Part 2

By Leonard Harada

More than 40 million men and 20 million women in the U.S. suffer from some degree of hair loss. Stress, diet, general health and aging are all causes for abnormal hair loss. However, 95% of all cases are due to “Androgenetic Alopecia” more commonly known as “Male or Female Pattern Hair Loss.” This is a genetic condition that can be traced to heredity in both men and women.

While some sufferers can live with the loss of their crowning glory, for others the effects from losing their hair can be devastating. Loss of self esteem, depression and, worst of all for women, emotional issues involving femininity. Thankfully, there are effective treatments in the battle against hair loss. For those looking to save the hair they still have or maybe even restore some of what they have lost, modern science just may have given us a new alternative.

One of the latest treatments making the news is Low Level Laser Therapy. The benefits of LLLT for the stimulation of hair growth and cessation of hair loss has been widely known and documented throughout Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan. In January 2007, a hand held laser was given approval by the FDA as a safe and effective treatment to promote hair regrowth for men with certain classes of androgenetic alopecia here in the U.S.

There have been numerous clinical studies performed around the world to test the efficacy of Low Level Laser Therapy. In 2002, five years before the FDA‘s approval of the hand held laser, a six-month clinical study was published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Surgery and Aesthetic Dermatology by Dr. Michael Markou and J.L.Santino to determine how effective Low Level Laser Therapy was to the stimulation of hair growth. The authors also sought to test the effect LLLT had on the tensile strength of hair. The significance of tensile strength was important because during the different stages of hair loss, the hair goes through a gradual thinning process where hair strength is compromised and the hair becomes weaker and more brittle. Twenty-eight male and seven female patients ranging in age from 28 to 76 were each given a FDA-approved hand held laser device with nine laser diodes. The patients were instructed to run the hand held laser through their scalp area slowly every other day for five to 10 minutes.

A hair count in the greatest area of alopecia and a determination of the tensile strength of these terminal hairs were carried out before treatment began and again six months later. In order to accurately track the amount of possible new hair growth the authors used a clear plastic mold placed precisely on each individual’s head. Hairs were then counted from a one square centimeter area that was cut out from the mold. The count was then double-checked for accuracy by both authors. A VIP HairOscope was used to measure tensile strength.

Results

Overall, the authors documented a 93.5% average increase in hair count for both male and female patients and a 78% average increase in tensile strength. The results far exceeded the expectations of the authors who concluded that Low Level Laser Therapy was indeed an effective treatment for stimulating hair growth and increasing the tensile strength of hair for both men and women, and should be given serious consideration as an option for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.

Modern Treatment Programs

Even before the FDA approval of the hand held laser, hair loss clinics around the world have long known the positive effects from LLLT for the treatment of hair loss. Scientific research has also shown that the build up of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a byproduct of testosterone produced by both men and women, around the hair follicle is largely responsible for androgenetic alopecia. Hair loss clinics have found that the most effective treatment will result when the patient is put on a multi-therapeutic treatment program that blocks the effects of DHT, promotes a healthy scalp environment and utilizes the stimulative effects of LLLT. Additionally, hair loss clinics are now offering a better alternative to the cumbersome hand held laser. The use of modern laser hoods containing over 90 laser diodes are proving to be much more effective because of the increased and better targeted exposure the hair follicle receives from the stimulating effects of the low level laser light.

Low Level Laser Therapy has proven to be a viable option for both men and women who are in the early stages of hair loss and general thinning.

Leonard Harada has been in the hair and beauty industry for over 25 years, and has worked with industry leaders as both an educator and business owner. His search for innovative and cutting-edge technology in the beauty industry has led to what he believes is the new frontier in the search for solutions to hair loss. Leonard can be contacted at Accents Hair and Laser, 3754 Nelson Street, Riverside, (951) 274-9255 and

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Keywords: general health, Hair Therapy, healthy scalp environment, Treatment for Hair Loss