Low Level Laser and LED Therapy for Hair Loss

In a world where many people seem to dread aging, hair loss is not a good sign. It is something that can easily make it obvious that a person is advancing in age. Who needs that? So people will do practically anything to prevent that.

There is a variety of options to help people deal with hair loss, including minoxidil, finasteride, and hair transplants. But these have their shortcomings, which supposedly makes low-level laser therapy a better option.

What is Low-Level Laser Therapy?

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a non-invasive method of treating hair loss. It also goes under a variety of other names, including low level light therapy, red light therapy, or cold laser therapy.

The treatment method is considered safer than a number of other hair loss treatments. It has the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this purpose.

LLLT is a painless procedure. It involves the use of devices featuring infra-red laser beams. The therapy doesn't take too much of a person's time to perform with an array of devices on offer. It is increasingly being adopted for treatment of hair loss in people older than 35 years.

In addition to the names mentioned previously, LLLT can also be described as LED therapy. This is because the devices basically use LED light.

But some people have attempted to differentiate low level laser therapy and LED therapy. They say laser light waves and protons have the same frequency and are parallel, but the same is not true for LED light. Laser light tends to be more concentrated and penetrating, giving better results.

How Does Light Therapy Work?

Let's say a little about the phases of hair growth before delving into how LLLT and LED therapy works. There are phases in the hair growth cycles, namely:

Anagen phase
Telogen phase
Catagen phase

The anagen phase is when hair follicles are quite active to promote growth of new hair. Catagen phase is a transitional stage signaling the end of active hair growth, with hair follicles beginning to shrink. During the telogen phase, follicles become dormant and hair starts to fall.

In people with hair loss problems, hair typically doesn't stay long in the anagen phase. The cycle prematurely jumps into the telogen phase. This can happen when someone is under immense stress.

LLLT LED therapy comes in by somewhat moving follicles into the anagen stage. The light goes deep into the scalp to stimulate the epidermal stem cells. This effect helps to regenerate hair follicles.

Low level laser therapy improves blood flow in the scalp, making nutrients and oxygen available to hair follicles. This can promote metabolism in follicles during catagen and telogen phases. The treatment is also thought to prevent accumulation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the scalp.

What is Low Level Laser Therapy Best For?

LLLT is best for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, which is also known as male or female pattern baldness. This condition is a major cause of hair loss in men and women. It reportedly affects about half of men above the age of 40 and roughly 3 in 4 women older than 65.

People with the disorder tend to be more sensitive to DHT, making them more vulnerable to hair loss. When the hormone builds up in the scalp, the hair follicles start to shrink and become less active. The follicles can become dormant eventually.

Low level laser therapy helps people whose hair follicles are losing function, but are still active. It cannot only help such halt hair loss, but also promote new growth. The earlier a person starts treatment, the better.

The therapy will do practically nothing if it only starts when the hair follicles are long completely inactive. If you have cleanly bald portions on your head, those may already be beyond redemption.

Is LLLT Backed By Research?

While for some low level laser therapy may seem new. The idea has been around for many years. It came about somewhat by accident.

Back in the late 1960s, a Hungarian researcher was trying to find out whether laser light can bring about cancer in mice. The animals, which had their hair shaven, didn’t develop the condition following therapy. Instead, those treated with laser grew back their hair faster than the ones who weren't.

Since then, other studies have been carried out to show how low laser therapy could be beneficial for hair health.

Researchers observed in a 2016 review of study published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine that LLLT could help promote hair growth. Of the 11 studies reviewed, nine reported significant improvement in subjects following therapy.

Treatment and Results

Low level laser therapy can be done in an office, salon, or at home. This is because people no longer need to shell out huge sum for expensive laser equipment. There are less expensive offerings available to people, including head caps, laser combs, and red light therapy bulbs.

The ideal wavelength for promoting hair regrowth has been observed to fall within the range 630 to 670 nanometers. You should take note of that if buying a device to use at home.

Each treatment session typically lasts from less than 10 minutes to 15 minutes. You need to be consistent with use to improve quality of results. The common recommendation is to do treatment 2 or 3 times a week.

LLLT does not guarantee overnight results. You should not expect to see significant growth in less than one month. Based on research, you may need to undergo treatment for at least 2-3 months for noticeable reduction in hair loss and improvement in growth.

Is Low Level Laser Therapy Safe?

Considering how LLLT is performed, the treatment sounds like one that shouldn't have many, if any, safety issues. It is not invasive, unlike surgical procedures, and is painless. The light does not burn skin, a problem with high intensity lasers.

This is a reason LLLT has been used in alternative medicine for many years. Oh, you think this treatment is only for preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth? No! It is used to treat a variety of health issues, including wounds and injuries, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and arthritis.

But this does not necessarily mean low level laser therapy will be perfect for everyone. For instance, it may not be ideal for people taking drugs that make them very sensitive to light.

People with certain health conditions should speak with their doctor before going for LLLT. The list of such issues includes malignant tumors and thyroid disorders. Pregnant women should also take precautions.

By all means, you should avoid staring directly at the light coming from LED therapy devices. This can damage your eye. It is for this reason that persons for treatment typically get tinted eyeglasses.

Bottom Line

Low level laser therapy is obviously a treatment that can help to promote hair health. People with androgenetic alopecia and active hair follicles are the targets. It is approved for this purpose by the FDA. The safety profile is impressive, going by the information we came across while researching.

You will also do well to check DHT buildup in the roots of your hair follicles to get more out of LLLT. A product such as Profollica that inhibits the conversion of testosterone into this substance can help as well.

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REFERENCES

Everything You Need to Know About Low Level Laser Therapy for Hair Loss – Nick Delgado (http://www.nickdelgado.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-low-level-laser-therapy-for-hair-loss/)

Red Light Therapy Stop Hair Loss Can it Regrow Your Hair? (http://www.infrared-light-therapy.com/red-light-therapy-hair-loss/)

Difference Between Laser and LED Light Therapy For Hair Regrowth (https://www.capillus.com/blog/difference-between-laser-and-led-light-therapy-for-hair-regrowth/)

Side Effects for Low-Level Laser Therapy | Pacific Health (https://pacifichealth.ca/side-effects-for-low-level-laser-therapy/)