Tested: Hairmax LaserBand 82 laser headband for thinning hair
Wired spent five months testing the Hairmax LaserBand 82, a laser hair-growth device that treats each scalp section in just 30 seconds. The device helped maintain existing hair, though it cannot regrow follicles on completely bald, shiny scalp.
Wired magazine tested the Hairmax LaserBand 82 ComfortFlex, a blue, tooth-lined headband for stimulating hair growth that resembles a shark's mouth when resting on its charging cradle. The device costs more than most competitors, but unlike rivals such as CurrentBody's LED helmet or HigherDose's cap, it relies solely on laser diodes rather than LEDs.
How it works
Laser diodes emit a collimated, focused beam of light, considered more precise than the diffuse light from LEDs. Red light also supports production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy-carrying molecule that helps existing hair follicles stay in their growth phase. However, the device cannot revive follicles that are scarred or long dormant — for scalp areas that are completely bald and shiny, other solutions such as hair transplants may be needed.
The tested model contains 82 laser diodes, while the cheaper Hairmax 41, priced at $649, has only 41.
A quick routine
The device's main selling point is its short treatment time — just 30 seconds per section of the head, several times a week, compared to the much longer sessions required by other red-light therapy devices. After 30 seconds, the device emits a loud buzz signaling it's time to move to the next section; most of the head can be covered in about 90 seconds. The headband's teeth are meant to both part the hair and hold the device in place, but the reviewer had to hold it by hand unless it was positioned at the very top of the head.
Results after five months
The manufacturer lists seven clinical studies on its website detailing the device's effectiveness. Although the reviewer wasn't fully consistent — skipping the device during a vacation and forgetting to use it for a couple of weeks — visible results emerged after five months, comparable to the before-and-after examples shown on Hairmax's own website.
