Efficacy of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Hair Regrowth in Dogs with Noninflammatory Alopecia: A Pilot Study

September 2014 in “ Veterinary Dermatology ”

Lara Olivieri, Damiano Cavina, Giada Radicchi, Vincenzo Miragliotta, Francesca Abramo

low-level laser therapy LLLT noninflammatory alopecia hair regrowth hair follicle histological analysis laser therapy

Studysummary This study found that low-level laser therapy may have promising effects on hair regrowth in dogs with noninflammatory alopecia, with most animals showing improvement after treatment. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

In a 2014 pilot study, seven dogs with noninflammatory alopecia were treated with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) twice weekly for up to two months. Six out of seven dogs exhibited significant hair regrowth, while one dog showed slight improvement. Histological analysis of one dog's skin showed an increase in hair follicle occupancy to 18% in the treated area compared to 11% in the untreated area, and a higher percentage of haired follicles (93%) compared to the control (9%). The study concluded that LLLT appears to be effective for hair regrowth in dogs with noninflammatory alopecia, indicating a need for further research to elucidate the biological mechanisms at play.

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