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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. |
