As technology continues to progress in the world of hair restoration, new and innovative methods for treating hair loss are showing lots of promise. The techniques used in hair transplant procedures, the topical and oral medications, and the introduction of light as a way to stimulate hair growth have continued to push the limits of what we, as doctors, can do to help restore your hair to a healthier level.

Hair transplant procedures have been decades, and while the method for performing the procedure has changed over the years, the goal is still the same – move hair from one part of the scalp to another in order to create a fuller looking head of hair. This differs from the non-surgical options that are also available.

Non-surgical options like medications or light therapy, rely on stimulating your existing hair follicles into growing thicker and longer, thus creating a healthy-looking head of hair. There is no surgery, there is no pain, and most of the time these methods can be done in the comfort of your own home.

Of course, each of these methods should be discussed with your doctor prior to using them. Your doctor will know which plan of attack is best for you and will be able to effectively manage expectations of the results from these non-surgical hair restoration methods.

While these methods may not be the best option for everyone or every situation, if you’re looking to avoid surgery or you’re not a candidate for hair transplant surgery, they are worth exploring.

One of the newest non-surgical technologies that is showing great results in hair loss is laser light therapy.

What is Laser Light Therapy?

As we mentioned above, laser light therapy is a non-surgical way to promote hair growth out of your existing hair follicles. By nourishing the scalp with a specific range of light wavelengths we can stimulate the cells in your scalp that have slowed down due to aging.

Laser light therapy is usually performed by wearing a helmet, hat, or other device, on your head that is outfitted with a number of LED lights and/or lasers. These lights and lasers do not radiate heat or cause any discomfort to the user, instead it bathes the scalp with the light for a designated period of time which allows the laser to penetrate down to the level of the stem cells that control growth of the hair follicles.

Because this method does not require you to be in the presence of a doctor, the helmet/hat is purchased for home use worn while you’re relaxing on your own couch.

How Does Laser Light Therapy Help With Hair Loss?

While laser light therapy is showing great results in people suffering from hair loss, it’s still a bit of a mystery as to how exactly it works to promote hair growth.

The thoughts behind its success is in the stimulation of the “follicular bulge” and mitochondria within the cells in your scalp. With genetic processes like androgenic alopecia (male/female pattern baldness) but also with age, the cells in your hair send signals to slow down. It’s this slow down throughout the body that causes us to not be as limber as we were when we were younger, causes our skin to sag, wrinkles, and of course, hair loss. With androgenic alopecia, this slowdown of the hair can start at any age, for some men as early as their teens.

If the cells aren’t performing at their optimal level, our body is obviously going to feel and show the effects of that. But by using laser light therapy, we can help stimulate those cells and reinvigorate them, thus causing them to act as they did when we were younger. This is what scientists believe is happening when we use low-level laser light therapy on the scalp of a person suffering from hair loss.

The hair follicles are absorbing the light energy which causes an increase in microcirculation, which in turn brings more blood flow and nutrients to the hair follicle causing it to help regrow hair.

Should I Consider Low Level Laser Light Therapy for Hair Loss?

Just because a technology is available to help treat a condition, doesn’t mean that it will be the right fit for you and your situation.

Candidates that are more likely to see success from laser light therapy for hair loss are those suffering from the beginning stages of androgenetic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness).

Since laser light therapy cannot help grow hair that isn’t there anymore, this therapy is most effective when you are starting to notice some thinning of your hair. If you’ve already lost large patches of your hair, a hair transplant may be your best option, but if you’re just starting to notice your hair thinning, laser light therapy may be beneficial.

Since laser light therapy can help your existing hair follicles ramp up hair production, this can increase the fullness of the hair you still have, Given that there are essentially no side effects from using low level laser therapy, this may be a great treatment to begin with before moving on to other options.

Another added benefit of this treatment is that it can help slow the hair loss process that has already begun. So while, in some cases you may not be able to regrow the hair that has already decided to leave your scalp, it can help prevent the other follicles from slowing down.

At the Limmer Hair Transplant Center, we have a number of different low-level laser light therapies available to our patients. And all of these treatments can be done in the comfort of your own home while you watch tv at night.

For more information about how low-level laser light therapy can help with hair loss, contact us today to setup a consultation.