We’ve all heard about the marvels of lasers, from the technological breakthroughs in laser surgery to whitening teeth. But did you know that there have been breakthroughs using lasers as a hair loss treatment using low-light lasers? In fact, the technology behind lasers as a hair loss treatment, also called “laser hair regrowth therapy” has been around for more than twenty years, and has been used extensively in Europe successfully treating hair loss. Only in the past decade have low-light lasers come into widespread use in laser hair regrowth therapy here in the Unites States. Hand-held laser devices have recently been approved by the FDA as a hair loss treatment, giving it a new credibility it has long enjoyed in Europe.

While studies show that some 90% of clients who use laser hair regrowth therapy as a hair loss treatment method see a marked change in the quality of their hair, its thickness and its shedding, there’s more to the story than that. A reputable hair treatement clinic will tell you what many other clinics won’t tell you: that hair loss is a complex issue and your results will vary depending on the care you get. If you choose a treatment like laser hair regrowth therapy, you will want to visit a reputable practitioner for best results that will address your individual hair loss situation.

So what are the top five things you should know when looking into laser hair regrowth therapy?

• When choosing a hair loss treatment, seek out a multi-therapeutic approach – While steady and effective laser hair regrowth therapy will make a difference in your hair, your best results will be seen using a multi-therapeutic approach. What does that mean? It means taking advantage of all the technology out there. What we know is that the major cause of male and female pattern baldness is the excess of something called DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) in the scalp. DHT effectively cuts off the nutrition of a hair follicle (oxygen, blood supply, nutrients.) With laser hair regrowth therapy the low-light laser penetrates this level of the skin, counteracting the DHT and allowing a richer blood flow to reach the hair follicle. But used in conjunction with a hair loss treatment such as DHT inhibitors like Rogaine, Propecia and/or Minoxidil with 5% saw palmetto can greatly improve the quality of the hair loss treatment. Products like these help to stop shedding in its tracks, giving the laser hair regrowth therapy a chance to work. Also, shampoos that inhibit DHT with products like saw palmetto and other DHT-blocking herbs promote a healthy scalp can improve circulation and overall effectiveness of laser hair regrowth therapy.

• Length of Treatment – Contrary to popular myth, use of laser hair regrowth therapy is not a one-stop shopping experience. It’s a long-term hair loss treatment; a real commitment and results will not begin to be seen until a client has been using the clinic’s low light laser for at least three months. That’s partly due to the hair’s life cycle. As new hair begins to emerge, it comes in thicker and stronger. But most successful clients make a commitment of between 1-2 years of office visits and then maintain their new, healthier hair with a hand-held home laser, an important and inexpensive part of the hair loss treatment.

• With laser hair regrowth therapy, the more diodes the better – Diodes are the little points of light emitted by a low-light laser. In a typical clinic low-light laser, there are diodes placed strategically in the curved surface of the machine that can treat the entire scalp at once. But make sure you look for the number of diodes your machine has. The more diodes, the better (more effectively) the laser will work. This is why, for laser hair regrowth therapy, hand-held lasers (which use fewer diodes) are preferred for maintenance, not the initial hair loss treatment.

• Consult an expert in laser hair regrowth therapy – There are many less-than-legit treatment clinics opening up, claiming to know the business. Anyone can purchase a low light laser and call himself an expert. But an expert clinic will employ both doctors specializing in treatment, and knowledgeable consultants on their teams. When you decide to look into laser hair regrowth therapy, be sure to check the pedigree of the clinic you’re visiting. The laser hair loss experts you are seeking have been in business for a long time and have great reputations that are easily researched online. Experts at these treatment clinics can tell you exactly what you need and what will and won’t work for your particular hair loss condition. Don’t settle for less than the best.