TLDR Low-level laser therapy did not reduce licking or improve lesions in dogs with ALD but did increase hair growth.
In a 2021 study with 13 dogs suffering from canine acral lick dermatitis (ALD), researchers investigated the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as an additional treatment alongside conventional therapy, which included systemic antibiotics and trazodone. The dogs were divided into a treatment group of 7 dogs receiving LLLT and a control group of 6 dogs receiving sham therapy over 10 visits in four weeks. The study concluded that while there was no significant difference in the reduction of licking behavior, lesion size, or lesion thickness between the two groups, there was a notable 24% increase in hair growth in the treatment group compared to the control group, with a significance level of P = 0.0081.
22 citations,
September 2014 in “Veterinary Dermatology” Low-level laser therapy seems to help dogs with noninflammatory alopecia grow hair back.
147 citations,
January 2014 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” Laser device increases hair density, safe for treating hair loss in men and women.
165 citations,
August 2013 in “Lasers in Surgery and Medicine” Low-Level Laser Therapy is effective and safe for hair growth with minimal side effects.
43 citations,
June 2012 in “Lasers in Medical Science” Low-level laser treatment helped rats regrow hair faster after chemotherapy.
81 citations,
July 2011 in “Lasers in Medical Science” The Lexington LaserComb helped regrow hair in mice with a condition similar to human hair loss.
39 citations,
March 2003 in “The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice/Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice” Behavioral dermatology treats skin problems by considering both emotional and physical factors.
August 2015 in “Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery” Low-level laser therapy may help regrow hair in dogs with non-inflammatory hair loss.
22 citations,
September 2014 in “Veterinary Dermatology” Low-level laser therapy seems to help dogs with noninflammatory alopecia grow hair back.
60 citations,
December 2015 in “Lasers in Medical Science” Low-level laser therapy is safe and can increase hair growth for male and female pattern hair loss.
Low-level laser therapy may help stem cells grow and function better, aiding in healing and tissue repair.
31 citations,
January 2019 in “Frontiers in Veterinary Science” Laser therapy improved surgical scar healing in dogs.
