Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Is Involved in Hair Growth-Promoting Effect of 655-nm Red Light and LED in In Vitro Culture Model

February 2018 in “ Lasers in Medical Science ”

Le Han, Ben Liu, Xianyan Chen, Haiyan Chen, Wen Deng, Changsheng Yang, Bin Ji, Miaojian Wan

Wnt/β-catenin signaling 655-nm red light LED treatments hair growth catagen phase in vitro human hair follicle culture hair shaft elongation β-catenin p-GSK3β Lef1 alopecia red light therapy LED therapy hair loss hair follicle culture

TLDR Red light and LED treatments help hair grow by activating a specific cell signaling pathway.

In the 2018 study, researchers found that 655-nm red light and LED treatments promoted hair growth and delayed the transition to the catagen phase in an in vitro human hair follicle culture model. The most effective energy density was 0.839 J/cm² with a 5-minute exposure, which increased hair shaft elongation and the expression of key molecules in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, such as β-catenin, p-GSK3β, and Lef1. These results suggest that activating this pathway is a key mechanism by which 655-nm red light and LED treatments can promote hair growth, offering a potential therapeutic option for alopecia. The study used 18 to 20 hair follicles per treatment group and was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

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Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Is Involved in Hair Growth-Promoting Effect of 655-nm Red Light and LED in In Vitro Culture Model

Research cited in this study

research Low-Level Laser Treatment Stimulates Hair Growth via Upregulating Wnt10b and β-Catenin Expression in C3H/HeJ Mice

research 3-Deoxysappanchalcone Promotes Proliferation of Human Hair Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells and Hair Growth in C57BL/6 Mice by Modulating WNT/β-Catenin and STAT Signaling

research A Critical Assessment of the Evidence for Low-Level Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Hair Loss

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research Visible Red Light Enhances Physiological Anagen Entry In Vivo And Has Direct And Indirect Stimulatory Effects In Vitro

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research Use of Low-Level Laser Therapy as Monotherapy or Concomitant Therapy for Male and Female Androgenetic Alopecia

research The Growth of Human Scalp Hair Mediated by Visible Red Light Laser and LED Sources in Males

research Adenovirus-Mediated Wnt10b Overexpression Induces Hair Follicle Regeneration

research Epithelial Wnt Ligand Secretion Is Required for Adult Hair Follicle Growth and Regeneration

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research Narrow-Band Red LED Light Promotes Mouse Hair Growth Through Paracrine Growth Factors From Dermal Papilla

research Beta-Catenin Activity in the Dermal Papilla Regulates Morphogenesis and Regeneration of Hair

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research Multiple Roles for Activated LEF/TCF Transcription Complexes During Hair Follicle Development and Differentiation

research WNT Signaling in the Control of Hair Growth and Structure

research Epithelial Growth by Rat Vibrissae Follicles In Vitro Requires Mesenchymal Contact via Native Extracellular Matrix

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