listing names the "Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand" | K232863, December 13, 2023 | Face wrinkles (red light); "facial and neck stimulation," cosmetic use (current) | $151.20 with serum, on Amazon |
| Neck & Chest Pro maskFDA device listing "Solawave Neck & Chest Pro Light Therapy Mask (Model:PH-n03)" | No clearance. Listed as a "Lamp, Infrared, Therapeutic Heating" | Nothing. That class does not need a clearance | $349 at Solawave |
- The mask's exact words: "The Wrinkle Retreat Pro Light Therapy Face Mask is an Over-the-Counter (OTC) device intended for use in treating full-face wrinkles." It is not cleared for acne, dark spots or the neck.
- What "cleared" means: FDA cleared the mask because it works like masks already sold, the Qure Q-Rejuvalight Pro and the LifePro RevitaGlow. The filing lists safety tests: skin contact, electrical and eye safety. It has no results trial on skin.
- The wand's current: Solawave calls it "galvanic current." FDA's record covers it only "for facial and neck stimulation" as a cosmetic use. Only the red light is cleared for wrinkles.
- The Neck & Chest mask: Solawave's page reports an 8-week study, but no FDA record clears it for anything. Solawave's own certifications page lists it as "Listed · Exempt," not as cleared.
02 / Mask or wand
Should you buy the Solawave mask or the wand?
Buy the mask if you can. It covers your whole face in 3 minutes. The wand costs $248 less but treats one area at a time.
| Spec | Face mask | 4-in-1 wand |
|---|---|---|
| PriceAmazon, October 26, 2026; Solawave's store, October 19, 2026 | $399 at Solawave | $151.20 with serum on Amazon; $169 alone or $189 with serum at Solawave |
| LightFDA filings | 320 LEDs, 605, 630, 660, 830 nm | 14 LEDs, 630 nm red only |
| TimeSolawave | 3 min for the whole face, 3 to 5 times a week | 3 minutes per area, 12 minutes for the whole face, 3 to 5 times a week |
| ExtrasSolawave | None | Warmth, vibration and a mild current. Needs a serum or water-based gel; Solawave's is $38 |
| BatterySolawave | Up to 60 minutes (about 20 treatments) | Up to 90 minutes (about 7 treatments) |
| Amazon ratingAmazon, October 19, 2026 | 4.4 stars from 112 ratings | 4.0 stars from 266 ratings. Amazon's review summary: "many report it stops working after 10 uses, and several customers mention issues with charging." |
Skip the Neck & Chest mask ($349) unless you want a heat lamp for your neck: it is the only Solawave device here with no FDA clearance.
03 / Cheaper masks
12 cheaper masks FDA cleared for wrinkles
Each one has an FDA record tied to that exact mask, the same test our LED mask guide uses for its picks. All 12 are also cleared for acne, which the Solawave mask is not. One of them runs 3-minute sessions like the Solawave. Prices on Amazon, October 26, 2026.
| Mask | Price | FDA record | Sold by | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weltallina Red Light Therapy Mask for Face | $53.99 | K243978, wrinkles and acne; a factory's filing names this brand's model | Weltallina (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| BONLIBRO Red Light Therapy Mask for Face | $62.99 | K253054, wrinkles and acne; a factory's filing names this brand's model | BONLIBRO Health (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| Ulike ReGlow Lite | $149 | K243555, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | Ulike Official US (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| RENPHO RejuvenOur pick under $200 | $169.99 | K243555, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | Smartindex (a seller of RENPHO products) | View on Amazon |
| Nanoleaf LED Light Therapy Face Mask | $169.99 | K243555, wrinkles and acne; a factory's filing names this brand's model | Nanoleaf USA (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| LifePro RevitaGlowFDA compared Solawave's mask with this one | $199.99 | K233114, wrinkles and acne; a factory's filing names this brand's model | Amazon | View on Amazon |
| Ulike ReGlow | $259 | K243492, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | Ulike Official US (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| dreame Chrona Photon | $269.99 | K253712, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | Dreame Technology HK Limited (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| Qure Q-Rejuvalight ProFDA compared Solawave's mask with this one | $283 | K230042, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | Qure Skincare (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| Shark CryoGlow | $339.99 | K242796, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | Amazon | View on Amazon |
| MEGELIN Led Red Light Therapy Face & Neck Mask | $362.70 | K252264, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | Megelin Official US (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
| Therabody TheraFace Mask Glo | $379.99 | K230293, wrinkles and acne; FDA lists this brand by name | TheraGun (the brand's own store on Amazon) | View on Amazon |
The closest match is the Qure Q-Rejuvalight Pro ($283). It also runs 3-minute sessions, it is cleared for acne as well as wrinkles, and FDA compared Solawave's mask with it. The catch: a tester measured about 8 mW/cm² of light from it, against 70 in its filing. Light Therapy Insiders. No one has published a measurement of the Solawave mask, so we cannot say whether it does better.
Every mask and every K number: Which LED face masks are FDA cleared?
The Solawave mask next to the RENPHO Rejuven
| Spec | Solawave mask | RENPHO Rejuven |
|---|---|---|
| PriceAmazon, October 26, 2026 | $399 from Solawave | $169.99 on Amazon, sold by Smartindex |
| Cost per sessionprice ÷ 156 sessions (3 a week for a year) | $2.56 | $1.09 |
| FDA clearanceFDA 510(k) database | Wrinkles only. K252983, December 17, 2025, filed by a factory; the filing names Solawave as the seller | Wrinkles and acne. K243555, February 5, 2025, filed by a factory; FDA lists the RENPHO Rejuven under it |
| LightFDA filing; Amazon listing | Amber, red, deep red and infrared (605, 630, 660, 830 nm), 320 LEDs | Red, blue and infrared (415, 630 and 850 nm) |
| SessionFDA filing; Solawave; Amazon listing | 3 min, 3 to 5 times a week | 10, 20 or 30 min; RENPHO does not say how often |
| Light strength in the FDA filingmW/cm² is how strong the light is on the skin; from the filing, not an independent test | 65 mW/cm² in all | Not in the records we read |
| BuildSolawave; Amazon listing | Soft silicone, rechargeable battery | Soft silicone with eye cups and a wired handheld controller |
| Warranty and returnsSolawave; Amazon listing | 1 year; 60-day returns from Solawave, 30 days on Amazon | 1.5 years |
What you give up for $229: the 3-minute session and Solawave's 60-day returns. What you gain: an FDA clearance for acne as well as wrinkles.
04 / Does it work?
Does Solawave work?
Maybe a little, if you use it as often as Solawave's study did: 5 times a week for 2 months. The only results are from studies Solawave reports. We found none in a medical journal.
- The mask: Solawave reports a study of 32 people using it 5 times a week for 8 weeks, run by Kosmoscience Group. It says 97% visible reduction of forehead wrinkles, 100% improved texture, 97% fewer dark spots and discoloration. These are "visible" changes judged by a dermatologist and by the users.
- The wand: a study of 33 people using the wand and Solawave's serum 5 times a week for 8 weeks: 88% said they saw fewer fine lines and wrinkles; 97% more radiant; 91% looks younger. These are what users said, not measurements.
- The FDA filings: no results trial. FDA cleared both devices by comparing them with devices already sold.
- Dermatologists: the American Academy of Dermatology says red light devices "can produce subtle to noticeable results on the face" in "some studies." AAD
More on the research: Does LED light therapy work?
05 / Who should skip it
Who should not use Solawave
From Solawave's product pages. Ask your doctor if any of these apply.
- You are under 18.
- You are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or nursing.
- You take a medicine that makes you sensitive to light, or have a light-sensitive condition.
- You get headaches from light, or have seizures or epilepsy.
- You have a pacemaker or another implanted device (the wand).
- You have active cancer or a severe skin condition.
- You had a sunburn in the last 2 weeks, or recent facial surgery or injectables.
- You are allergic to silicone, plastic or aluminum.
Darker skin: Solawave says people with skin types V and VI should see a dermatologist first. The American Academy of Dermatology says people with darker skin "are more sensitive to visible light, such as red light," which "can lead to hyperpigmentation."
06 / How we checked
What we read, and what we did not do
On October 19, 2026 we read the FDA filings (K252983 and K232863), FDA's device listings and injury-report database, Solawave's store and certifications pages, and the three Solawave Amazon listings. We check Amazon prices every night. We did not test the devices ourselves, and we found no independent measurement of Solawave's light. The Amazon links on this page may earn us a commission. It does not change the pick.
07 / Sources
Sources, and when we checked them
- FDA 510(k) K252983 (face mask) and K232863 (wand) and K243555 (RENPHO Rejuven), read October 19, 2026.
- FDA device registration and listing data (the wand and the Neck & Chest mask), via FDA's open data, read October 19, 2026.
- FDA device reports (MAUDE), via FDA's open data, read October 19, 2026.
- Solawave pages, read October 19, 2026: face mask, wand, Neck & Chest mask, certifications and testing.
- Amazon prices and sellers: Amazon product data, October 26, 2026.
- American Academy of Dermatology: red light therapy, read October 19, 2026.