Red light therapy devices to regrow hair that really deliver
I've been all in on red light therapy to help brighten and plump my skin sans needles since 2018—and after speaking with dermatologists, I recently learned that the viral TikTok treatment also helps hair on our head grow.
Sounds too good to be true? Not quite!
Research shows that certain wavelengths of light can, in fact, stimulate hair growth, whether your loss is due to female pattern genetic hair loss (androgenetic alopecia), hormones, stress, vitamin deficiencies, and autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata. notes "It can also help improve the effects of traction alopecia caused by rocking tight hairstyles that pull hair, including high ponytails and braids," says board-certified dermatologist Candace Spann, MD.
Best Red Light Therapy Devices For Hair Growth
After chatting with several derms about red light therapy for hair growth, I decided to get my hands on some some at-home devices to determine for myself which ones are worth our hard-earned coins. Ahead is insight from the pros about how to shop for these devices, their go-to recommendations (plus my testing feedback), and a handy FAQ answering your most burning questions that's listed after our product suggestions.
What To Consider
Now that you have a better idea of how red light therapy can promote hair growth, here are some factors to look out for while shopping for your new beauty device.
Wavelength
The wavelength used is the most critical factor to consider when shopping for red light therapy devices for hair growth, says board-certified dermatologist Robert Finney, MD, founder of Soho Skin & Hair Restoration, who recommends devices within 620 to 678 nanometers (nm) because that range has proven to be the most successful in treating hair loss.
So, what does this all mean for you? Well, as long as you use a device that emits between 600 to 700 nm, or 830 nm or higher, then you should be fine since these wavelengths have studies backing them up. You can also look for brands with clinical studies highlighting their respective tool's efficacy for an added peace of mind.
Type
Next, consider the type of red light therapy device for hair growth that suits your needs. Helmets and caps from CurrentBody Skin and HigherDOSE are a favorite of our pros because they lay closest to the scalp for more direct all-over coverage. You just pop them on, power on the device, and forget it until the treatment cycle ends.
There are crescent-shaped devices, including the Hairmax LaserBand 82, that look similar to extra wide headbands. Because they don't cover the entire head, red light therapy headbands are best for someone targeting a specific area of their head, such as along the hairline or middle of the head.
Some tools like Laduora look like hair brushes, but King points out they require more motivation because you must actively run the tool on your scalp and through your strands.
Treatment time
No one has endless hours to sit under a red light therapy helmet or brush their hair to benefit from these nifty gadgets. All of these featured winners are quick and effective, with treatments ranging from 90 seconds to 10 minutes.
Regardless of which device you order, it's likely that you won't begin to see results for at least several months. Due to the biological nature of the hair growth cycle, it's generally recommended to wait six months before judging the results of any kind of treatment for hair growth, including red light therapy devices, says board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, FAAD.
How We Chose
As a nosy beauty editor obsessed with knowing what the pros are actually using, I just had to ask about their no-fail recommendations. Since I've always been a skeptic, I also got my hands on several options from viral brands to determine if they live up to the hype and are worth buying. Spoiler alert: These featured picks are legit and all earned major snaps from either myself or our experts.
I spent a few weeks testing different devices at home, so I can't fully speak to their long-term hair growth benefits. However, I did evaluate their other attributes like comfort, treatment time, ease of use, and overall value. I also prioritized brands I'm familiar with and previously enjoy using, such as HigherDOSE and CurrentBody Skin.
Next, I considered their prices and nixed anything that was too cheap from white label Amazon brands since they're usually not well-researched enough for my liking. I also skipped including products that cost as much as some people's rent because if I'm unwilling to spend thousands on a red light therapy cap, I wouldn't expect someone else to shell out that much money either. But hey, if you've got the money, Spann likes Capillus caps. Ahead are four of the best red light therapy devices for hair growth, including a helmet, headband, brush, and cap. These hair growth tools start at just under-$260, so you can order a self-care treat without breaking your 2025 budget.
So, without further ado, here are our four favorite red light therapy tools for hair growth.
LED Hair Regrowth Device
After surveying experts and testing red light therapy tools, I consider the CurrentBody Skin helmet to be the most impressive device on this list. It deserves the top spot because both Finney and myself are fans of this tool. It's simple and gets the job done quickly compared to other similar helmets that can easily take 25 minutes per treatment session. CurrentBody Skin has a 10-minute treatment time that makes using this tool a low maintenance lift in our busy lives. Plus, it's winner of a 2023 Women’s Health beauty award so you know it's on point.
I'm a huge fan of CurrentBody Skin's LED face mask and was naturally excited to test the brand's helmet for hair growth. After measuring my head, I selected the correct size—there are Small and Medium options—and waited for the device to arrive. Upon unboxing I was excited to charge up the device with the USB-C plug and pop this helmet on. (It flashes after reaching a full charge.) I like the structure of the helmet and was pleased that it is not super heavy. Plus, CurrentBody sits nicely on my head offering full coverage over my entire scalp for the most effective at-home treatment.
I use this red light therapy device five times weekly, but the brand says I won't experience visible results until 12 weeks in. Since my testing window is shorter, I can't speak on tangible results directly caused by the CurrentBody Skin device. However, given my positive experience with CurrentBody Skin's red LED face mask, plus an endorsement from Dr. Finney, I'm excited about this device helping my hair growth and thicken.
I find the CurrentBody Skin helmet is easy to use and comfortable to wear. The device is relatively lightweight and the headphone style cushioning makes each 10-minute treatment sesh enticing enough for me to actually use the device as advised. Another detail that confirmed this was our best overall suggestion is that the helmet provides full scalp coverage and I don't need to hold anything like a brush handle or move a headband around different parts of my head.
"It has the right wavelengths, a good amount of power, and has little cups that actually part the hair to get more light to the scalp. An added bonus is the Bluetooth, so I will usually do my treatment as I workout on the Peloton," says Finney.
More: Best Shampoos For Hair Loss
DUO 4-in-1 Pod Based Scalp & Hair Care Device
Weighing just 7 ounces, the LaDuora is shaped like a compact brush that uniquely combines red light therapy and microcurrent with a scalp massage and therapeutic warmth for the ultimate at-home self-care treat. It is fantastic for someone with a low bandwidth for self-care, as each treatment sesh is only five minutes—and even a busy doctor like Finney highlights it as one of his picks because LaDuora combines several modalities.
Finney says that good scalp care reduces oxidative stress and subsequent hair fall—and using this tool can help promote a healthier scalp. He calls LaDuora a unique red light therapy device because it directly reduces inflammation by combining red light therapy with the scalp massage, warmth, and microcurrent functions.
Using the DUO is surprisingly straightforward. Each kit has two pink and two blue circular pods filled with nourishing ingredients. The pods simply snap into the center of the device. After I hear a clicking sound indicating the pod is locked into place, I remove the six protective caps on the bristles to ensure the serum at the pod's base can be released. Lastly, to turn on the device, I'll push the front button, and it powers on.
I appreciate the flexibility of using the device on dry or damp hair, though I prefer to brush onto my dry strands since I find my dehydrated hair soaks up the included serums better. Each device comes with two types of pods called Scalp and Hair Elixirs: Balance, a pink liquid that contains rose, argan, raspberry seed, and castor oil, and Boost, a blue-green liquid that is a blend of vitamin B-3 (sometimes called niacinamide), caffeine, peptides, blue tansy, and green tea leaf extract. (You can purchase replacement pods separately.)
I was also worried the device heating up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit would be overwhelming, but found the warmth was rather relaxing. I also enjoyed the scalp massage functionality because I can feel my light tension headaches start to melt away, so I'll reach for this device when I'm tired or leading up to my menstrual cycle. If my headaches are rather intense, this tool won't do much, but for lighter tension headaches it has helped me feel more relaxed.
Red Light Hat
Spann likes the Capillus laser cap, but even the brand's entry-level model costs upward of $700, so I wanted to explore other potential options. Enter: the HigherDOSE Red Light Therapy Hat, which is $151 cheaper than Capillus.
Beyond the sweet price tag, the biggest win with sporting this red light therapy cap is that no one will know you're actually treating your hair loss while using the device! It looks like a regular black baseball cap, but it has a removable thin lining covered in red light emitting diodes. (I can wear this cap without using the LED lights, but TBH, I'd rather just buy a regular baseball cap instead so I won’t have to worry about excessive wear and tear on my HigherDOSE.) And when powered on, the red lights aren't obvious to those around me and the cap doesn't get hot when powered on.
I was initially confused with how to turn on the device because it's cordless. However, I soon realized the included black pod magnetically attaches to the back of the cap and powers on for a quick 10-minute session. The button beeps when the treatment sesh is over so I can get back to the rest of my day.
LaserBand 82
Another device that Finney likes is the Hairmax Laserband 82 Comfort Flex. It's FDA-cleared and has seven clinical studies related to its efficacy. But what Finney loves the most about this hair growth tool is that it has little teeth to help get the light to the scalp where it can provide some major results.
This oversized headband covers a rather sizable amount of hair at a time. Start at the front along the hairline and wait 30 seconds for the device to vibrate letting you know it's time to move to the middle of the head. After another 30 seconds, you can push the headband back for the third and final treatment. While it may seem a little annoying to push the headband around a few times, the overall time commitment is only 90 seconds so it's more of a champagne problem than a functionality issue. Since it's hands-on, Finney calls it a little cumbersome, but he still considers it an overall great device.
Need further proof that Hairmax is a solid option? Carol Winig, a 70-year-old retired nurse dealing with COVID-related hair loss, recently gushed over a lower-tier Hairmax headband model. "The device is relatively lightweight and comfortable on my head, plus it's really not all that large. I've traveled with it numerous times, without any issue. It also holds a charge for a surprisingly long time—I can usually go about three months without having to give it extra juice," she said of the Laserband 41 model.
While I haven't gotten a chance to test any Hairmax products, the combination of Finney's positive experience using the higher-tier Laserband 82 model, plus Wining's glowing feedback on a similar device was enough for me to feel confident about including the Hairmax 82 headband in this story.
Meet Our Experts
Dr. Candace Spann, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of ReTress.
Robert Finney, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and founder of Soho Skin and Hair Restoration.
Dr. Hadley King, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified New York dermatologist specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology.
And then there’s me, Nicole Saunders! I’ve been a beauty editor at Hearst for three years and previously launched the skincare and wellness coverage at NBC News Select. I also covered the intersection of all things beauty, fashion, and pop culture for the digital editions of Harper’s BAZAAR, Cosmopolitan, Billboard, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Will red light therapy work for me?
It actually depends on why you're losing hair and when the hair loss started. As a quick reminder, someone dealing with androgenetic alopecia, hormones, stress, vitamin deficiencies, alopecia areata, or traction alopecia could benefit from using red light therapy, according to Dr. Spann.
"The ideal candidate is somebody who's beginning to lose their hair or has hair thinning," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Karyn Grossman, MD, recently told us. So if you've got a bald, shiny scalp and your hair loss started 15 years ago, then red light therapy won't do much for your hair growth journey.
Unfortunately, Dr. Spann adds those with scarring alopecia—when hair loss causes scarring of the follicles—will not respond to red light therapy, so it's best to skip this treatment. (Psst: If this is you, no worries. We have plenty of other guidance on healthy hair you could explore, like foods for hair growth, how to prevent further hair loss, and supplements for hair growth.)
Is red light therapy for hair growth safe?
Great news: Spann says red light therapy earned FDA clearance due to its safety. She explains that when light therapy is used correctly it’s safe and without any side effects, but a quick word of caution. None of these featured red light therapy devices require protective goggles because they sit on top of our heads, but if you decide to try a different model for your hair or order any of our expert-tested LED face masks and they include goggles it’s best to use them.
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