title: Alopecia: a review of laser and light therapies.
abstract: Since the 1980s, laser technology has become increasingly popular to treat a variety of cutaneous conditions. Its successful use as an epilator comes with the rare but interesting side effect of paradoxical hypertrichosis. In this review, we summarize cases describing hair growth after photoepilation, as well as studies testing laser and light sources as treatment for alopecia, particularly androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. We also discuss the possible biologic mechanisms by which phototherapy induces hair regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rangwala
authors.forename: Rashid M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rashid
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation; D006204:Hair Removal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D006983:Hypertrichosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012038:Regeneration