Current Indications of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Plastic Surgery: A Review
May 2015
in “Photomedicine and Laser Surgery”
TLDR Low-Level Laser Therapy may help with flap survival and burn scar healing, but not with venous ulcers or hair loss, and more research is needed.
The 2015 review analyzed 40 articles on Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in plastic surgery, including 28 animal and 12 human studies. It found that LLLT was effective in improving flap survival in animals and chronic burn scars in humans, as well as acute wound healing in animals. However, LLLT was not effective for venous ulcers or alopecia, with a study on 32 patients with androgenetic alopecia showing no statistical difference in outcomes. Only two studies suggested potential benefits of LLLT for skin aging. The review concluded that more high-quality comparative studies are needed to fully establish the efficacy of LLLT in plastic surgery applications.
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