Will laser treatment maintain minoxidil results?

Name:

Jamie

Question:  I am 18 and at VERY early stages of hair loss. I decided I’d “nip it in the bud” as early as possible. I’ve been on LLLT (low-level laser treatment) and 5% minoxidil for two months now and so far I haven’t seen a change at all (although I have lost a bit of hair). I am REALLY worried as I've heard horror stories about minoxidil causing permanent shedding of hair and not working. Do you reckon I will shed? Also, after my 6 months of treatment will I be able to stop using minoxidil as the laser, providing they do their job, should remove all DHT or will the newly grown hair, if any, just fall back out?

Answer: The increased shedding that can occur at the beginning of your treatment is normal. The hair shed within the first few months of taking minoxidil will grow back, if it is a case of male pattern hair loss. You may have read about permanent shedding but each case is different, and there might have been other factors involved. You need to continue using minoxidil at the end of your six months of treatment, cessation will lead to continuation of your hair loss. The low-level laser treatment is unlikely to retain whatever regrowth you gained through minoxidil, only continuation of that specific treatment will maintain results.

 

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