The latest accessory you need for hair loss treatment is $859 and will make you feel a little bit like Professor X using Cerebro. It’s called the CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Regrowth Device, comes in two sizes for a comfortable fit, and includes a cushy set of built-in Bluetooth headphones—so you can listen to music or your daily affirmations as you stimulate your follicles.
As low-level light therapy becomes an increasingly popular in-office treatment for hair loss, brands have figured out different ways to deliver the same tech through at-home wearables. CurrentBody isn’t the first to create an LED hair helmet, but the company already has a strong following for its light therapy devices. (The CurrentBody Skin LED Neck and Dec Perfector is among the most comfortable and effective LED masks I’ve ever tested.)
“Once we saw the clinical data available, we realized our expertise on using light to aid with fine lines and wrinkles could be used in other areas,” says Emily Buckwell, CurrrentBody Global Head of Communications. “Hair loss effects such high numbers of people, men and women, that it seemed a logical area for us to develop.”
The result is this FDA-cleared, rechargeable LED hair regrowth device, designed to both minimize hair loss and support healthier new growth. A big draw of LED wearables for hair loss is that they target multiple reasons for hair loss. In testing, CurrentBody’s device was shown to successfully treat two common causes. The first is androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss), a common condition that starves follicles of oxygen and nutrients, extending hair’s resting phase and shortening its growth phase. The second is inflammation—whether from product buildup, sun exposure, or scalp conditions like dandruff and psoriasis.
The treatment? Completely painless lights. 120 LED bulbs to be exact, designed to shine in three wavelengths (630nm, 650nm, and 655nm) to reduce inflammation and boost scalp circulation. These lights also support the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—an essential fuel for skin and hair cells—and inhibit enzyme production for dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone that contributes to hair loss.
While you can certainly use it alone, experts say devices like these also lend themselves well to a combination therapy regimen. “I always tell patients that combination therapy is always the best chance we have to combat hair loss effectively,” says Dr. Robert Finney, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and hair loss expert in New York. “If a patient’s ultimate goal is regrowth, then sometimes the more the merrier.” Dr. Finney recommends low-level laser light therapy because of its already established reputation in supporting hair loss. Another compelling factor is the way it can amplify existing treatments.
“There are clinical trials to show that low level laser light therapy, if combined with minoxidil, works better than either treatment alone,” he says. The same goes for a topical solution called KeraFactor, which contains biomimetic growth factors and has shown synergy with similar devices.
Whether you use CurrentBody’s device solo or as a seamless add-on to other treatments, the best way to see results is with consistent use. Wear it over dry hair (ideally clean, but Buckwell mentions during our Zoom that it can work with your wash schedule as well) for 10 minutes a day. It switches on with the press of a single button, then switches off automatically when the cycle is over. The brand recommends daily use for 16 weeks, then tapering off to several times a week for maintenance. When I tested it at home, I was pleasantly surprised by how lightweight and comfortable it was. More importantly, it covered my entire head, treating my hair from every angle. Just as Buckwell promised, it was mess-free and easy to use.
“You just put the helmet on for 10 minutes a day and it switches itself off at the end of treatment,” she says. “ It couldn’t be simpler. “
Sarah Y. Wu is a Senior Contributor for Forbes. See her work at sarahywu.com and follow her on Instagram @say.wu.
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