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Low-Level Laser Therapy

Evidence
89%
Regrowth
Viability
  • Therapy
  • Low-Level Laser Therapy
    Evidence Quality

    89%

    Regrowth Potential
    Long-Term Viability
    Written by Perfect Hair Health Team
    Medically Reviewed by Rob English
    First Published Oct 5, 2024
    Last Updated Oct 24, 2024

    Key Information

    Free Resources

    KEY INFORMATION

    What Is Low-Level Laser Therapy?

    Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is an FDA-cleared therapy offered at-home and in-clinic to those with androgenic alopecia. LLLT leverages near-infrared and infrared light to promote hair growth through natural means.

    How Does Low-Level Laser Therapy Work?

    LLLT is believed to activate heat shock proteins and growth factors that may enhance blood flow, tissue repair, and even hair follicle proliferation.

    What You Should Know

    LLLT doesn't appear to improve hair counts beyond normal fluctuations from seasonal hair cycling. It also shares mechanistic overlap with the sun, and despite having high-quality studies supporting its use, real-world experiences from members suggest a rather lackluster experience, and one that often deviates from clinical study results. If you choose to try LLLT, opt for a device that offers a six-month refund policy, and set a calendar reminder for evaluation.

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Articles

Explore the science behind hair loss and hair growth. Our in-depth articles cover topics ranging from natural remedies to pharmaceuticals to breakthroughs in hair loss science. Want to request an article topic? Contact us.

Mature Hairline vs Receding: How to Tell the Difference
By Perfect Hair Health Team
Apr 10, 2022

Mature Hairline vs Receding: How to Tell the Difference

It can be difficult to distinguish between a mature hairline and a receding hairline. After all, hairline changes are a natural part of the aging process. What key characteristics separate hairline maturation from outright recession? This investigative post will explain 1) How to identify a mature h...
Scarring Alopecias: What Makes Them Unique (And Reversible)
By Perfect Hair Health Team
Jul 2, 2020

Scarring Alopecias: What Makes Them Unique (And Reversible)

Scarring alopecias were once thought to be irreversible. Now, studies are proving just the opposite. Case reports are showing that people with scarring alopecias have experienced complete hair regrowth, and from changes as simple as quitting sunscreen. Read on to learn the science behind these scarr...
Low-Level Laser Therapy: Does It Help With Hair Loss?
By Perfect Hair Health Team
Jan 12, 2017

Low-Level Laser Therapy: Does It Help With Hair Loss?

Level Laser Therapy & Hair Loss: My Experience When I was diagnosed with male pattern hair loss, I immediately picked up some Rogaine and signed up for something called low-level laser therapy. It was 2007, and at the time, many doctors were parading low-level laser therapy as a hair loss savior...
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    Research Tables

    Want the latest research on Low-Level Laser Therapy? Every quarter, our research team conducts a literature search on Low-Level Laser Therapy to keep you up-to-date on new studies. See our search criteria & research tables below – including a summary of key findings from every single study.

    Last updated: October 2024

    Results

    Search Criteria

    Parameter
    Inclusion Criteria
    Exclusion Criteria
    Patients
    		Patients of any age treated for scalp hair loss.Patients with no hair loss disorder.
    InterventionLLLT as a standalone or adjunct therapy.A study that doesn’t contain topical LLLT either as a standalone or adjunct therapy.
    ComparatorPlacebo and/or other therapies or baseline.No comparator.
    OutcomesPrimary Endpoints of phototrichogram, investigator, and/or patient assessments.Any study not designed to adequately test for the standalone or additive effect of LLLT
    Study DesignProspective studies.Literature reviews, observational, case series, non-human subjects, or ongoing clinical trials.

    Search Terms

    Search Terms:
    Low level light therapy LLLT hair loss alopecia
    • Abbreviations:
    • LLLT
      Low-level laser/light therapy
    • PBMT
      Photobiomodulation therapy
    • PEMF
      Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy
    • GPA
      Global photographic assessment
    • MX
      Minoxidil
    • LPP
      Lichen Planopilaris
    • UBM
      Ultrasound biomicroscopy

    Summarized Studies

    StudyParticipantsDesignTreatmentResultsKey TakeawayAdverse EffectsEq
    Authors (year)SexHair Loss TypeDesignTreatment TypesTreatment RegimenProcedureNo. of SessionsDurationEndpoints

    		Hair Growth AssessmentsSummary

    		Limitations
    		Adverse EffectsJadad Score
    Choi & Park (2022)n=80 (F: 21)
    (M: 59)
    Group 1: 40 (F: 9, M:31)
    Group 2: 40 (F: 12, M: 28)    		iconAGARandomized, double-blind, sham device - controlled trial.PBMT,
    PEMF and a sham device.
    		Group 1: PBMT combined with PEMF
    Group 2: sham device    		PBMT - laser diodes at 660 nm (80 mW) and 808 nm (50 mW) wavelengths - delivered for 15 minutes.
    PMEF - 76.6 Hz and 60 Hz electromagnetic frequencies - delivered for 10 minutes.
    		17 (once weekly for the first 12 weeks, then every other week for the next 8 weeks, and one visit 4 weeks after the last treatment)24 weeks.Hair count, GPA using a 7-point scale, Patient, self-assessment, and safety evaluation.Hair Count: Group 1: 114.57±28.75 cm2 at baseline to 139±31.4 cm2.
    Group 2: 113.31±30.07 cm2 at baseline to 119.78±31.92 cm2.
    % increase in hair density:
    Group 1: 23.93%.
    Group 2: 6.15%.
    		A combination of PBMT and PEMF is a valid and safe treatment option for AGA.The researchers should have also compared the efficacies of PBMT/PEMF alone.Group 1: Itchiness (11.4%), redness (5.7%), pain (2.8%), and burning sensation (8.6%).

    Group 2: Itchiness (5.7%), redness (2.8%), and burning sensation (2.8%).
    3
    Liu et al (2021)n=90 (F)
    Group 1: 30
    Group 2: 30
    Group 3: 30    		iconFPHLRandomized, controlled clinical trial.LLLT and MXGroup 1: LLLT
    Group 2: 5% MX
    Group 3: LLLT and MX    		iHelment was used with a light source containing 200 5 mW lase diodes at a wavelength of 650 nm - for 30 minutes.
    Group 1: 30-minute laser treatment every other day.
    Group 2: 5% MX twice daily.
    Group 3:
    30-minute laser treatment every other day and 5% MX twice daily.
    		72 sessions of laser therapy (3 a week for 24 weeks).24 weeks.GPA, phototrichogram (hair density and hair thickness), trichoscan to measure sebum secretion, and patient self-assessment.Investigator and patient self assessment: No statistically significant difference between the groups but Group 3 showed slightly higher scores.
    Increase in hair density: Group 1: +25.5 hairs per cm2
    Group 2: +24.72 hairs per cm2
    Group 3: +37.38 hairs per cm2
    Increase in hair thickness:
    Group 1: +12.5 μm
    Group 2: +6.07 μm
    Group 3: +16.42 μm
    Change in Sebum Secretion:
    Group 1: -15.14
    Group 2: -4.41
    Group 3: -12.5
    Change in Hair Density: Group 1: +41.9 hairs/cm2
    Group 2: +0.72 hairs/cm2
    Change in Hair Thickness: Group 1: +7.50 μm
    Group 2: -15.03 μm
    Patient self-assessment at 16 weeks:
    Group 1: 43.17/100
    Group 2: 35.14/100



    		LLLT alone is a safe and effective treatment for FPHL, with the addition of MX improving efficacy further.Short treatment period and no sham device group due to small sample size.Group 1: Scalp tenderness (3.6%)
    Group 2: Mild itchiness (13.8%)
    Group 3: Scalp
    tenderness (7.7%), and Mild itchiness (11.5%)
    3
    Yoon et al (2020)n=59 (M:39, F:20)
    Group 1: 30
    Group 2: 30    		iconAGARandomized, sham device-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.LLLT or sham device.Group 1: LLLT using a helmet-like device.
    Group 2:Sham device.    		The device contained a combination of a medical laser device and a low-level light irradiation device. Composed of 21 LDs at a wavelength of 655 nm (1.094 mW) and 30 LEDs at a wavelength of 655 nm (1.75 mW) - used for 25 minutes.
    The sham device emitted only red light-used for 25 minutes.
    RAMACAP device containing single-mode laser diodes which emit at a wavelength of 660 nm (3.5 mW/cm2) for 20 minutes.
    Sham device contained 223 red LED pods emitting 0.5 mW of power at a wavelength of 650 nm - for 20 minutes.

    		56 (once every other day for 16 weeks).16 weeks.GPA, and phototrichogram (hair density and thickness), and patient self-assessment. Change in Hair Density: Group 1: +41.9 hairs/cm2
    Group 2: +0.72 hairs/cm2
    Change in Hair Thickness: Group 1: +7.50 μm
    Group 2: -15.03 μm
    Patient self-assessment at 16 weeks:
    Group 1: 43.17/100
    Group 2: 35.14/100
    		LLLT showed a significant effect on increasing hair density in patients with AGA showing that it could be a safe and effective treatment.Short-term follow-up.No adverse events or side effects occurred.
    4
    Suchonwanit et al (2018)n=36
    Group 1: 19 (M:10, F:9)
    Group 2: 17 (M:9, F:8).    		iconAGAProspective, randomized, double-blind, sham device controlled clinical trial.LLLT or sham device.Group 1: LLLT using a helmet device.
    Group 2: Sham device.    		RAMACAP device containing single-mode laser diodes which emit at a wavelength of 660 nm (3.5 mW/cm2) for 20 minutes.
    Sham device contained 223 red LED pods emitting 0.5 mW of power at a wavelength of 650 nm - for 20 minutes.
    		72 sessions (3 times weekly).24 weeks.Phototrichography (hair density and diameter), GPA - investigator and patient assessed. Change in hair density:
    Group 1: +10.21±3.25 hairs/cm2
    Group 2: +3.95±1.32 hairs/cm2
    Change in hair thickness: Group 1:
    +6.11±2.15 μm
    Group 2: +3.76±1.24 μm
    GPA: Patients treated with the laser device showed a significantly greater improvement in hair regrowth compared with subjects treated with the sham device for both investigators and patients.    		LLLT appears to be an effective treatment option for AGA in both male and female patients with minimal adverse effects.Small sample size, no long term follow-up, and a sham device which may not reflect the true negative control.Group 1: Increased hair shedding (1), mild scalp itching (2)
    Group 2: mild scalp itching (1)
    4
    Esmat et al (2017)n=45
    Group 1: 15
    Group 2: 15
    Group 3: 15    		iconFPHLRandomized, controlled trial.LLLT and MXGroup 1: 5% MX
    Group 2: LLLT
    Group 3: Combination LLLT + 5% MX    		iGROW helmet device (21 laser diodes and 30 LEDs, 655 nm red laser with output <5 mW, and LED wavelength range from 650-670 nm).
    Group 1: 5% MX twice daily
    Group 2: LLLT for 25 minutes every other day.
    Group 3: LLLT for 25 minutes every other day + 5% MX twice daily.    		56 session16 weeks.Phototrichography (hair density and thickness), Assessment of degree of severity, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), physician evaluation, patient self-assessment, safety assessment.Hair Density: Group 1: 141.93±19.43 at baseline to 191.53±18.23 hairs/cm2.
    Group 2: 145.47±20.37 at baseline to 195.53±14.71 hairs/cm2.
    Group 3: 144.2±20.42 at baseline to 207.2±12.97 hairs/cm2.
    Hair Thickness:
    Group 1: 0.048±0.016 at baseline to 0.05±0.016.
    Group 2: 0.047±0.013 at baseline to 0.063±0.023.
    Group 3: 0.05±0.016 at baseline to 0.064±0.029.
    Patient self-assessment: Highest degree of satisfaction detected in Group 3.    		LLLT is an effective and safe tool with comparable results to minoxidil and combination therapy resulting in higher efficacy.Small sample size and short follow-up period.Group 1: Irritation 40%, and initial increase in hair shedding (80%)
    Group 2: Scalp tenderness (27%)

    Group 3: Irritation (27%), scalp tenderness (27%), and initial increase in hair shedding (60%)
    3
    Avram et al (2009)n=7 (F:6, M:1)iconAGAObservational studyLLLT (patients were either on no other treatment, or stable on minoxidil for a period greater than 6 months)LLLT - for 20 minutesSunetics laser which provides low-level light measuring 650 nm in wavelength at an output of 5 mW. Used twice weekly.5 patients = 24 sessions.
    2 patients = 48 sessions
    		Five patients were treated for 12 months and 2 were treated for 6 monthsVideomicroscopy (Vellus and terminal hair counts, and hair thickness) and patient self-assessment.Vellus hair counts: At three months, the mean reduction in vellus hairs compared to baseline was 3.29.
    Terminal hair counts: At three months, the mean increase in terminal hairs compared to baseline was 6.14.
    Hair width: At three months, the mean hair shaft width was 1 μM wider than at baseline.
    Hair diameter: At three months, the mean hair shaft diameter was 0.97 μM narrower than baseline.
    Patient self-assessment:
    2 patients did not believe it was helping with their hair loss, 2 patients believed that it did help and 3 patients were unsure.
    		LLLT may be a promising treatment option for patients who do not respond to other treatments and who do not want to undergo hair transplantation.Small study size and a lack of control group (sham devices).Occasional slight itching - 1
    1