FDA approve HairMax Lasercomb – Laser Hair Therapy

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the HairMax Lasercomb  as a  hair loss treatment.  The makers of the handheld one diode  Hairmax Lasercomb, Lexington International LLC,  claim that their product  increases the number of thick hairs on the scalp based on their 26-week clinical trials.

As the device’s name suggests, it combines a low-level laser with a comb. When drawn through the hair, the laser strikes the scalp to promote hair growth, according to the company.   The  laser comb is  sold on the Web for $545. It is the only drug-free  hair loss treatment  meant for home use in combatting hair loss that’s garnered  FDA approval.  

According to a press release from Lexington International, the makers of the Hair Max Laser comb   –

“For the FDA submission, Lexington conducted an extensive clinical study in four different locations around The United States. The study concluded that 93% of the participants (ages 30-60) using the HairMax LaserComb had an increase in the number of terminal (thick) hairs. The average number of terminal hairs per square centimeter increased by 19 hairs/cm ² over a six-month period. During the study, there were not any reports of serious adverse events. The number and types of adverse events were similar in both the active and placebo groups.

Lexington’s clinical study demonstrating the efficacy of the HairMax LaserComb in females is concluding and we will be submitting the data to the FDA shortly.”

Laser hair therapy  is also being offered by many hair restoration clinics. Some hair transplant physicians such as Dr. Alan Bauman, Dr. Scott Williams and Dr. Bob Leonard have been using clinical low light laser devises in their clinics for well over a year. They believe that such treatment can accelerate both healing and hair growth after hair transplant surgery. It also provides a treatment option for women with diffuse hair loss who are not candidates for Propecia.

I have been gathering information about low light Laser Therapy (LLLT) as refered to as laser hair therapy for over a year now and will be presenting information on this topic in the non surgical treatments sections of our sites. In general my sense is that laser hair therapy may be about as effective as Rogaine (minoxidil) in regrowing and thickening hair. But  laser hair therapy  may have an advantage in accelerating the healing process after hair transplant surgery.

Low light laser therapy has been used for many years in treatments intended to accelerate healing for other aliments.

I expect we will all be hearing much more about  laser hair therapy  in the coming months and years since it will be heavily promoted. Medical Hair Restoration (MHR) sees big $$$ in using  laser hair therapy  as a lead generator and will be marketing such treatments heavily.

MHR realizes that people who will not respond to their hair transplant marketing may be much more responsive and willing to visit their offices for laser hair therapy. MHR certainly knows marketing. Thus after a patient/client pays hundreds and even thousands of dollars for the  laser hair  treatment in their office they may warm up (pun intended) to finally doing a hair transplant.

On MHR’s website it describes laser hair treatment as – “Low level laser therapy (LLLT) works by increasing blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles, encouraging hair growth. The unique laser light penetrates into the scalp tissue where it stimulates the micro-circulation, improves cellular metabolism, and protein synthesis. Furthermore, European studies establish that LLLT increases blood and lymph circulation at the hair roots, decreases inflammation, and energizes follicular cells causing hair to grow thicker and fuller.”

According to Dr. Matt Leavitt “Chief Medical Advisor to Lexington” –

“The HairMax LaserComb is a method of treatment that can be of great help to men of all ages suffering from hair loss. I am impressed with the protocol and results from the clinical trials that Lexington has conducted. With the FDA clearing the HairMax LaserComb as a medical device, it offers an attractive option for hair growth for medical practitioners. We can now deliver a new modality to our patients and achieve strong user satisfaction”.

I look forward to hearing what actual LLLT patients have to say about the effectiveness of this treatment and its costs. Based on comments from users posted on this forum, the actual users seem to be less excited about the HairMax Laser than its promoters and the FDA.

To view interesting comments about the Hair Max Laser that were posted previously on  our discussion  forum visit FDA approves HairMax Laser in the Open Hair Loss Topics forum.

Whether or not the the one diode Hair Max Laser hand held comb or the hooded clinical device with over 100 diodes works for the patient, I expect they will work very well at growing revenue for those clinics who market them.

Pat – Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog. To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit our Hair Restoration Discussion Forum.

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