Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), also known as male- or female-pattern baldness, is a common cause of hair thinning and balding as people age. Many people find this distressing, and while there are some medications like minoxidil and finasteride to treat it, other options are limited. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) uses special light to stimulate hair growth and has become a popular non-drug option, including in devices like combs and caps.
This study tested three different versions of a wearable LED “smart cap” that uses red and blue light wavelengths for hair growth, compared to a fake (sham) cap that did not emit any light. The study included 160 adults with AGA, and they wore the caps for 10 minutes every day for 26 weeks, however, only 69 of them were included in the final analysis. 91 patients were excluded because of protocol deviation, mainly low treatment compliance (less than 80% adherence to daily treatments).
The study found that although the individual groups did not show big differences from the sham cap, when the data from all three light caps was combined, there was a meaningful increase in hair growth compared to the sham group. Specifically, people using the active light caps per protocol had about 28 more hairs per square centimeter of scalp after 16 weeks and had a higher rate of hair growth. This suggests that using the LED cap every day can help improve hair density for people with AGA. However, when including all patients (by using the intention-to-treat analysis), there was no statistically significant differences in hair growth between any individual active treatment arm and sham at weeks 8, 16, or 26. The significant difference was only observed for patients who followed protocol and were included in the per-protocol analysis.
The LED light caps were generally safe to use. Side effects were minor and similar to the sham cap group, mostly including things like mild skin irritation or temporary scalp issues. No serious problems were reported, and most side effects weren’t even caused by the caps themselves.
In summary, this study suggests that wearing an LED light cap daily can help increase hair growth in people with pattern baldness and is safe to use. However, because many people did not stick to the daily routine perfectly, the researchers think future studies with better long-term follow-up and stricter routines will be helpful to confirm these findings. Although AGA is typically classified as non-scarring, many patients with scarring alopecia also have concurrent AGA and may thus benefit from treatments like LLLT, explaining our rationale for reporting data from this non-scarring alopecia study.
Article Review Completed by Soneet Dhillon, MD, MHA
Reference:
Thomas, Meryl, et al. "Clinical Safety and Efficacy of Dual Wavelength Low-Level Light Therapy in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study." Dermatologic Surgery (2022): 10-1097.