ArticleLasers in surgery and medicine2021
Low-Level Light Therapy Downregulates Scalp Inflammatory Biomarkers in Men With Androgenetic Alopecia and Boosts Minoxidil 2% to Bring a Sustainable Hair Regrowth Activity.
Article in Lasers in surgery and medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparative efficacy and safety of low-level laser therapy and topical Minoxidil combination vs. topical Minoxidil monotherapy in androgenetic alopecia management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Lasers in medical science · 2025Pooled it
- Ginger-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Natural Solution for Alopecia.Current drug delivery · 2026Article
- Promises and Pitfalls of Regenerative Therapies for Androgenetic Alopecia: Platelet-Rich Plasma, Photobiomodulation, Stem Cells, and Exosomes.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Nanocrystal Structure of Minoxidil: A Safe Stimulator for Hair Growth Factor for C57BL/6 Mice.Current medicinal chemistry · 2025Article
- Intense pulsed light therapy for ocular surface diseases.Lasers in medical science · 2024Review
- Application of Non-Pharmacologic Therapy in Hair Loss Treatment and Hair Regrowth.Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2024Review
- Cell Therapy for Androgenetic Alopecia: Elixir or Trick?Stem cell reviews and reports · 2023Review
- Low-Level Light Therapy and Minoxidil Combination Treatment in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review of the Literature.Skin appendage disorders · 2023Article
- Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Intense Pulsed Light Therapy in Combination with Low-Level Light Therapy as Rescue Treatment.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesLow-level light therapies using visible to infrared light are known to activate several cellular functions, such as adenosine triphosphate and nitric oxide synthesis. However, few clinical observations report its biological consequences for skin and scalp homeostasis. Since scalp inflammation was recognized as a potential physiological obstacle to the efficacy of the reference hair regrowth drug Minoxidil in vivo and since perifollicular inflammation is the hallmark of about 50%-70% follicular units in androgenetic alopecia, we decided to investigate whether the anti-inflammatory activity of LLLT/GentleWaves® device were assigned to L'Oréal by Light BioScience L.L.C., Virginia Beach, VA (US) could enhance hair regrowth activity of Minoxidil. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND
methodsWe conducted a first experimental clinical study on 64 men with androgenetic alopecia using LLLT/GentleWaves®, 590-nm predominant wavelength 70 seconds, specifically pulsed once per day, for 3 days, and we performed a whole-genome analysis of treated scalp biopsies. In a second clinical study, including 135 alopecic volunteers, we evaluated the hair regrowth activity in response to the upgraded LLLT/GentleWaves® device and Minoxidil.
resultsIn the first clinical study, whole-genome analysis of treated scalp biopsies showed downregulation of scalp inflammatory biomarkers, such as AP1/FOSB messenger RNA (mRNA) and mir21, together with the disappearance of CD69 mRNA, specific to scalp-infiltrating T cells of about 50% of the studied volunteers prior to the LLLT/GentleWaves® treatment. In the second clinical study, we observed that LLLT/GentleWaves® was able to boost the hair regrowth activity of a Minoxidil 2% lotion to the extent of the highest concentration (5%) in terms of efficacy, number of responders, and perceived performance.
conclusionsAltogether, these observations suggest the potential benefit of LLLT/GentleWaves® as a noninvasive adjunctive technology for skin and scalp conditions, where a mild perifollicular inflammation is involved. Lasers Surg. Med. 2021. Copyright © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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