Efficacy of Fractional Lasers in Treating Alopecia: A Literature Review
August 2017
in “
Lasers in Medical Science
”
fractional lasers alopecia nonablative 1550-nm erbium-glass laser ablative 2940-nm erbium:YAG laser CO₂ laser wound healing response alopecia areata corticosteroid injections hair cycle murine model hair count combination therapies erbium-glass laser erbium:YAG laser carbon dioxide laser steroid injections
TLDR Fractional lasers seem effective and safe for treating hair loss, but more research is needed to find the best treatment methods.
The document from August 16, 2017, reviewed the use of fractional lasers for treating alopecia, including studies on the nonablative 1550-nm erbium-glass laser and the ablative 2940-nm erbium:YAG and CO₂ lasers. It highlighted that fractional lasers may promote hair growth by inducing a wound healing response. One study showed significant improvement in 27 female patients after 5 months using the 1550-nm laser, and another study reported improvements in 20 male patients. Other studies cited include a 70.6% response rate in 17 patients treated with nonablative and ablative lasers, complete regrowth in five patients with alopecia areata using the 1550-nm laser, and a case of complete regrowth in a 35-year-old male. A half-head treatment combining the 1550-nm laser with corticosteroid injections showed significant improvement, and the 2940-nm laser accelerated the hair cycle in a murine model. However, a trial with 32 patients found no significant increase in hair count with the CO₂ laser, while a combination of the CO₂ laser with other treatments showed excellent improvement in three female patients. The document concludes that fractional lasers appear effective and safe for alopecia treatment, but more extensive randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the best treatment parameters and the potential of combination therapies.
