Photobiomodulation Therapy for Hair Growth
Many people experience hair loss in their life. Whether it’s through age, a medication they may be taking for another condition, or years of color or lightening treatments, hair loss can have a huge impact on our confidence. There are a variety of options available to treat hair loss or thinning, from supplements to special shampoo and conditioners to hair transplant surgery, One emerging treatment to stimulate hair growth is photobiomodulation, a type of light therapy using red light to boost natural cellular processes in the body.
We’ve talked a lot on this blog about how PBMT can benefit our skin, but it’s also beneficial to our scalp and hair growth. Keep reading to learn more about how PBMT can help stimulate hair growth and regrowth.
What Can Influence Hair Loss?
On average, people lose 100 hairs on their head per day, and it’s completely natural and normal, like a cat or dog shedding their hair. Most of us grow this hair back, but some may not, causing thinning and bald spots. People experience hair loss for a number of reasons, such as:
- Age
- Hereditary conditions
- Hormonal changes
- Stress
- Poor nutrition
- Medical conditions like diabetes or lupus
- Side effects of medication, such as chemotherapy or antidepressants
Excessive hair loss occurs when the hair follicles are damaged or not supplied with enough energy and nutrients to properly grow hair. Treatments for hair loss aim to repair damaged follicles or improve circulation and nutrient levels for regrowth. Improved stress management or making dietary changes can also help improve the condition of our hair.
How Does Photobiomodulation Encourage Hair Growth?
Photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of red and near infrared light to target our mitochondria, which stimulates cellular energy production. While boosted energy production has a variety of effects throughout the body, when it comes to hair growth, PBMT’s impact on our circulation provides the most benefits to regrow hair.
Boosted circulation from PBMT improves blood flow to the scalp and assists in repairing damaged cells, supplying nutrients, and removing waste products. PBMT also prevents apoptosis, or programmed cellular death, in weakened cells, allowing them to strengthen and continue to function instead of needing to be removed as waste. This stimulates hair growth and helps repair damaged follicles.
PBMT has been shown to be more effective for stimulating regrowth during the early stages of hair loss rather than in later stages. Later stages of hair growth may only be resolved with hair transplant surgery, so it’s important to recognize hair loss early and work with a less invasive (and likely less expensive) solution.
Benefits of PBMT for Hair Growth
PBMT is growing in popularity for treating a variety of concerns, like minor aches and joint pain from arthritis, as well as speeding up the wound healing process and reducing the appearance of scars. In addition to helping with hair growth, full body PBMT can help improve your overall wellness. Improving one aspect of our health often has a ripple effect into other areas of our health, such as reduced stress or improved confidence.
If applied in the early stages of hair loss, PBMT can prevent the need for hair transplant surgery later on. Additionally, PBMT is a good option for individuals with allergies or sensitivities to ingredients that may be in medicated shampoos or nutritional supplements. PBMT may also be a good option for someone taking a prescription medication, as it doesn’t interfere with medications, so long as they aren’t photosensitizing.
PBMT is a safe, non-invasive treatment with minimal side effects. Most people experience no side effects, but some have momentary lightheadedness following a PBMT treatment. PBMT is not recommended for individuals taking any photosensitizing medications or who have a sensitivity to light. Always talk with your doctor or wellness professional before starting a new treatment.
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
PBMT requires multiple treatments like many other kinds of therapy in order to achieve the best outcomes. While exact treatment plans vary for each individual, generally plans start with three to four treatments per week and go down to two treatments, and then once weekly as maintenance. The initial treatment plan to start seeing results is usually between 6 and 12 weeks.
TheraLight’s full body photomodulation light beds can address concerns you have throughout your body, including hair regrowth. If you’re looking to try PBMT, click the link below to find a TheraLight provider near you.
