Over the past year, I have kept hearing about the Alma TED™ ultrasound-based system for hair growth. The TED stands for “TransEpidermal Delivery”, meaning past the epidermis upper skin layer.
This device is made by Alma and it improves medication and growth factor delivery to the hair follicles. It was only in March 2022 that the company announced the launch of its new ultrasound based system Alma TED.
The device benefits hair growth via improving drug delivery as well as blood flow. On a somewhat related note, even sound therapy by itself can benefit hair growth per some findings.
Alma TED for Hair Loss
I decided to finally write this post after seeing that there is a presentation on Alma TED at this week’s AAD2023 meeting.
I covered a few of these American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) conferences in the past. This time, I leave it up to the readers to go through the various hair related sessions.
The above presenter Lady Christine Cheng Dy, MD has been at the forefront of using this technology. On her website, she has a video of herself getting the painless non-invasive Alma TED treatment. It works by “using acoustic sound waves and air pressure to drive active components deeper into the skin”. This leads to better and greater absorption.
Dr. Alan Bauman, another pioneer in the use of this technology has some great videos of this treatment on his site. He is upfront that Alma TED will not grow new hair follicles, but can make existing ones stronger. He uses a growth factor serum in combination with the ultrasound delivery.
Alma TED comes with a propriety tip that is engineered with Impact Delivery™ patented technology. Unlike PRP, this non-invasive, non-traumatic treatment does not require the use of injections or needles.
Better Drug Delivery
A few weeks ago, Dr. John Cole (see his site’s section on TED), mentioned something interesting to me:
“I am very curious about using Alma TED to deliver dutasteride and finasteride. TED opens a 3 micrometer channel in the skin. According to their chief scientific director, anything up to 800 daltons should go in. Finasteride is around 400 daltons and dutasteride is 500 plus daltons.”
Dr. Cole says that he has seen great patient results from TED. On his site, he elaborates that cavitation from the ultrasound separates the skin’s collagen network of fibers. This enables the delivery of a hair care formula at up to 4mm depth into the skin via the air pressure.
He further elaborates that TED is a two step process:
- First you open the channels.
- Then, at a higher intensity, you deliver the product.
Update: It seems like Dr. Cole did a self-experiment and used Alma TED to deliver Dutasteride, Latanoprost and Minoxidil to his scalp. I did not know this when I wrote this post.
Make sure to also read my past post on topical finasteride delivery mechanisms.
Bauman and Cole never met a revenue generating treatment they didn’t like.
So, let me get this straight…laser Ted doesn’t grow any new hairs, but makes them stronger! Btw: what on earth are daltons? Has Dr. Cole been eating them? Why does he have a one thousand yard stare?
I just looked at the link to Coles website for Alma Ted, here’s his last bullet point: “Helps to Restore a Full Head of Hair” . What a load of BS! The photos and marketing are basically another PRP money grab. Maybe has some limited benefit for early, female patients…very little to none for the vast majority of hair loss sufferers.
One thing I will add is that he seems to leave all his web content creation at the ends of a webmaster and third parties. Couple times in the past he asked me to refer to his webmaster for website corrections.
I appreciate that Admin, however this seems more like over zealous marketing than an error on the website. Surely the esteemed Dr. Cole has some level of control over the medical claims that are made on the site bearing his name.
The 3 doctors’ websites are using the same before/after pictures. Better delivery but what about systematic absorption and sides.
I wish they would have this as at home device. In Office use will not succed. I still hope for Moogene to have an at home device soon.
In office use would most certainly succeed if the treatment netted great, repeatable, proven results. This does not appear to be the case with this contraption.
Tens and other companies sell machines. I wonder if it’s comparable. Looks of home machines for ED. Full head of hair and an oak shaft. 18 again!
Hey Admin, even though my comments on this Alma Ted device aren’t very positive, I appreciate you bringing this news to us. I also appreciate that you post critical comments, some even of your advertisers on this site. You never push anything (treatments, meds, etc.) on your readers, more so you typically advise caution with unproven treatments, etc.
Thanks!
Why didn’t Dr. Cole use his very own CRP + A-cell concoction to hold on to what he had?
Hey Admin, was checking Kintor’s site for any new news and found this “Kintor Pharma’s KX-826 and GT20029 for Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) and Acne Presented at AAD 2023”
https://en.kintor.com.cn/news/238.html
No mention of any update on the China phase 3 trial though unfortunately
Thanks, yes was just about to update Kintor post as someone sent me earlier.
Looks like the comments here are already appropriately skeptical, but one other thing I’d like to point out is if Dr. Cole got such excellent results as suggested in the end of the video then why did he use a random close-up pic instead of actually filming himself with these supposed results. In no way does that pic confirm that it’s actually him. As far as anyone with common sense is concerned it’s just a random pic he threw in.