Low-level light treatment is an option that has been used for those who are suffering from male and female pattern hair loss. Visible red laser light has been shown to be effective in stimulating and energizing the cells within the hair follicle.
Laser Therapy for Treatment of Hair Loss
Laser Therapy: An Established Science
In 1966, Hungarian physician Endre Mester first published an experiment in which he observed accelerated hair growth in rats treated with laser therapy, making alopecia the first legitimate therapeutic indication for laser therapy. Recently LLLT (low-level laser treatment) has gained acceptance in treating hair loss as evidence from clinical trials and successful patient cases have validated the therapy.
Though it has been used for over a decade, in the last few years low-level light therapy has finally gained mass acceptance by the foremost physicians in the field of hair restoration, including world-renowned physicians who are both leaders and members of prestigious industry organizations such as the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery.
Low-level light therapy (LLLT) has been used since the 1960s to treat various medical conditions such as alopecia, ulcers, as well as chronic pain, including headaches, musculoskeletal, and neuropathic pain without major adverse side effects. Each of these applications is based on the biological effects of photobiomodulation in living organisms. The use of low levels of visible or near-infrared (NIR) light for reducing pain, inflammation and edema, promoting healing of wounds, deeper tissues and nerves, and preventing tissue damage has been known for almost forty years since the invention of lasers1.
A multitude of fields of medicine have applied the science of phototherapy, using low-power laser in these professions:
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- Physical therapists: to treat a wide variety of acute and chronic musculoskeletal aches and pains
- Dentists: to treat inflamed oral tissues and to heal diverse ulcerations
- Dermatologists: to treat edema, non-healing ulcers, burns, and dermatitis
- Orthopedists: to relieve pain and treat chronic inflammations and autoimmune diseases
- Veterinary Medicine: to facilitate wound healing, reduce inflammation, and treat musculoskeletal pain.
- Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics: to reduce swelling and hematoma, relieve pain, improve mobility, and treat acute soft-tissue injuries.
LLLT and the Management of Hair Loss
Low-level light therapy was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007 for the treatment of mild to moderate male pattern hair loss for a laser comb device designed to re-grow hair. The problem with a laser comb device is that it is not practical in application, which leads to improper adherence of instructions for use and thus less than optimal results in non-clinical use. The emergence of the Capillus laser therapy cap revolutionized the use of LLLT for Hair. In recent years, hair restoration has been a leading field in which the application of LLLT technologies have enabled physicians to improve patient outcomes. Whether used in conjunction with hair transplant procedures or prescription hair loss medications, laser hair therapy has the potential to significantly improve the health of the hair follicle, leading to a fuller and more natural-looking head of hair.
LLLT for hair loss using red light lasers has been reported to:
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- Increase cell metabolism and the health of blood vessels in the scalp for thicker, supple, and more durable hair shafts
- Stimulate the sebaceous glands for silkier-looking hair
- Increase melanin production in the hair follicles, darkening gray hairs
Device Comparison
At Capillus®, we offer leading low-level laser therapy (LLLT) devices designed to help men and women reverse the signs of hair loss. To see how our products compare to other hair loss treatment devices, visit our LLLT device comparison page.
¹ Hamblin, Michael. MECHANISMS OF LOW LEVEL LIGHT THERAPY. Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, BAR 414. Wellman Center for Photomedicine.
- This page is for informational purposes. Capillus® does not sell the laser comb nor the MEP-90 Hair Growth Stimulation System, nor does Capillus® claim any connection to the product.
