Clinicals Proof & User Reviews of FAQ™ 500 Collection - Is it Worth it?

FOREO's anti-aging sister, FAQ™ Swiss, recently debuted the FAQ™ 500 collection, a star of a successful Kickstarter campaign, which presented a new way of thinking about anti-aging - harnessing the power of the sun, minus the sunburn wavelengths. We got used to innovation and the out-of-the-boxness of FOREO, and its younger sister seems to be following in the same footsteps. Both FAQ™ 500 collection devices - FAQ™ 501 and FAQ™ 502 - use the same red light therapy principles, but the 502 is an advanced version (find device comparison here) that adds near-infrared light therapy. 

This all sounds quite fancy, but we're here for the brass tacks. Do these devices work? Will you shave off some of your wallet's girth just for novelty's sake, or are they really onto something, turning star power into a safe, hand-held therapy wand? This is what we are here to find out today, as we nitpick and fine-tooth comb through the clinical results and user reviews of everyone's favorite new grounded Sun - the FAQ™ 502.
 

Why is the FAQ™ 500 collection revolutionary?

Because it works holistically, rather than isolating a single light wavelength to hit a single skin depth and address a single problem. There are some things we take for granted, not because we're spoiled or unappreciative, but because the brain ignores what is unchanging; we simply don't have enough RAM to pay attention to everything all the time. The sun is one of these certainties we build our lives around, and even orphan Annie knew that. Still, we're somewhat apprehensive about it, given what we know now about the harmful and DNA-mutating effects of sun overexposure.

Long, long, long before humans learned what vitamins are, what hormones do, or understood circadian rhythms, our bodies were already in conversation with our very own star, our species evolving under its radiation, and our lives shaped by the cycles of light and darkness.

A nuclear furnace in full right, the sun fuses hydrogen into helium, releasing a flood of photons as byproduct. These travel 150 million kilometers at 30,000km/second to collide with Earth - and, occasionally, with you (ideally, for about 15 minutes a day). You feel the warmth of sunlight on your skin, unaware that what you're feeling is radiation - from ultraviolet (UV) to visible light, such as red light, and infrared (IR) wavelengths. Regular sunlight is a mixture of beneficial and harmful wavelengths that affect everything from gene expression and molecular clocks to energy production, vitamin synthesis, and mental health, and the 500 collection delivers only the beneficial ones. Sunlight is not a passive backdrop to human life, but rather a biological signal that impacts our cellular mechanisms and can just as easily heal and energize as burn and deteriorate skin and DNA material. Skin cells holding some fat molecules, like 7-dehydrocholesterol (just remember it’s a sort of fat), convert ultraviolet photons (UVB) into the precursor for vitamin D synthesis, which will be completed in the liver and kidneys. We need some fat; it is not the enemy, but essential.

This connection to the sun is so ancient that it predates bones themselves by a cuple hundred million years. Mitochondria, once symbiotic bacteria, have long ago been assimilated into the cells as their organelles that get nutrients and oxygen in exchange for making cellular energy for us (without which we'd expire in minutes). These also respond to certain wavelengths (red and NIR) by ramping up their production, affecting every facet of cellular (and organism) biology; skin is only a reflection of systemic effects of optimized energy production. Even mood, immunity, and sleep architecture shift subtly with the Sun's angle in the sky. So, you see, we are not just passive occupants of a universe where there is light, but in a very real sense, solar-powered organisms that co-evolved with sunlight. But you can certainly get too much of a good thing.

The revolutionary feature of the FAQ™ 500 collection is that it IS sunlight, minus the wavelengths that can harm you. The world’s first full-spectrum at-home red light therapy devices fusing broad and narrow-spectrum benefits into a single device, mimicking the biologically rich interactions of stepping into sunlight. In traditional light therapy, you may have options between various wavelengths of light, for example, 650 - 700 nm, that will focus on a single skin depth. No shade on this mono or dual-wavelength therapy; it has helped a lot of people look and feel better and is quite effective within its niche, but the approach seemed incomplete. 

The people of FAQ™ Swiss suspected there must be a reason why the sun's multitude of wavelengths comes packaged. They asked if there is a benefit hidden in the sort of entourage and synergistic effect of hitting multiple tissue levels at once to get a compounded rejuvenation effect. And what if we could purge the harmful, mutagenic UVs and leave only the good guys? And they successfully did it. But why?

You may get a classical red light therapy at-home device and enjoy your 650nm, but what if this is not what you need? What if you missed by a couple of hundred nm? Sort of like, there is no medical reason to go and get corrective glasses if you have 20/20 vision, but you might need a hearing aid that you simply cannot get from an ophthalmologist. FAQ™ 500 collection is a "full body checkup" that will address what needs to be addressed in the skin. The body will take what is necessary from the span of 590-1200 nm, covering mostly red and deep NIR wavelengths proven to be the most beneficial to our biology, optimization of the cellular processes, and rejuvenating the tissues they interact with. These wavelengths will: 
 

• Stimulate cellular energy (ATP) production
• Support tissue repair and regeneration
• Boost collagen synthesis and skin health

All of these benefits aid faster skin repair, wound and scar healing, inflammation management, and, generally, make skin look visibly younger and fresher. No-gain-no-pain parole is so last-millennium talk. The light therapy approach is a non-invasive and natural method of using beneficial wavelengths of light hitting the skin and tissues below the skin, delivering the precise amount of energy you need to jumpstart rejuvenation at multiple layers, and it's so easy to use.

The lines and wrinkles you see on the surface of your skin are a mere reflection of multiple tissue layers failing below, not just the uppermost layers. This is why regular use of high-quality topicals may keep your skin looking slightly better, but will not really affect the root causes, which go all the way down to cellular scaffolding.

Extra tip:

You can, of course, use any nourishing skincare topical to aid in device glide (and also enhance the topical absorption), but we'd recommend trying the brand's peptide serum designed to boost the effects of red light therapy, FAQ™ Red Light Peptide Serum. It is a no-nonsense, all-in-one, antioxidant-rich serum featuring collagen-boosting Peptides, brightening Sea Daffodil, hydrating HA, soothing Green Tea & repairing Cica. This is how we achieve more, by working smarter and calibrating the devices and skincare for extra synergistic effects.

FAQ™ 500 collection clinical proof

We'd love to tell you that all of the products out there are good, that they live up to their promises, and will magically provide you with a solution to your concern. But we can't. Claims are just letters until supported. If you're going to invest in a serious piece of technology, you should do your research and find out all you can about the device, its functionality and benefits, and check whether the claims can be supported by independent 3rd-party testing. There is no use in trusting the in-office-tried claims; the objectivity is just far too compromised, and it is not in the manufacturer's interest to lose money by admitting to a sub-par product. 3rd party is the only way to go, and the first thing you look for in a brand's claims. The FAQ™ 500 collection has been tested in such an unbiased way, and the results are as follows:

After 2 weeks of continuous use*, you'll start seeing the first changes, mostly in areas we associate most with aging, such as an uneven, blotchy complexion, wrinkles, and enlarged pores. As your skin wakes up and starts repairing, you'll notice:

• 24.2% improvement in fading acne scarring (due to better cell turnover)
• 23.5% improvement in evening out skin pigmentation (dispersal of dark melanin pockets)
• 23.3% improvement in wrinkle length and 11.3% in wrinkle volume (improved skin structure fades wrinkles)
• 17.4% improvement in pore visibility (restoring the bounce-backness and elasticity that constricts pores back)

After 1 month of continuous use*, the benefits go deeper, as the steady treatments accumulate and take care of the damage in deeper skin layers and tackle inflammatory symptoms. You'll see:

• 54.1% improvement in skin redness (reduced inflammation)
• 150% improvement in skin brightness (significantly better lymphatic drainage and microcirculation)
• 38.1% improvement in skin elasticity (revived elastin fibres)
• 34.7% improvement in skin firmness (more collagen)
• 23.9% improvement in skin thickness (new, robust cells support skin structure)

* Based on 3rd party clinical testing with 30 healthy female & male subjects aged 32 - 55 years, over a 28-day period.

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FAQ™ 500 collection consumer reviews

Getting deeply scientific in breaking down the benefits of a new device by elaborate tests is all fine and dandy (and extremely necessary if you're not into giving a couple of hundred for a guessing game), but what do the users think about this new anti-aging solar expedition? Is it worth the investment, and are there real, visible changes in a reasonable time period?

Most notable (and agreed upon) consumer-reported benefits:

100% of users report*:

• Improvements in acne and fading of minor scarring play a huge role in restoring confidence to individuals with problematic skin, young and old alike.
• Skin is firmer and looks younger & more rejuvenated, with wrinkles, fine lines & skin elasticity improved - a jackpot for those who primarily got the device for anti-aging purposes.
• Pigmentation improves, and melasma reduces. Blotchy, uneven skin can make even a younger person look much older and unkempt, and instead of just hiding and covering up, the 500 collection wants to hit the root cause.
• Skin redness is reduced & skin tone looks more even. Inflammation on the skin and inside the body seems to be one of the greatest complaints in the modern world, and reducing inflammation will not only make you look better, but also make your skin (and body) healthier, and red light therapy has great systemic effects, even if you treat just your face.
• Skin looks brighter & has a healthy, radiant glow. Increased microcirculation boosts oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells, providing mitochondria with ample building blocks to produce more cellular energy.
• Skin is softer, more supple & plump, pores appear minimized & skin looks & feels smoother, reversing the first signs of losing freshness that appear before true deep lines.
• Skin looks & feels healthier & more nourished. Looking healthy can be faked to a degree, at least for a while, while feeling so by your own assessment is much more valuable.
• The facial contour looks more defined, with cheekbones & eye area looking more lifted & jawline looking sculpted. Isn't this just the holy grail of non-invasive rejuvenation? These are the kind of visible changes we're looking for.
• Skincare absorbs better into the skin after using FAQ™ 500. Seems like a trivial tidbit, but there is nothing trivial about making everything you own more effective. It means using less product, saving money, and making the most out of the investments you've already made. 
  
   

* Based on 3rd party clinical testing with 30 healthy female & male subjects aged 32 - 55 years, over a 28-day period.

So, is the FAQ™ 500 Collection worth it?

When beauty tech promises the power of the sun in the palm of your hand, skepticism is not only healthy - it’s necessary. Naivety is only cute in children. What ultimately separates the FAQ™ 500 collection from the noise is an edifice of independent clinical testing, backed by a consistent consumer experience that truly earns trust. We really don't care much about percentages (you know we don’t) unless the difference is visible.

Clinically, the data show measurable, biologically valid improvements across the markers we most associate with aging and the subsequent compromised skin health: firmness, elasticity, redness, pigmentation, pore visibility, and overall skin structure. These aren’t vague “radiance boosts” we're used to, but quantified changes observed over weeks and months, not years. 

Mirroring the clinical findings, consumers didn’t just see changes; they actually felt them, and their faces changed in a month of consistent use. Firmer skin, clearer tone, reduced inflammation, smoother texture, better product absorption, and more defined facial contours aren’t abstract wins. They’re daily, mirror-level feedback that reinforces continued use. That alignment between lab results and real-world outcomes is rare, and it’s what elevates the FAQ™ 500 collection from “interesting tech” to a legitimate non-invasive anti-aging treatment.

At its core, the FAQ™ 500 collection isn't a machine trying to outsmart eons of biology and co-evolution, but a collaborator that works with it. By delivering a curated spectrum of broad and narrow beneficial wavelengths while eliminating the skin-aging and mutation-causing UVs, it taps into an ancient, deeply human relationship with light. There is no presumption that the brand knows more than nature. They are just streamlining the benefits of red and near-infrared light wavelengths to ensure safety, precision, and convenience. No needles, no downtime, no punishment disguised as self-care - just a quiet, cumulative recalibration of how skin repairs, regenerates, and presents itself over time.

So is it worth it? If you’re looking for instant miracles, the FAQ™ 500 Collection is probably not for you, and you'll be happier calling an esthetician or a surgeon. But if you value clinically supported technology, visible results within a realistic timeframe, and an approach to aging that’s grounded in biology rather than bravado, the FAQ™ 500 collection makes a compelling case for long-term sustainable improvements. It is not a magic wand, but a smart, solar-inspired investment in skin that functions better, looks healthier, and ages on its own terms. We hope this sheds some light (lame puns all the way) on your questions and doubts. Stay cool, curious, and enjoy living in your gorgeous skin.

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