PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) therapy is a non-invasive treatment that makes use of electromagnetic fields to treat conditions ranging from fracture healing to pain reduction to depression. Their is insufficient clinical evidence regarding its success rate for treating almost any health conditions.
PEMF devices work via emitting low-frequency electromagnetic pulses, which penetrate deep into tissues and cells so as to theoretically enhance cellular function. PEMF is also known as low field magnetic stimulation (LFMS). PEMF is thought to influence human cellular behavior by inducing electrical changes in and around cells.
Innogene PEMF and PBMT Combination Therapy for Hair Loss
In 2020, South Korean scientists found that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields increased the expression of anagen-related molecules in human dermal papilla cells.
More recently, a 2022 study from South Korea concluded that pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) has a positive effect on hair growth.
The researchers used a PEMF and photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) combination device called A-GATE®. It is manufactured by Innogene (South Korea). Interestingly, in July 2024, Innogene got approval to treat hair loss via a mitochondrial upregulation shampoo called Innogene Mitoday.
The above 24-week study on 35 men and women concurrently used PEMF and PBMT therapy, with the latter also showing a positive effect on hair growth. PBMT is more commonly known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and many studies have shown the benefits of FDA cleared LLLT devices towards scalp hair growth. In the study, the use of PEMF with LLLT resulted in an increase of 25 hairs/cm2 versus 6.5 hairs/cm2 in the sham device control group.
PEMF and Hair Growth
In August 2024, an interesting paper was published by US and Spain based scientists that examined existing evidence for physical (device related) androgenetic alopecia treatments. They covered: the normal red light wavelength LLLT; the less common blue and yellow wavelength LLLT; fractional lasers; non-ablative lasers; PEMF; and microneedling.
They did not cover the use of sound to treat hair loss. And thankfully, no-one has as yet invented any devices to replicate burning or lightening injury spurred scalp hair growth.
The paper goes in great detail when it comes to PEMF. Both as a standalone treatment, and when part of a multimodal combination hair loss treatment. They list a number of decades old studies that show the positive effect of electrical fields on hair growth. I discussed some of these in my past post on electricity and hair growth. I wonder if we will ever get any new updates on Dr. Xudong Wang’s electricity zapping cap for hair growth?
Also not to forget, we already have the Niostem wearable electrical stimulation device on the market.
Among the older hair growth related studies mentioned in the review paper include:
- The biological effects of a pulsed electrostatic field on hair growth: Electrotrichogenesis (1990).
- Essential oils and low-intensity electromagnetic pulses in the treatment of androgen alopecia (2003).
- The 2022 South Korean study that I mentioned at the top of this post.
StimuField from StimuSIL
The above research was funded by StimuSIL (US) and several of the paper’s authors are affiliated with the company. They describe a proprietary hair loss treatment device in the paper. This invention combines microneedling with laser light energy delivery for hair growth. It can only be used in an in-clinic setting.
Of more relevance to this post, on August 2, 2024, StimuSIL announced plans to launch StimuField, a new wearable product entering their biomedical device pipeline. StimuField uses pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) to improve hair and scalp health in both men and women. It is meant for at-home use. Thanks to reader “Jon Doe” for sending me this update.
25 hairs/cm2 increase blows any current (and likely future) chemical treatment’s efficacy out of the water. It’s not even close to what the majority of people on this forum will need to have clinically significant improvement, but it’s not shuffling deck chairs on the titanic either…
I really think such devices will be great in supporting oral and topical treatments. The combination of different treatments will make the difference. So far UW Madison Xudong Wang is a big disappointment. The research was published 5 years ago and they claimed its working great. Since then nothing. I mean its a device not connected to the body. If its really working how difficult can it be to release? But my guess is that the stimulating patches mast be very close to the skin for many hours every day. Like glued to the skin as it was shown in mice trial. With the cap its maybe difficult.
The genius Dr. Michael Levin does a lot of research regarding bioelectricity:
https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/the-electrical-blueprints-that-orchestrate-life-michael-levin-ted-talk/
I‘m really looking forward to Niostem‘s clinical trial results. Stimusil has been around for quite some time, they don’t seem to really develop something as far as I comprehend? Is there a device?
Ben, you missed the last paragraph of the post :-)
Also, check the blog again later today.
I do that daily anyhow lol
Great to hear!
Yeah no I read it of course…I wanted to say that there’s nothing coming out for us customers soon, I don’t see a pipeline or a schedule. The research paper is confusing and all over the place. Wasn’t Stimusil affiliated with HairDao too?
So far it’s experimental devices in pre-clinical settings.
The clinic-device, yes okay. I find that not interesting personally. Will give you minor regrowth probably, but very expensive (as always for dermatological procedures) and must be repeated permanently I reckon. The hassle of going to the clinic is not worth it.
I think Niostem is more interesting and they are much further ahead plus more transparent.
As always: I root for every contender!
Now it as ETG more than 20 years ago. It is an scam.
I still think that underlying cause of MPB is the blockage of superficial temporal artery (STA) by our lower jaws. Norwood kicks in the gear as we hit puberty, lower jaw starts growing (powered by the sex hormones) and it slowly blocks the STA. Norwood hair loss stages closely resembles blood vessel network around our skulls. As the MPB progresses more and more blood vessels around the skull gets inflamed and blocked off leading to inevitable death of hair follicles and dome calcification. STA gets reduced flow > blood circulation out of our scalps gets disturbed > our immune system goes crazy in the scalp attacking hair follicles causing miniaturisation (and that horrible itch). We retain horseshoe pattern because side hairs are supplied by posterior articular artery that does not get blocked. Every individual may have varying network of blood vessels around the scalp. My cure for MPB – surgical intervention and opening up of STA by putting a stent in it. Females get MPB as well but since their lower jaws are not that big their STA are not completely blocked off and their MPB is off lesser extent.
Interesting, but how do you explain MTF hormone therapy that can reverse balding? Does it first reduce the jaw’s effect on the STA? Do transgender MTFs see a physical change in their jaw?
Another part of my theory is what actually happens in the scalps when our immune goes crazy and starts killing our HF. Reduced blood flow in to the scalp leads to stangnant blood that stays longer in the scalp than it should. So our immune system goes crazy trying to keep infections at bay in the scalp also attacking hair follicles. I do think that sex hormones (DHT) also has a role in the immune system response. Thats why Finesteride is effective, because its reduces immune system effects in the scalp. Minoxidil is effective because it icreases blood flow in the scalp and more blood reaches hair follicles. But minoxidil is not super effective by itself because immune system response is still killing everything in the scalp. I read that pre puberty eunuchs never MPB > no excesive jaw growth, no blockage of the STA no MPB. Puting a stent in now would not bring my NW0 hairline back because my hairline blood vessels are already dead and probably calcified. I find it funny that we keep trying to bring HF back to life without actually addressing the underlying cause of MPB
This is interesting. When you say “your cure,” are you hypothesising or has this been done somewhere?
Its just a theory and I am just a guy on the internet. I believe that MPB can be prevented if we would put the stent in early for teenagers. By the way, DHT occurs in woman’s too but at lower levels. So womans still get MPB but to lesser extent. Also, I think that all hairs on our scalp are exactly the same, I dont think that thinning ones and the ones that stay on the sides have different sensitivity to DHT. The only difference that some are supplied with blood and the others are starved of it + plus immune system is attacking them. If anyone doubts my theory, just have a look at the blood vessel layout on our scalp. And have look at the position of STA artery, there is a place next to the ear where it can be pinched by the end of the jaw.
Related (see Peter Renardo’s comments in there too):
https://www.hairlosscure2020.com/ligature-of-the-arteries-of-the-scalp-to-prevent-further-hair-loss/
But then doesn’t your theory break when you take hair from the nape of the neck and place it in the receding hairline and it survives for “a lifetime”?