Nonablative Er:YAG Laser Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Clinical Observation

Abstract

Background and Aim: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common hair disorder with a low cure rate. Nonablative Er:YAG laser therapy is a novel treatment modality for AGA, representing an alternative to pharmacological and surgical treatment. To date, several small scale studies employing this laser treatment have demonstrated good results but the evidence is still limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate effectiveness and safety of a nonablative 2940 nm Er:YAG laser for treating AGA in female and male patients with both early and advanced stages of AGA.

Methods: Patients (22 male and 10 female) with active AGA were treated with 2940 nm nonablative Er:YAG laser (SMOOTH™ mode, 7 mm spot size, 7.5–10 J/cm², and frequency 2.5 Hz). Efficacy of treatment was evaluated clinically on a scale of 0–10 and with blind evaluation of hair appearance as seen in global photographs. Global photographs were taken before treatment and at 1-month follow-up and evaluated on a 5-point scale. Patient satisfaction was evaluated with a questionnaire on a scale from 0 to 3 and pain during treatment was evaluated with a pain scale from 0 to 10.

Results: Median clinical improvement was 6 (1–9), median satisfaction score was 3 (0–3), and median pain degree was 3 (0–10). According to blind evaluation, hair appearance at the 1-month FU was better in 63% and much better in 9% of the patients compared with the baseline. No adverse reactions were reported.

Conclusions: The results of this study corroborate the effectiveness of treatment with nonablative Er:YAG laser therapy for AGA. Six biweekly sessions resulted in general patient satisfaction and visible improvement in hair appearance.