Red Light Therapy for Hair Loss: Does It Work?

Key Takeaways:

• Red light therapy for hair loss may help stimulate hair growth, particularly in people with male or female pattern hair loss.

• Research suggests it can improve hair density and thickness, but results vary.

• Red light therapy is FDA-cleared, non-invasive, and generally well-tolerated.

• It’s not a guaranteed solution to hair loss and works best when combined with doctor-trusted ingredients like minoxidil.

If you’ve spent any time researching hair loss solutions, you’ve probably come across red light therapy for hair loss.

It’s safe and often promoted as a drug-free way to support hair growth. But does red light therapy work for hair loss? It very well might.

We’ll break down what red light therapy is, what the research says, and how it works.

Red light therapy is also called photobiomodulation, low-level light therapy, or low-level laser therapy (LLLT). It’s a treatment that exposes the scalp to specific wavelengths of red or near-infrared light, typically between 650 and 1200 nanometers (nm).

When the wavelengths are directed at your scalp, the light energy is thought to promote healthy hair growth by:

• Encouraging hair follicles to move into the growth (anagen) phase of the hair growth cycle

• Increasing how long hair follicles stay in the anagen phase 

• Increasing the rate of hair growth in active anagen hair follicles  

• Preventing hair follicles from entering the transition (catagen) phase prematurely

Red light therapy might also stimulate tissue regeneration and repair at the cellular level.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared some red light therapy devices as a treatment for male and female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). 

Red light devices include:

• Helmets

• Hats

• Combs

• Headbands

Red light therapy can be done in a dermatologist’s office or with at-home devices.

Treatments vary, but you’d typically do a red light therapy treatment session for 5 to 20 minutes, several times a week, for 6 months or longer.

Short answer: Yes. Red light therapy might help with hair growth, but it’s not a sure thing.

“Some scientific evidence supports LLLT as an effective hair loss treatment,“ says one of our medical reviewers, board-certified dermatologist Knox Beasley, MD. Dr. Beasley adds that it’s a painless treatment and easy to do at home.

In multiple clinical trials, participants using red light devices saw greater improvements in hair loss than those using placebo devices, with minimal reported side effects. Most of these trials involved people with male or female pattern hair loss.

Studies suggest that red light therapy may:

• Improve hair thickness and density

• Increase hair count

• Slow down hair loss

• Promote new hair growth

• Speed up healing after a hair transplant 

• Promote skin rejuvenation, which may be helpful if you have a scalp condition

But if you’re after significant improvements, consider this:

• Red light therapy may be better when combined with other treatments. Some research shows that a combination of red light therapy and minoxidil is particularly effective.

• Multiple treatment sessions are needed. Most clinical trials on red light therapy involve several sessions per week for a few months or more. Patience and consistency are key.

• Not all at-home devices are the same. “The more diodes on the helmet, the more even the scalp coverage, and the less treatment time necessary,“ Dr. Beasley says. Medical-grade devices, which have more light-emitting diodes, tend to be more expensive.

For best results, do multiple treatment sessions a week with a quality device, and combine your treatments with minoxidil.

Consider asking a medical professional — like a general practitioner (GP) or dermatologist — for more personalized advice.

Currently, the most widely used option for treating hair loss in women is the medication minoxidil. This can be combined with red light therapy to maximize results.

Minoxidil promotes hair growth by moving hair follicles into an active growth state (the anagen phase). It may also stimulate blood flow to your scalp, giving your hair follicles a stronger supply of nutrients for healthy growth.

It comes in multiple forms, including:

• Minoxidil solution

• Minoxidil foam

• Oral minoxidil 

Topical minoxidil is FDA-approved for hair loss and available over the counter (OTC). Oral minoxidil is an off-label medication that calls for a prescription.

Other treatment options for female hair loss include:  

• Spironolactone, which can help counter the effects of male sex hormones (androgens)

• Topical finasteride for women in postmenopause

• Hair growth supplements, which may work if a nutritional deficiency is contributing to hair loss

• Hair transplant surgery for advanced hair loss

Fyi: Finasteride isn’t safe if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Typically, it’s only prescribed for women in the postmenopausal stage.

A healthcare professional can help figure out the best treatment plan based on your specific needs.

→ Explore your options: Best Hair Loss Treatments for Women

Red light therapy is a promising hair loss treatment. While research suggests it may improve hair count and slow down hair thinning, more studies are needed to confirm how effective it is.

Still, it has a solid safety profile, so it may be worth trying — especially if you combine it with other treatment options, like minoxidil.

If you’re seeing changes in your hair that worry you, the first step is talking with a healthcare provider. You can connect with a licensed provider specializing in hair loss through Hers.

See answers to common questions about red light therapy for female hair loss.

Does red light therapy work for hair growth?

Red light therapy may work for hair growth. Clinical studies suggest it can improve hair density and thickness, especially in people with male or female pattern hair loss (the most common type of hair loss). Red light therapy may be particularly effective when combined with minoxidil. But results vary, and more research is needed.

Is red light therapy safe for women?

Yes. FDA-cleared red light therapy devices are generally considered safe for women. They’re associated with fewer side effects than other hair loss treatment options when used as directed.

How long does red light therapy take to work?

Most studies evaluate results after 4 to 6 months of consistent use, so it will probably take multiple months for red light therapy to work for hair growth in terms of visible results. Usually, it involves multiple treatments every week. It’s not a quick fix for hair loss and requires patience and consistency.

Can I use red light therapy with minoxidil?

Yes, you can use red like therapy with minoxidil. Some research suggests red light therapy may work even better when combined with topical minoxidil than when either treatment is used alone.

Is red light therapy better than medication?

Not necessarily. Medications like minoxidil are better studied and more consistently effective for hair loss. Think of red light therapy as a complementary treatment option rather than a replacement for FDA-approved medication like minoxidil.

→ Read next: Is Minoxidil Safe for Women? Uses, Side Effects, and More

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards.