LED Therapy Provides Promising Results for Treating Eyebrow Loss in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

A safe and well-tolerated option to assist patients experiencing eyebrow loss in frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) has the potential to become a novel type of treatment for patients wanting to reverse the process. Light-emitting diode (LED) therapy increased the number of hairs and their thickness after 10 irradiations and the hair remained that way when measured again 6 months later at a follow-up visit, according to a study published in Sensors.

The study followed 16 female patients with FFA between ages 60 to 74 years. LED therapy was performed once a week for 10 weeks and included a 6-week follow-up appointment to document changes. At the end of the study (10 irradiations), a significant increase was seen in total eyebrow hair count as well as number of thick hairs and mid-thick hairs (P=.002, P=.002, and P=.044, respectively). At the 6-week follow-up, the total number of eyebrow hairs was sustained (P=.002).

Since there is no standardized treatment, eyebrow hair loss has become an issue for many older female patients who say it has a “considerable negative impact on their quality of life,” said the study authors. Photobiomodulation with LED could soon be a safe and effective option leading to acceptable improvement both clinically and cosmetically.

Reference
Gerkowicz A, Bartosińska J, Raczkiewicz D, Kwaśny M, Krasowska D. Novel application of light-emitting diode therapy in the treatment of eyebrow loss in frontal fibrosing alopecia. Sensors (Basel). 2021;21(17):5981. doi:10.3390/s21175981