Laser Therapy for Hair Growth

May 3, 2021
Updated: December 28, 2021
0 view(s)

Laser treatment is often used to remove hair from areas of the body where it is not wanted. However, repeated treatments with low-level laser radiation can actually be used to stimulate hair growth.

Image

”Since the discovery of lasers in the 1960s it was realized that laser therapy had the potential to improve wound healing and reduce pain, inflammation and swelling.” (NiIH.gov)

Image

Laser Treatments Stimulate Hair Growth

As opposed to hair-removal laser treatments, therapies for hair growth use much lower levels of energy.  This low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can increase the number of hair strands and increase their rate of growth in both men and women.1,2  It is particularly useful for remedying androgenetic alopecia (male and female pattern baldness).  Typically, LEDs or lasers emitting light at a wavelength of around 655nm are used.  If you are taking medications that make you hypersensitive to light, such as certain antibiotics, you should not use this type of therapy.            


iRestore Laser Hair Growth System -  for Men and Women
Image

Visible Red Light Increases Growth Factors


Experiments using cultured human skin cells have begun to identify the mechanisms by which laser and LED light helps your hair grow.  When skin cells are exposed to visible red light, they produce a variety of signaling molecules that increase metabolism and protein production.  Gene expressions of WNT and β-catenin signaling pathway growth factors are increased, and the enzymes MAPK and ERK become more active.3  The end result is that your skin cells respond to red light exposure by growing faster and becoming more productive.

CapillusPro Mobile Laser Therapy Cap for Hair Regrowth
Image

Red Light Promotes Follicle Cell Growth

Increases in growth factor gene expression in skin cells due to red light exposure induce hair follicle proliferation as well. That means that when the skin on your scalp is exposed to red light-emitting diodes or lasers, the cells that comprise hair follicles grow and divide.  This results in a greater number of hair follicles within your skin.3  LLLT can also help capillaries release more oxygen into skin and other tissues, so hair follicles can receive higher amounts of oxygen from the blood vessels that supply them.4  

HairMax LaserBand 82. Fastest laser hair loss treatment
Image

Multiple Sessions Required

Repeated treatments with LLLT are needed before you will start to see an effect.  Just one session cannot induce enough changes to your scalp to increase hair growth.5  Clinical studies with at-home devices have used a protocol of treating every other day for 16 weeks (60 sessions total), with sessions lasting for 25 minutes.1,2  

Theradome Hair Growth Helmet - Premium Technology
Image

Laser Hair Growth Products

Some hair salons have hoods or overhead panels and will provide LLLT services when you visit.  Other devices are available for purchase which you may use at home.  These include caps which you can wear on your head or hand-held devices which you can move along your scalp like a comb.  A couple of caps are currently in clinical trials to determine if they provide superior efficacy.  Here are a few of the top-rated light-based hair growth devices currently on the market:

 

Wearable Devices:

 

Hand-held Devices

HairMax Prima LaserComb (Prima 9), Stimulates Hair Growth

[1] Lanzafame RJ, Blanche RR, Bodian AB, Chiacchierini RP, Fernandez-Obregon A, Kazmirek ER. Lasers Surg Med. 2013 Oct; 45(8):487-495. “The growth of human scalp hair mediated by visible red light laser and LED sources in males.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24078483/

[2]  Lanzafame RJ, Blanche RR, Chiacchierini RP, Kazmirek ER, Sklar, JA. Lasers Surg Med. 2014 Oct; 46(8):601-607. "The growth of human scalp hair in females using visible red light laser and LED sources." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4265291 

[3]  Joo HJ, Jeong KH, Kim JE, Kand H. Ann Dermatol. 2017 Dec; 29(6):747-754. “Various Wavelengths of Light-Emitting Diode Light Regulate the Proliferation of Human Dermal Papilla Cells and Hair Follicles via Wnt/β-Catenin and the Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Pathways.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5705357/

[4]   Xu Y, Lin Y, Gao S, Shen J. Lasers Med Sci. 2018 Jan; 33(1):135-139. "Study on mechanism of release oxygen by photo-excited hemoglobin in low-level laser therapy." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29067617

[5]  Tabaie SM, Berenji Ardestani H, Azizjalali MH. J Lasers Med Sci.2016 Winter; 7(1):26-29. “The Effect of One Session Low-Level Laser Therapy of Extractor Follicular Units on the Outcome of Hair Transplantation.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908985/

Did you like this post?
0
Comments
Leave your comment
Your email address will not be published