Category Archives: Low Level Laser Therapy

HairMax Lasercomb, Lasercomb, LLLT, Low Level Laser Therapy

HairMax LaserComb 9 vs LaserComb 12

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When it comes to the best laser hair growth devices, the HairMax LaserComb is the oldest well known product on the market. And it is a lot cheaper than laser helmets and laser caps. I briefly covered Lexington International (the company that owns Hairmax) a few years ago when its president Leonard Stillman commented on this blog.

Update: April 3, 2025

There is a new laser comb from Jitesy that is currently on sale for $100 after a $30 off coupon. The manufacturer claims that it is FDA cleared and can be used by both men and women.

January 13, 2020

HairMax (part of Lexington International) currently has two laser comb models on the market. The Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb and the Ultima 12 LaserComb.

HairMax LaserComb

HairMax LaserComb
HairMax LaserComb.

The LaserComb’s inventor and CEO is David Michaels. The first LaserComb device obtained US FDA 501(k) clearance to market for use in balding male androgenetic alopecia sufferers in 2007.

Approval for female pattern hair loss patients came in 2011. At the time, they had three devices: HairMax LaserComb Advanced 7; HairMax LaserComb Lux 9; and HairMax LaserComb Professional 12.

A study in 2009 concluded that:

“HairMax LaserComb is an effective, well tolerated and safe laser phototherapy device for the treatment of AGA in males.”

Another study from 2014 found “a statistically significant difference in the increase in terminal hair density” between lasercomb-treated versus sham-treated subjects.

HairMax currently has two laser comb models on the market. The Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb and the Ultima 12 LaserComb. Both products come with money-back guarantees and warranties. A directly competing product is the NutraStim Laser Hair Comb, although it seems to have become unavailable in recent years. Other more expensive (non-comb) low-level laser therapy (LLLT) products for hair growth include Theradome and Revian Red and iRestore. HairMax itself also sells a laserband.

Dateline covered the LaserComb quite favorably in 2011, with before and after photos and patient feedback included. I even mentioned that story in a post in 2014. Thereafter, a whole bunch of new companies have come out with FDA-cleared low-level laser devices to grow hair. None are laser comb or brush type products that entail combing one’s hair daily or several times a week.

HairMax Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb

HairMax Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb.
HairMax Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb.

On Amazon, the price of the Ultima 9 is currently $190. The sometimes also offer a bonus coupon available as an add-on. The combined LaserComb 9 and 12 models have an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars, based on 1,630 customers. On the manufacturer HairMax international’s own site, 204 customers have rated the product at 4.4/5 stars as of today based on 395 reviews.

Recently, I saw the HairMax Lasercomb 9 for sale at $180. Of the numerous well known brand name low-level laser therapy devices on the market, this is by far the best price. You can purchase lesser known unproven brands at lower prices.

The HairMax Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb comes with the following features and properties:

  • FDA Clearance.
  • 9 Medical grade lasers (but no LEDs).
  • Cordless with rechargeable battery.
  • Power cord also available.
  • 11 minute treatment time.

On the Best Buy, Costco and Macy’s websites, the price of this Ulima 9 product is currently $190-$200 (Edit: no longer available for sale on those sites). Walmart currently has a refurbished Hairmax Prima 9 Classic LaserComb for sale at just $145.

Make sure to also see this official Lexington video on how to use the HairMax Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb.

HairMax Ultima 12 LaserComb

HairMax Ultima 12 Laser Comb.
HairMax Ultima 12 Laser Comb.

HairMax’s newest LaserComb model is the Ultima 12. On Amazon, the combined LaserComb 9 and 12 models have an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars, based on 1,630 customers. The Ultima 12 is currently priced at $348 after a discount. Edit: The Ultima 12 is currently on sale at Beauty Club for $249.

The average rating on Walmart’s website in the past was a much better 4.4/5, based on far fewer customer reviews. Almost the same rating can be seen on HairMax’s Ultima 12 product page. On Bed Bath & Beyond’s site, the Beyond+ members discounted current price is $317. However, the currently the product is unavailable.

The main advantage of Ultima 12 over Ultima 9 is that while the former has 12 lasers, the latter has 9. Treatment time is just 8 minutes with the Ultima 12, versus 11 minutes with the Ultima 9.

Laser Comb Reviews and Ratings

I am quite surprised to see so many positive HairMax LaserComb reviews considering its weaker strength compared to more expensive LLLT devices such as laser caps and laser helmets. An average of 4.0/5 across the diverse list of vendors and retailers that I listed above is quite impressive for a laser comb product.

In online hair loss forums, a large number of people seem to conclude no significant hair growth benefit from using laser combs for hair growth.

Safety and Side Effects

In 2012, Lexington released the results of its sponsored clinical study on the efficacy of the LaserComb 7 beam model. Laser combs are safe and well tolerated phototherapy devices used to treat androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). I have never heard of anyone complaining about major side effects upon using these products to promote hair growth. However, lasers and light can be dangerous to the eyes, so do not do this type of thing.

Note that almost no-one claims that lasers will regrow hair follicles on totally bald regions of the scalp. At best, they can make existing thinning hair stronger via photo-biostimulation and light energy. And possibly regrow recently miniaturized hair follicles.

Some studies suggest that laser light energy stimulation of the mitochondria and cells can also promote new hair growth. At least in modest quantities. However, some of these same studies are sponsored by laser device manufacturers. Hopefully this does not bias results, but one needs to be careful when analyzing findings in support of LLLT.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about the HairMax LaserComb.

Is HairMax FDA approved?

In 2007, HairMax was granted the first ever FDA clearance as a laser phototherapy device for home use to treat hair loss. Since then, Hairmax devices have received a total of 8 FDA Clearances.

What is the side effect of using laser combs?

Laser combs generally cause no major side effects if used correctly as instructed. In some cases, you can get mild scalp redness and itching. As with all laser devices, a mild burning sensation and smell is also possible, although this is never dangerous. Do not use the device on wet hair.

Does HairMax work for hair loss?

While the HairMax laser comb can improve your hair quality and thickness and even regrow some hair, it is not a cure for androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss).

How often should you use the lasercomb?

According to the manufacturer of the device, the HairMax LaserComb needs to be used 3 times a week per the recommendation from clinical trial findings. Each treatment session lasts for 8-15 minutes. Overuse will not garner any further hair growth benefits.

Revian Red, LLLT, Low Level Laser Therapy

Revian Red Light Therapy for Hair Growth

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Revian Lyte Cap
Revian Lyte Laser Cap for Hair Growth.

Note that the Revian Red System is finally on sale on Amazon. Average reviews for the Revian Red cap so far are 4.0/5 stars based on 23 ratings. They sell two products: The Revian Lyte Cap with 102 medical-grade LEDs and the more expensive Revian Red Cap with 119 medical-grade LEDs. Both features the company’s patented dual-wavelength technology.

Update: January 10, 2025

Revian Reduces DHT Production

Revian just published a groundbreaking new study in the Journal of Biophotonics. The researchers found that a combination of red and red-orange light induces nitric oxide (NO) release and decreases dihydrotestosterone (DHT) synthesis. In fact the company’s patented combination of 620 and 660 nm LED-emitted light reduces DHT production by 79% “in laboratory studies”. If always true in real life settings, this is significantly superior to finasteride in the short term.

Update: January 21, 2020 — Revian Red got very positive and compelling hair growth in final clinical trial results. They used the same primary and secondary endpoints as were used in past finasteride and minoxidil studies. Itching and burning of the scalp was also reduced with device use. Also check out Revian parent company Know Bio’s product release article. The LED laser light wavelengths are a combination of 620 nanometers and 660 nanometers. Of note, Revian received a USPTO patent No. 10,525,275 on the use of proprietary color combinations of light to regenerate living tissue in the body.

September 17, 2019

Revian Red Laser
Revian Red Light Therapy for Hair Growth.

It has been a long time since I wrote a post on low level laser therapy (LLLT) to treat hair loss. Although a very controversial subject, there are a number of studies that suggest LLLT can benefit hair growth. There are nowadays many low-level laser devices to treat hair loss.

Almost always, laser therapy will not bring back hair in totally bald areas of the scalp. However, LLLT can make existing hair thicker according to many findings. The latest study in support of low level laser therapy for hair growth was published in Lasers in Medical Science in August 2019.

Revian Red Hair Growth System

In April 2019, a new laser system (cap) for hair growth called Revian Red entered the market. It is sold by Revian (North Carolina, US), a business unit of PhotonMD, which in turn is a subsidiary of Know Bio. Revian Red is FDA cleared for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in both men and women. Note the difference between FDA approved and FDA cleared.

Revian Red Laser Cap
Revian Red Laser Cap with Smartphone Mobile App.

One of the more interesting aspects about Revian Red is that it is a wireless cap that comes with a phone app that you can use to take photos and track results. The app also reminds you of the 10 minutes per day treatment schedule.

Groundbreaking LED Technology

Also of interest, Revian Red is based on red light emitting diode (LED) technology, which is different from existing LLLT devices. See my past post on laser therapy for hair loss and wavelength. Red light wavelength ranges from 400 nm to 700 nm.

According to company CEO and device inventor Dr. Nathan Stasko, this LED technology is known as modulated light therapy (MLT). According to Dr. Stasko, Revian Red is the first FDA cleared all LED hair growth product with supporting laboratory data. The latter shows that LED light penetrates the skin better than laser light at an identical fluence of 1J/cm2. Additionally the LEDs are lighter weight and deliver more light with less power, enabling the product to be cordless during its use. He further adds:

“Laser diodes used in LLLT and LEDs are different light sources. Lasers are coherent light, while LEDs are incoherent light with a wide viewing angle. The knock on LEDs was that they were not high power. That is true if you are referring to Christmas tree bulb semiconductor materials. But with the advancement of LEDs (that now even power car headlights), Revian Red devices are able to attain a high output in lumens/watts.”

Clinical Trials

Revian Red underwent clinical trials in Australia that were led my the famous dermatologist Rodney Sinclair. According to Revian’s own site, clinical trial results have been favorable and there are no significant side effects. However, the results are not as yet officially published, even though the trials were completed in May 2019. In a September 2019 press release, there is an encouraging quote from Dr. Rodney Sinclair:

“It took almost 20 years to work out the ideal wavelengths of light, the best fluence or ‘power’, how long the treatments should last and how often the treatments need to be repeated.”

Before Revian: Other Laser Devices

I have covered a number of other low level laser therapy devices on this blog in the past. These include combs, helmets and caps. You should check the reviews and ratings of all of the below before making a decision on which device to purchase.

The oldest of these FDA cleared lasers is the HairMax LaserComb, while the more recent of these is the Theradome Laser Helmet. Also cleared are the funky looking iGrow Laser Helmet; the iRestore Hair Growth System; and the Capillus Laser Therapy Cap.