Laser Treatment for Hair Loss Procedure


If you are beginning to notice that you are experiencing hair loss, then it is better to consider undertaking treatment using lasers sooner rather than later. This is due to the fact that the earlier you begin using laser treatment for your hair loss, the more receptive your hair follicles will be to the stimulation by the lasers and the more they will grow in response. This will enhance the hair growth results of your laser treatment.

Planning Your Laser Treatment for Hair Loss Procedure

In order to plan your laser treatment for hair loss you should consider where on your scalp you are looking to increase your hair growth. A number of the laser treatments will simply apply the laser to the entirety of your scalp, however if you are using a handheld device that you apply yourself, or using a clinic that uses a smaller laser directed in a more localised area then you will need to consider the area of treatment. This will be done during your consultation with your laser treatment team if you are having your therapy carried out in a clinic. If you are using a home laser device then you should be sure to think about this aspect very carefully before you start using the device. This is because you want to ensure that you are increasing growth in your balding areas and not necessarily in any areas where you already have very thick hair (as this could exacerbate the impression of baldness).


Your clinic will come up with a treatment plan for you that will include a total length of treatment and the frequency of sessions. For example you may need to visit the clinic once a month in order to have a 20 minute laser treatment session for twelve months. During this time your therapist will also plan review sessions with you (for example every three months) where you would meet up to discuss your progress. It is important that the regularity and total length of your treatment fit with your lifestyle and the results that you want to gain from your laser treatment for hair loss. For example, if you have a function (such as a wedding) in 3 months time that you wish to have improved coverage for, then you would need to ensure that your therapist was aware of this so they could plan a 3 month total treatment plan (where you might visit the clinic every week in order to see a results after 3 months).

Many clinics will ask you to sign a consent form once they have spoken to you about your medical history in order to check that you understand the procedure and the expected results (as well as the possible risks). They might also take a photograph of your hair at this point which they will use as the “before” photo. This means that at the end of your treatment you will be able to compare a “before” and “after” photo of your head to see the results of your laser treatment for hair loss.

The Laser Treatment for Hair Loss Procedure

If you are having your laser treatment carried out in a clinic, you will first be asked to position yourself in the treatment position. This will either take the form of a chair underneath a domed machine (a little like you would in a hair dressers) or a chair with a few laser panels built into it (that are usually tri-panel units) or just a normal chair (if the laser instrument is hand held by your therapist). You will be asked to get comfortable although most laser sessions will only last for around 20 minutes so it will not take too long.

You will then remain seated for 20 minutes either with your head within the doomed instrument that has the lasers within the inner ring of the dome or with you head within the frame work of the tri-panel unit of lasers. If your clinic uses a hand held device then your therapist will be holding it a specific distance from your scalp and either slowly moving the device around the area of your scalp. Depending on your planned treatment the hand held device could either be moved around to cover the entirety of your scalp over the period of the session or just the areas that you are experiencing hair loss. This will depend on your wishes as well as the standard operating procedures of your chosen clinic (where some clinics will always wish to put the laser over your entire scalp).

In addition, many clinics will also provide you with a hand held laser device to use at home. This will be a much lower intensity device (often placed within a comb so that the laser works as you comb your hair) and this ensures that you get the best results from your treatment as possible by enhancing the therapy regimen. For best results you should be sure to comply with the regime set by your laser therapist.  

The Results of Laser Treatment for Hair Loss

Unlike more invasive hair replacement methods, laser treatment for hair loss will not give you any immediate result and you are unlikely to see any visible sign that your hair coverage is increasing for between six to twelve months. However, you may be able to see a reduction in the amount of hair that is being lost when you comb it in some cases.  The amount of time it takes for you to see a palpable result will depend on your hair type, the intensity of the laser beam being used in your treatment, the length and frequency of your laser treatment sessions and the response of your hair to the therapy.

If your clinic took a picture of your head at the start of your treatment then they will probably take another photo at the end of your treatment so that you are able to visually compare the different in your hair cover since the start of your laser therapy. They may even use these photos to advertise their service if your results were very good! If your clinic does not take a “before” photos then you could consider taking this yourself so that you can personally see your progress as you carry out your laser treatment for hair loss. You might even want to start a hair photo album, taking a new photo every month so that you can visually track your progress. However, you should not expect to see any big changes very quickly.

If you are in the unlucky 10% then you may find that your hair never responds to the laser treatment and in this case you will see no change in the amount of hair growth or hair loss even after twelve months. Unfortunately you will be unlikely to be able to claim a refund if this is the case. 

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