Introduction: Acne Light Therapy Treatment Mask Power Fix (Part 1)

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The $30 Acne Treatment Light Mask appears to be very popular. However the system depends on a battery power brick, that will allow only thirty, 10 minute uses.

There have been a number of fixes on various blogs and videos published that address this problem with early revisions of the circuit board. However I have not seen the fix addressed to this revision of the circuit board. The following Instructable will concentrate on this revision circuit board.

Gen-2.7 Rev:A1

We will look at the classic device fix, namely cutting the micro-controller out of the circuit and providing power directly to the mask using a simple switch.

We will then look at replacing the micro-controller with our own. Then ultimately creating our own mask for fun. There are other discussions addressing the effectiveness of the device that are not relevant here.

Step 1: Simple Fix Parts Required

This simple fix will require a switch and some wire. The approximate cost for this fix will be somewhere around $0.50.

  1. Acne Light Mask, 1, $33.69 each
  2. Acne Light Mask Activator, 1, $14.97 each (required after 30 uses)
  3. 3mm 2 position (0.5A, 50V DC) slide switch, 1 , $0.06 each

Reference Links

  1. How to Reuse an Illumask Light Therapy Mask By Bebefuzz
  2. How to Make the Illumask Work After 30 Uses Easily!!!

Step 2: Simple Fix

This simple fix will cut the micro-controller out of the circuit by installing a switch to allow the light mask to be switched on and off.

This will allow manual timing of the exposure whilst wearing the mask.

It is assumed that the device may be adequately dismantled and the switch soldered by following the photographs in Step 3.

Step 3: Add the Switch

Remove the batteries and dismantle the battery brick by removing the 3 screws on the back of the device. Pop the device apart and unscrew the circuit board from the device casing. Be careful when removing the circuit board as the battery prongs may be bent accidentally.

All we need to do is solder a piece of thin wire from the terminal marked "B+" to one of the end legs on the switch.

Then take another piece of wire and solder this from the middle leg on the switch to the middle pad of the socket as shown in the photograph.

Now cut a small hole half way along the left side of the device to accommodate the switch.

Then run the thin wire under the circuit board and hot glue the switch into the hole as shown in the photographs.

Now reassemble the device.

We do not need to install the LCD as this will no longer be required, in Part 2 we will look to replace this with a different timer function indicator.

We will give the device a pulsing heart beat to indicate the 10 minute timing cycle.

Step 4: Simple Fix Is Complete

The simple fix has now been completed.

The device may be turned on or off using the switch.

The mask may now be used at any time, provided that the batteries are good.

However the device will not provide the automatic timing as it once did.

But it is a simple matter to set a timer for 10 minutes to give a reminder when the therapy is completed. Either a clock or probably as is more commonly available these days a smart phone.

Step 5: The Fancy Fix

This will replace the DRM protection by installing a micro-controller timer of our own, based around the ATtiny85. Also where possible we will re-use parts of the main circuit board.

The desire here, is to design a circuit board to create our own mask, for fun.

We will continue with this project in Part 2.