Does LaserComb stop hair loss? The evidence is thin

Still, according to Avram, there's no good evidence that the LaserComb works any better than more-established treatments such as the prescription medications Rogaine or Propecia. For his patients who are unwilling or unable to use the medications, he says that the device could be worth a try. The LaserComb is safe, he says, and it just might help. "But I set low expectations for it."

Avram recently tested the HairMax LaserComb on a handful of patients in his office over six months. (Contrary to claims made for the LaserComb, Avram says, it takes at least six months to see real results from any hair-loss treatment.)

"In 20% of the subjects, it seemed to maybe have an effect" on the appearance of hair, Avram says. The study hasn't been published yet, and it didn't include a control group for the sake of comparison. Avram readily admits his study "isn't definitive," but he hopes it might encourage more research in the future.

By contrast, Rogaine and Propecia have already been tested in multiple high-quality studies and have been shown to stop hair loss in 80% to 90% of patients, Avram says.

Uncertainty aside, the LaserComb has clearly captured the public's imagination. Patients ask about it "all the time," says Dr. Paradi Mirmirani, a dermatologist with the Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center and a member of the North American Hair Research Society. Mirmirani says the device could potentially stimulate hair growth. "But I don't have any evidence. If patients want to spend $500 on this device, it's their choice. But I wouldn't recommend it. They should save it for something that we know actually works."

Last May, the FDA issued a warning letter against Lexington International for illegally marketing the device to women when it had been officially cleared only for men. The HairMax website now says that the device is intended for men only, but recorded messages for callers on hold to customer service still say that it "works equally well on both men and women" and that "anyone of any age, male or female, can benefit."

Michaels says the company has asked the FDA for approval to market the device to women and expects a decision soon.

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