The top selling medical device for laser hair restoration is the laser hair comb. This device is sold as an at home method of treating your hair loss with low intensity laser light. This laser com, also known as the laser brush, is based on the clinical hair restoration devices that used laser light in a bonnet arrangement. With the clinical device, the patient sits under a bonnet that looks like the old hair dryers found in beauty parlors. A series of low energy level laser lights would then pulse and apply light waves to the scalp. This light energy would then theoretically enhance the blood flow from to the hair follicles and thus cause the follicles to begin to manufacture good, strong hairs again.
This method may have a lot of basis in science even though the current scientific studies have not been completed fully to prove the effectiveness of the procedure. The main cause of hair loss in men is a condition known as male pattern baldness. This is caused by a build up of DHT around the follicles of the hair shaft which stops the transfer of oxygen and nutrients. Increasing blood flow to the follicles has been shown to increase hair growth by using such drugs as the FDA approved hair loss treatment Minoxidil. This drug was originally developed to treat high blood pressure by causes the blood vessels to expand and thus not impede the flow of blood. During clinical trials it was determined that men who were on the drug and were suffering from male pattern baldness actually saw increased hair growth. Further study found that taking the drug causes about 50% of the men to see positive results with their hair loss.
The laser comb is advertised as having the same effect on the blood vessels. The light energy passes throught the scalp and then excites the tissue below the skin level. This excitement causes a slight heat build up which allows blood to flow more freely. The increased blood flow then allows more oxygen and nutrients to be transferred to the hair follicle and the waste materials to be moved away. This increased flow allows the hair follicles to begin growing hairs again or to increase the cross section of the hair shafts that are growing.
The proper use of the laser hair comb is to slowly pass the device over the scalp at the hair loss area. The comb seems to be more effective if combined with hair growth drugs such as the above mentioned Minoxidil or Finasteride which is sold as the brand name propecia. Really good results have been reported anecdotally when the two methods are combined into one hair re-grow treatment.
