Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30569416›Full record

Trial reportLasers in medical science2019

Low-level laser therapy for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in Thai men and women: a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, sham device-controlled trial.

Poonkiat Suchonwanit, Noppanun Chalermroj, Saranya Khunkhet

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Lasers in medical science, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
38citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
7.0field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

38 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 94 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  11. Article
  12. High-frequency ultrasonography of the scalp: A comparison between androgenetic alopecia and healthy volunteers.Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI) · 2024
    Article
  13. Review
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  19. The efficacy of LED microneedle patch on hair growth in mice.Archives of dermatological research · 2023
    Article
  20. Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: Current Guidance and Unmet Needs.Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2023
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Poonkiat SuchonwanitDivision of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand. poonkiat@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9723-0563
Noppanun ChalermrojDivision of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Saranya KhunkhetDivision of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Mahidol University · TH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Low-level laser/light therapy (LLLT) has been increasingly used for promoting hair growth in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Our institute developed a new home-use LLLT device, RAMACAP, with optimal penetrating energy, aiming to improve therapeutic efficacy and compliance. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the new helmet-type LLLT device in the treatment of AGA, a 24-week, prospective, randomized, double-blind, sham device-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Forty subjects with AGA (20 men and 20 women) were randomized to treat with a laser helmet (RAMACAP) or a sham helmet in the home-based setting for 24 weeks. Hair density, hair diameter, and adverse events were evaluated at baseline and at weeks 8, 16, and 24. Global photographic assessment for hair regrowth after 24 weeks of treatment was performed by investigators and subjects. Thirty-six subjects (19 in the laser group and 17 in the sham group) completed the study. At week 24, the laser helmet was significantly superior to the sham device for increasing hair density and hair diameter (p = 0.002 and p = 0.009, respectively) and showed a significantly greater improvement in global photographic assessment by investigators and subjects. Reported side effects included temporary hair shedding and scalp pruritus. In conclusion, the novel helmet-type LLLT device appears to be an effective treatment option for AGA in both male and female patients with minimal adverse effects. However, the limitations of this study are small sample size, no long-term follow-up data, and use of inappropriate sham devices, which do not reflect the true negative control. Trial registration: http://clinicaltrials.in.th/index.php?tp=regtrials&menu=trialsearch&smenu=fulltext&task=search&task2=view1&id=2061 , identifier TCTR20160910003.

Indexed as

AdultAlopeciaDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHairHumansLow-Level Light TherapyMaleProspective StudiesThailandTreatment OutcomeAndrogenetic alopeciaFemale pattern hair lossLow-level laser therapyLow-level light therapyPhotobiomodulation

Identifiers

PMID30569416
OpenAlexW2903677461

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.