So are laser combs any good?

[Dan26]

Not really, but if you refuse to see it you won't see it.

Let me remind you that my sister and I both actually use it - and have used it for several years. We know what it does by now.

I didn't say it doesn't work, just that there is a lack of evidence for its' effectiveness. I read this in the 2012 review for Female Alopecia by the British Journal of Dermatology!
It states there is a lack of evidence and, "There is an urgent need for high-quality, well-designed, and rigorously reported studies of other widely used treatments such as spironolactone, finasteride, cyproterone acetate,
and laser comb therapy."
Minoxidil is the best bet for women obviously, but I do imagine the laser comb must have some benefit. I would advise men not to bother with it though, just my opinion.

[Tracy C]

I didn't say it doesn't work, just that there is a lack of evidence for its' effectiveness.

When Lexington went through the process of gaining FDA clearance, they had to prove both safety and efficacy. Lexington had to submit several studies to gain clearance, including a completely separate study for female hair loss. The studies they submitted where well designed, double blind, placebo controlled studies that were also well executed and well monitored by an independent entity. The results were that the increase in hair count was statistically significant and sufficient to gain FDA clearance for treating specific patterns of male and female hereditary hair loss for people with specific skin types. That would not have happened if there was a lack of evidence. However I would like to see larger studies done myself on the laser comb and the other treatments mentioned.

I now know several women who are using the laser comb. Each and every one of them are benefiting from using it to some degree - and every little bit helps. That is what's called "real world evidence". Unfortunately, I do not know very many males who have tried it and gained much benefit from it. For example; My sister and I both use it and we are benefiting from it. One of our brothers tried it but didn't gain any benefit at all. It is important that I point out at this time that our brothers degree of hair loss is Norwood VI, which is beyond what the laser comb is cleared to treat. This is why I now make a point to say I think it probably works better for women. The study results submitted to the FDA also show that it works better for women. Since female hair loss is typically diffuse, it makes sense that younger males with diffuse hair loss will probably benefit from using it as well. The laser comb does work - but it doesn't work for everybody. Nothing works for everybody. Will it work for you? The only way to truly find out is to try it yourself.

[BigThinker]

Not really, but if you refuse to see it you won't see it.

Let me remind you that my sister and I both actually use it - and have used it for several years. We know what it does by now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confounding

[Tracy C]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confounding

For those first six months of treating my hair loss, the laser comb was the only treatment I used, so there were no confounding factors. Using the laser comb gave me noticeable improvement in my hair. I started using Rogaine after I saw that the laser comb was working for me - and of course once I realized my hair loss could be treated I wanted more. I started Spiro six months after that. So it went like this:

First six month period I used only the laser comb.

Second six month period I used both the laser comb and women's Rogaine.

From that point on I have been using the laser comb, men's Rogaine and Spiro.

[inspects]

For those first six months of treating my hair loss, the laser comb was the only treatment I used, so there were no confounding factors. Using the laser comb gave me noticeable improvement in my hair. I started using Rogaine after I saw that the laser comb was working for me - and of course once I realized my hair loss could be treated I wanted more. I started Spiro six months after that. So it went like this:

First six month period I used only the laser comb.

Second six month period I used both the laser comb and women's Rogaine.

From that point on I have been using the laser comb, men's Rogaine and Spiro.

Keep up the good work, Tracy...!

[Dan26]

From that point on I have been using the laser comb, men's Rogaine and Spiro.

I'm tellin' ya Trace, minoxidil sulphate would work even better for ya! I imagine with the transplants and what you are currently using you are holding up pretty good though?

[Spex]

Hi Tracey,

I respect you a great deal and you are an very well regarded poster not just by me but the community

I am not a woman or a diffuse thinner so possibly why it didnt work for me.

Im glad you feel its worked for you and i hope it continues to

Best regards
Spence

[Dan26]

PS FDA is evil yo....not that there are any health concerns with using a laser comb lol, just sayin....

[Tracy C]

I respect you a great deal and you are an very well regarded poster not just by me but the community

Thank you. I respect you a great deal too.

I am not a woman or a diffuse thinner so possibly why it didnt work for me.

The more people I talk to who use it or have tried it, the more I am believing this to be the case. To offer an analogy that may better describe what I am talking about; think about losing weight. Take two people who need to lose weight, one is well over 300 pounds and the other is just under 200 pounds. If they both lose 30 pounds, the 30 pound loss will show much more on the person who was under 200 pounds than the person who was over 300 pounds.

Now if we translate that kind of analogy to hair loss; A person who is a Norwood V is not going to see as much benefit as a person who is a Norwood IV. A person who is a Norwood IV is not going to see as much benefit as a person who is a Norwood III - and so on. A person who is a diffuse thinner is more likely to see appreciable benefit than a person who has a well defined pattern of loss. This how it happened in my family between myself, my sister and our brother. My sister and I can see appreciable benefit, our brother who is a Norwood VI experienced no appreciable benefit from using it at all. Those few males I have talked to who have experienced appreciable benefit were males who either had lesser degrees of loss or were diffuse thinners.

[Tracy C]

PS FDA is evil yo....

I cannot agree with that simply because I know better. I would not say they are saint's either. They are just people like you and me. Most of whom are trying to do the best job they are able to do. They are certainly not perfect - but they are not evil.

You want to see real evil, just take a good close look at the snake oil market of shady unproven treatments for hair loss.