Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41369788›Full record

Trial reportLasers in medical science2025

Photobiomodulation therapy and 5% minoxidil in female pattern hair loss: a case series focusing on hair growth phases over a shorter timeframe.

Denise Ferreira Rodrigues, Gabriel Lazzeri Cortez, Ediléia Bagatin, Mauricio Mendonça do Nascimento, Martha Simões Ribeiro

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Lasers in medical science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

5 authors.

Denise Ferreira RodriguesInstituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, São Paulo, Brazil.
Gabriel Lazzeri CortezFederal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Ediléia BagatinFederal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Mauricio Mendonça do NascimentoFederal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Martha Simões RibeiroInstituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, São Paulo, Brazil. marthasr@usp.br.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeFemale pattern hair loss (FPHL) is a major concern for women experiencing hair thinning. While minoxidil 5% (MIN) is a medically approved treatment and photobiomodulation therapy (PBMt) has shown effectiveness in stimulating hair growth, treatments typically last 24 weeks. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of combining PBMt with topical MIN for treating FPHL within a shorter 12.5-week timeframe, focusing on hair growth phases.

methodsNine women aged 30 to 50 years with FPHL participated. They applied MIN twice daily to the scalp throughout the treatment period. In the clinic, hair was sectioned, and one side of the scalp was randomly assigned to receive 25 sessions of red laser (100 mW, 4 J/point), delivered at 15 evenly spaced points. Treatments were administered twice a week, while the opposite side received sham irradiation. Standardized photographs, a quality of life (QoL) questionnaire, and phototrichograms were used to evaluate the outcomes.

resultsBoth the MIN and PBMt + MIN groups showed significant improvements in QoL scores and hair density. Additionally, both groups experienced increased hair density and a higher percentage of hairs in the anagen phase. Remarkably, the PBMt + MIN group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in telogen-phase hairs.

conclusionThese findings suggest that PBMt may enhance MIN therapy for FPHL, particularly in reducing telogen-phase hair counts within a shorter treatment period. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

AlopeciaLow-Level Light TherapyMinoxidilAdultCombined Modality TherapyFemaleHairHumansMiddle AgedQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeMinoxidilFemale androgenetic alopeciaHair growthPhotothrichoscopyQuality of lifeRed laser

Identifiers

PMID41369788

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.