Will a £1,000 laser cap help your hair grow back?

Just the latest in a range of devices that use light therapies to ease common ailments

Light devices — specifically LED ones — are being used to treat a range of medical conditions, including skin complaints, incontinence and depression.

And there is now a growing range of light devices you can use at home, which the manufacturers say can be just as effective. But are they really? 

Claire Coleman asked medical experts to assess some of the latest products on the market. We then rated them.

Hair Loss

Wontech Hair Boom

£995, novusmedicaluk.com

Claim: This ‘is a non-invasive low-level laser therapy [LLLT] system for hair regrowth and hair regeneration’ that is ‘clinically proven to stimulate new hair growth’, according to the manufacturer. Wear once a day for 18 minutes for results in a month.

Expert verdict: Dr Anastasia Therianou, a consultant dermatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London, says: ‘Studies of LLLT show some efficacy when it comes to improving hair growth in certain patients, such as those with female-pattern hair loss.

‘According to the theory, the light energy is turned into heat energy, increasing cell energy and blood flow to the cells that are responsible for hair growth. But more studies are needed to prove this.

‘It would be most suitable for male or female-pattern baldness and scalp psoriasis. I don’t see this as a first-line treatment as we have effective treatments such as minoxidil and finasteride [in men], but LLLT may be worth trying for people who can’t take tablets or who have allergies to topical products.’

6/10 

Rosacea

ICI Cosmetic The Rosacea LED Mask Phototherapy Face Care

£59.95, icicosmetic.co.uk

Claim: ‘Thanks to its 150 high-intensity LED lights, this face mask stimulates your skin cell’s self-healing capacities while reducing inflammation and strongly reducing the population of Demodex mites on your skin,’ says the maker, which recommends starting with a five-minute treatment three times a week.

Rosacea causes skin reddening — thought to be linked to abnormalities in facial blood vessels or an immune reaction to Demodex mites, commonly found on the face.

Expert verdict: ‘Some studies support the idea that this type of light can reduce the redness of rosacea,’ says Dr Therianou. 

‘It’s possible that part of the reason light therapy can be effective is because it disrupts the life cycle of Demodex mites, thought to be partly responsible for it.

‘However, a 2019 review shows low-to- moderate-certainty evidence for light treatment.

‘This may be helpful in addition to a topical regimen, in milder rosacea, or for those who don’t respond to other treatments.’

4/10 

Pain

Photizo Pain Relief

£299, danetrehealthproducts.com

Claim: The manufacturer says this ‘gun’ is ideal for treating chronic pain and ‘uses red and near infrared LEDs to stimulate cell activity, which accelerates your natural healing process’.

Expert verdict: Dr Morrison says: ‘I couldn’t find specific trials relating to this device, but independent randomised controlled trials using infrared light to treat chronic back pain seem to show the technology can reduce swelling and pain, and improve healing.

‘Infrared light creates thermal energy, which increases the energy and efficiency of cells, meaning improved cell repair, increased blood flow and reduced inflammation.

‘The technology is used by physiotherapists and, while I don’t think it will “cure” a ruptured tendon, it won’t do harm and may aid recovery.’

6/10 

Psoriasis and eczema 

Derma UVB Narrowband Phototherapy Lamp

£149, carelamps.com

Claim: This UVB lamp comes with ‘treatment instructions for psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo’, and it is the same specification as lamps used in hospital photo (light) therapy units throughout the world, says the manufacturer.

Expert verdict: ‘There’s no doubt that UVB phototherapy has been proven to be helpful for both psoriasis and for eczema,’ says Dr Therianou.

‘The mechanism by which it works is not 100 per cent understood, but it’s thought to decrease the inflammation.

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‘Although there is a theoretical risk of increasing skin cancer susceptibility [from exposure to UVB], that doesn’t seem to be borne out by studies and it’s a relatively safe treatment.

‘In a clinical setting we always test to find the appropriate dose to ensure the patient doesn’t get burnt, which can be a risk. Please consult a doctor before using this lamp for an extended period of time.’

8/10 

Nasal congestion

Infrared Rhinitis Therapy Device

£21.99, buysimple.co.uk

Claim: Comprised of two prongs that emit 630nm red light, this battery-powered device is intended for use once a day for four-and-a-half minutes.

The maker says that rhinitis, sinusitis, hay fever and associated nasal congestion problems are ‘the result of contaminants in the back of the nasal passage’ that infrared technology can ‘alleviate’.

Expert verdict: Dr Clare Morrison, a GP with online pharmacy medexpress.co.uk, says: ‘I was sceptical about this but I looked at the research into devices like it and one study that compared infrared light with normal light in a group of people with rhinitis discovered that 72 per cent of the treated group found improvements, compared with just 24 per cent in the placebo group.

‘I’m not convinced that this is because the infrared light reduces the contaminants in the back of the nasal passage, as the maker claims.

‘We know that treatments for rhinitis are not very effective so if you have tried others without success it might be worth giving this a go.

‘But shop around because there seem to be less expensive models out there that are based on similar technology.’

5/10 

Cold sores 

Virulite

£94.50, virudist.com

Claim: The Virulite battery-powered anti-cold sore device is ‘clinically proven to work with zero reported side-effects’. It uses light to shorten the healing time of a cold sore, the maker says. It should be shone at cold sores three times a day for three minutes over two consecutive days.

Expert verdict: Dr Morrison says: ‘Independent studies suggest infrared treatment is effective for cold sores [caused by the herpes simplex virus]. The heat generated thins the liquid in cells, which means the chemical reactions the cells perform speed up, accelerating the immune response.

‘This device is safe for home use but hasn’t been through the same clinical tests as antiviral drug acyclovir so should be used in addition to it, rather than as a replacement.’

7/10 

Weakened pelvic floor and vaginal dryness 

vSculpt

£395, uk.vsculpt.com

Claim: This device claims to ‘restore vaginal tissue and tone your pelvic floor muscles for better bladder control, sensitivity, lubrication, and overall intimate health’, by rebuilding collagen [a structural protein] with vibration, heat and infrared light. Use ‘every other day for 45 to 60 days’.

Expert verdict: Professor Stergios Doumouchtsis, a consultant obstetrician gynaecologist at Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, says: ‘There is no extensive, high-quality research evidence on the efficacy of applications of thermal energy in the lower genital tract, although in principle they seem to be safe.

‘The thermal energy that can be administered via intravaginal applications seems to improve blood circulation and promote the creation of new collagen. The vibration could distract the brain from pain — but I’m not sure how it could improve muscle tone.’

Low mood

Lumie Vitamin L Sad Lamp

£75, lumie.com

Claim: The size of a small desktop mirror, this lamp delivers 10,000 lux (which research suggests is effective to counter low mood linked to low light levels in winter) and is said to be a ‘convenient way to treat SAD [seasonal affective disorder] or improve mood, energy and focus’. 

The maker advises using it for 30 minutes a day at a distance of 16cm.

Expert verdict: ‘There is quite a lot of evidence that light boxes can help treat seasonal low mood,’ says Dr Morrison.

‘In the winter, a lack of sunlight causes the body to produce more of the hormone melatonin, an excess of which can make you feel depressed. Light boxes help inhibit its production.

‘Studies suggest this sort of treatment is most effective first thing in the morning. It is worth trying, but if low mood persists for two weeks and seems to be getting worse, you should consult your GP.’

8/10 

Source: Daily Mail