Abstract

The effects of hair lasers on skin blood flow , were measured on three different devices to establish the effect of scalp blood flow. The hair lasers used were HLTC laser therapy (InGaAl,670 nm ), an Italian manufactured (HeNe,632.8 nm ) laser containing one laser transferring light via fibres and lenses to the patient and a laser identical to the HLTC laser therapy where the lasers were replaced (placebo) by Light Emitting Diodes (LED).

Results

The differences in the laser systems are illustrated by the fact that HLTC laser therapy increased scalp blood flow 54%. The HeNe hair laser had no effect while the LED (placebo) decreased flow rate by 36%. In addition, the skin temperatures measured before and after the treatment showed little change.

	The Periflux Laser Doppler used for Microvascular Perfusion Measurement and Monitoring.
	Example of blood flow measurements curves on the scalp conducted in another test than the one presented here. Stockholm 1990. No.1 HLTC laser therapy demonstrates a clear increase in blood flow while No.2, the HeNe based system, demonstrates no improvement.

Laser Science AB's comments

• The construction of equipment that includes lasers is of great importance to treatment results. Laser light can be distributed with different techniques.
• HLTC laser therapy delivers the light directly from the laser source, without the loss of light properties and energy in order to ensure appropriate dosage.
• The HeNe system, on the other, loses a lot of the light properties and energy (48%). The result is a non beneficial treatment method.
• Results similar to the effect of the placebo laser, such as decreased blood flow have been reported in other trials but have so far not been explained.