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Fighting Hair Loss
By David P. Melamed, MD, MSc
Excerpt from the original article
published February 2007...
“ A new era of non-surgical hair
restoration technology is here for
men with hair loss.
For obvious reasons, most men are
skeptical of treatments that promise
to reverse hair loss. But a new era
of hair restoration technology,
using "cold" laser hair therapy (LHT),
offers hope for those who don't have
advanced hair loss. LHT alone and in
combination with topical and/or oral
medications has produced excellent
results for men and women.
Also known as "cold" lasers, LHT
uses therapeutic soft low-light
level lasers (LLLL) that were
developed in Europe for healing
wounds, treating hair loss and other
diseases of the scalp.
The LHT program uses a laser device
with multiple lasers on a rotating
head. The rotating head is housed in
a moveable hood that is positioned
directly above the patient's head.
The patient is seated while the hood
is lowered onto the head,
approximately 2 cm from the scalp.
The close proximity of the laser to
the patient's scalp allows for
maximum irradiation and minimal
dispersion of the laser light
energy.
LHT is effective in treating
androgenetic alopecia and telogen
effluvium. Based on the experience
in my practice, 80 percent of
patients with androgenetic alopecia
report increased hair density after
the first three to six months of
treatment. Nearly all of my patients
with telogen effluvium report
complete cessation of shedding. The
hair growth continues while patients
complete the full one year of LHT
and will taper after 12 months. Most
patients will require monthly
follow-up treatments to maintain
their results. All patients who take
oral or topical medications are
encouraged to continue on those as
well.
With LHT, we have the enhanced
benefits of low-light level lasers
that stimulate biophysical repair
and neovascularization. This is a
remarkable adjunct to the
combination of other therapies we
now have. It warrants further
consideration and integration into
practices serious about treating
hair loss. "
David P. Melamed, MD, MSc, is in
private practice at West LA Medical
& Skincare, with offices in Los
Angeles and New York. He specializes
in non-surgical cosmetic
enhancements and age management
medicine. He is a member of the
American Academy of Aesthetic
Medicine and the American Society
for Laser Surgery and Medicine.
Disclosure: Dr. Melamed indicates
that he has no affiliations with any
commercial entities, directly or
indirectly referenced in this
article. |
