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Lasers & Your Hair
According to Professor Pöntinen PJ, one of the pioneers
of laser therapy in Scandinavia in his book Low
Level Laser as a treatment modality documented that Low Level Laser
Therapy can have very positive impact on skin and hair cells, namely:
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Increased Arterial Micro-Circulation: Both
vasodilation and regeneration of blood vessels.
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Increased Venous and Lymphatic Flow: Results in
reduced edema clinically.
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Decreased Inflammation in Tissue: Marked increase in
the number of leucocytes that participate in phagocytosis.
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Faster Rate of Cell Division
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Faster Regrowth of Epithelium
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Faster Rate of Collagen Formation
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Faster Rate of Wound Healing
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Minimal Scar Formation
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Decreased Keloid Formation
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Increased Energy of the Tissue
- Increased ATP in the cellular mitochondria.
- There is activation of RNA- and DNA production
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Stimulation of Hair Growth
** Pötinen, PJ. Low Level Laser
Therapy as a Medical Treatment Modality, Art Urpo LTD., Tampere, Finland,
99-101, 1992.
Examples of laser/scalp medical studies
NOTE: These medical studies are examples of LLLT hair growth studies but do not by any means demonstrate the full extend of the worldwide published material.
Various light sources, including lasers, have been used in attempt’s to grow hair and stop hair loss sins the 1950’s. Some of these studies have included light sensitive drugs. These studies are not presented here.
- In 1969, Dr. Brian E. Johnson reported his attempts to stimulate hair growth on C57B mice by 260nm irradiation. Inhibitions were reported in the wavelength range 280-310 nm.
- In 1984, Dr. Trelles showed in one study that patients with alopecia areata who were treated with He-Ne laser 632,8 nm showed a good response. Dr. Trelles reported that most of the patients with alopecia areata responded well after only 6 to 8 treatments administered twice a week for a couple of weeks. The He-Ne laser was placed 30 centimeters from the alopecia areata with dosages ranging from 3-4 Joule per sq. cm. No fibres or lenses were used. In the same study, microscopic evaluation of the hair shaft structure on the alopecia areata irradiated areas showed a clear medulla rich in keratin after treatment. Daily treatments appeared to prevent regrowth, causing irritation with probable increase in hair loss.
Macrophoto of the pilots bulb. On the left normal bulb, and on the right the bulb corresponding to hair taken from the edges of the lesion caused by Alopecia Areata.
Comparative macrophoto of hair follicle. The left is normal, the right taken from the lesion’s edge at the beginning of laser treatment. In the center, a new hair from the areata lesion, regenerated following laser treatment. Observe the good cylindrical shape of this hair, even though it is much finer when compared to a normal hair.
At the 4th annual Meeting of the Japan Laser Therapy Association in 1992, success was reported with an increase in both hair growth and the density of the hair follicles in the laser treated areas of both male and female stress alopecia and alopecia areata with only one failure out of 40 cases reported in two papers.
- In 1997 a European group of scientist’s publiched their work on LLLT in the treatment of alopecia of the scalp. The authors tried to verify the efficacy of low energy laser (LLLT) in scalp alopecia. Sixty patients were divided in two groups: A) laser group, 33 patients treated with both LLLT and classical therapy; B) control group, 27 patients treated only with classical therapy, Before, during and after treatment, historical samples were done.
For the group A the results were rather superior but in a twice shorter time shorter time than group B. The maintenance of the good results needed classical therapy for a long period. They conclude that LLLT therapy could have a useful complementary method for the treatment of scalp alopecia.
- The same European group of scientist’s published their findings on LLLT use in the treatment of alopecia and crural ulcers in 1998. The authors tried to verify the efficacy of LLLT in scalp alopecia and crural ulcers of different causes. Laser used was (red diode, continuous emission, 8 mW power, wave length 670 nm spot size about 5 mm diameter on some points. They also use as control classical therapy. Before, during and after treatment, histological samples were taken from alopecia regions. For the laser groups (alopecia and ulcers) the results were rather superior and in a three or twice time shorter than the control group. They conclude that LLLT therapy is a very useful complementary method for the treatment of scalp alopecia and crural ulcers.
Prof. E. Mester reported in 1968 that unfocused 6943 nm Rubin-laser light initially increased by low energies of laser radiation later on, however, there is a delay of the stimulated development of the hair. Is a higher dose given all at once the growth of the hair is delayed. The described symptoms occur in black mice only after relatively higher energies. A laser radiation of lower energy (about 1 to 3 Joule) has a stimulating effect on cellular activity and cell-division, a laser radiation of higher energy, however, causes inflammations and damages the cells of hair follicles.
NOTE: C57B1 and Albino mice was used. Exposure to 1 J per square cm once a week over 3 to 5 week over 3 to 5 weeks increased the rate of fur growth while after the 10th to 11th radiation an inhibition was noted.
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