The Use of a 1,540 nm Fractional Erbium‐Glass Laser in Treatment of Alopecia Areata

Background and objectives Varieties of laser and light sources have been tried for treatment of alopecia areata (AA) and some success has been reported. To assess the effectiveness of 1,540 nm fractional erbium-glass laser in treatment of AA. Study design/materials and methods The patches of AA were divided into two groups, the study group (I) underwent six sessions of laser therapy at weekly interval with topical minoxidil solution applied twice daily for 6 weeks, while group (II), the control group was received only topical minoxidil solution. The patches were evaluated objectively (hair count and percentage of regrowth) and subjectively (patient satisfaction) at the end of follow-up period (another 6 weeks). Results The percentage of hair increment between pre-treatment and follow-up period was 30% for study patches versus 6.45% for control patches. Regarding the percentage of growth, the response rate for study patches was 60% versus 16% for the control. Conclusions Erbium-glass laser seems to be effective in regrowing hair in AA. The durability of the response is unknown. Possible mechanisms of improvement include the induction of a thermal effect on papillary dermis, which stimulates hair regrowth, or an immunological effect on the follicle. In addition, the erbium-glass laser may enhance the delivery of minoxidil solution. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.