Low-Level Light Therapy Versus Topical 5% Minoxidil in the Management of Androgenetic Alopecia in Males: A Randomized Controlled Trial

May 2024 in “ Medical Journal Armed Forces India/MJAFI ”

Shekhar Neema, Anand Mannu, Biju Vasudevan, Sunmeet Sandhu, Senkadhir Vendhan, S Radhakrishnan

low-level light therapy topical 5% minoxidil androgenetic alopecia hair density global photography LLLT minoxidil AGA

From the encyclopedia

Low Level Laser Therapy →

laser therapy for anti-inflammatory and likely insignificant hair regrowth effects

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Studysummary This study found that low-level light therapy was as effective as 5% minoxidil for increasing hair density in men with androgenetic alopecia over six months. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

This randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of low-level light therapy (LLLT) and topical 5% minoxidil in managing androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in males. Conducted from July 2021 to December 2022, the study included 91 participants, with 48 in the minoxidil group and 43 in the LLLT group. After 6 months, both treatments showed significant improvement in hair density and global photography, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. This suggests that LLLT is as effective as minoxidil for treating AGA.

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Research cited in this study

17 / 17 results

research Role of Low-Level Light Therapy in Androgenetic Alopecia

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research Proposed Mechanisms of Low-Level Light Therapy in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

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This review suggests that low-level light therapy can promote hair growth in patients with androgenetic alopecia, but more research is needed to standardize treatment parameters and assess long-term safety and efficacy.

research A Review of the Treatment of Male Pattern Hair Loss

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Low-Level Light and Minoxidil 5% Combination Versus Either Modality Alone in Management of Female Patterned Hair Loss: A Randomized Controlled Study

research Low-Level Light and Minoxidil 5% Combination Versus Either Modality Alone in Management of Female Patterned Hair Loss: A Randomized Controlled Study

34 citations , May 2017 in “Lasers in Surgery and Medicine”

This study found that combining low-level light therapy with topical minoxidil 5% may lead to better hair regrowth and patient satisfaction in treating female pattern hair loss compared to using each treatment alone.

research The Effectiveness of Treatments for Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

178 citations , April 2017 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that minoxidil, finasteride, and low-level laser light therapy significantly improve hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia, while minoxidil is also effective for women, compared to placebo.

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This review discusses various classification systems for patterned hair loss in both sexes and reports no new clinical findings, highlighting the Hamilton-Norwood and Ludwig systems as the most commonly used.

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This study found that red light accelerated the transition from the resting to growth phase in hair follicles faster than green and blue light in mice, suggesting it may stimulate hair growth.

Efficacy and Safety of a Low-Level Laser Device in the Treatment of Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Multicenter, Randomized, Sham Device-Controlled, Double-Blind Study

research Efficacy and Safety of a Low-Level Laser Device in the Treatment of Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Multicenter, Randomized, Sham Device-Controlled, Double-Blind Study

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research Low-Level Laser Therapy for Treatment of Hair Loss

165 citations , August 2013 in “Lasers in Surgery and Medicine”

This review discusses the potential mechanisms and evidence supporting low-level laser therapy for stimulating hair growth in men and women, while noting its safety and effectiveness but needing further study on specific parameters.

research Low-Level Light Therapy for Androgenetic Alopecia: A 24-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham Device-Controlled Multicenter Trial

106 citations , April 2013 in “Dermatologic Surgery”

This study found that low-level light therapy significantly increased hair density and diameter in androgenetic alopecia patients compared to a sham device, suggesting it could be an effective treatment option.

research The Nuts and Bolts of Low-Level Laser Therapy

1057 citations , November 2011 in “Annals of Biomedical Engineering”

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research Evidence-Based Guideline for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia in Women and Men

198 citations , October 2011 in “Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft”

This article discusses the development of an evidence-based guideline for treating androgenetic alopecia and reports no new research results.

research HairMax LaserComb Laser Phototherapy Device in the Treatment of Male Androgenetic Alopecia

160 citations , January 2009 in “Clinical Drug Investigation”

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research Minoxidil: Mechanisms of Action on Hair Growth

397 citations , February 2004 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

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research Sulfation of Minoxidil by Multiple Human Cytosolic Sulfotransferases

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This study found that at least four different human sulfotransferase activities contribute to the sulfation of minoxidil, complicating predictions of individual responses based on ST levels.

research Classification of the Types of Androgenetic Alopecia (Common Baldness) Occurring in the Female Sex

666 citations , September 1977 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This article presents a classification system for stages of female-pattern androgenetic alopecia to aid early diagnosis and mentions existing systems for rare male-pattern cases, but reports no new clinical results.