“Only when You lose hair you realize just how important it is to your identity.” Everyone does agree to this statement as hair does hold a lot of social implications. It is equal for both men and women.
Everybody knows normal hair growth cycle consists of three phases:
- Growth (anagen phase),
- Resting (telogen phase)
- Shedding (catagen phase).
Did you know that the common reasons for hair loss,
includes acute severe illness, surgery, iron deficient anemia, thyroid disease, malnutrition, chronic illness, and medications such as oral contraceptives, lithium, and cimetidine.
TE (Telogen effliuvium) is abnormal hair cycle causing excessive loss of telogen hair due to one of the above mentioned causes.
Androgenetic Alopecia (Male Patterned Baldness) is caused due to male hormones and genetic predisposition. This patterned baldness presents in 40% of females too.
A thorough assessment and appropriate treatment can help restore hair. There are several treatments to improve hair loss and promote its growth, poplular ones are Biotins, Minoxidils, finasteride, dutasteride ,follicular unit hair transplant and more. Laser comb commonly know or Low Level Laser therapy (LLLT) also has a place for itself in the huge armamentarium of Hair treatments.
These devices
have “diodes” that emit redlight (wavelength 630-670 nanometers), or infrared radiation. Commonly used LLLT encompasses a wavelength of 500–1,100 nm and delivers fluences of 1–4 J/cm2 with a power density of 3–90 mW/cm2
LLLT acts by increasing blood
flow
in the scalp
and
stimulate metabolism
in catagen or telogen follicles, resulting in the production of anagen hair(growth phase).
The photobiomodulation activity of LLLT can cause more hair follicles to move from telogen phase into anagen phase. The newly formed hair is thicker and also more pigmented.
- At the cellular level LLLT reduces inflammation and enhances healing
(Androgenic Alopecia affected follicles are usually inflamed) .
- LLLT is proposed to act by stimulation of mitochondria to produce more ATP and cyclic AMP, with activation of response to oxidative stress, displacing NO (Nitric Oxide) from the cells and allowing more oxygen to enter.
- Released NO also induces vasodilatation and improves blood flow to the hair roots.
- Excessive build-up of DHT is prevented by LLLT
Merits of LLLT for hair loss includes:
- Both men and women are equally benefited.
- No adverse effects have been reported.
- This is a simple, clean and painless procedure.
- Low level laser hair therapy is relatively inexpensive.
- Time spent on the treatment is very short.
- Many devices used are portable and easy to use.
- Anyone can use it by themselves or some person trained.
- All parts of the scalp responds equally , so hair growth is even and equal.
Recommended Dosages: Two to three times weekly treatments are typically recommended, and consist of a 8 to 15-minute exposure of the scalp to light-
When to Expect Results?
Reduction of hair loss usually occurs within the first two to three weeks after 5-6 treatments.
Improvement in the number of hair is seen in12 to 26 weeks of use.
We can conclude by saying that studies have shown that lasercomb treated individuals have reported a higher percentage of overall improvement in hair loss condition and thickness and fullness of hair with hardly any side effects.
