The use of microneedling associated to photobiomodulation in the treatment of male androgenetic alopecia: Case series

Abstract

Introduction: Androgenetic alopecia (AA) is a pathology associated to hormonal imbalance and affects men and women causing reduction and/or absence of hair in a particular region of the scalp. Some of the pharmacological treatments available in the market are inefficient and/or present risks and contraindications. Here, a combination of two minimally invasive techniques (photobiomodulation and microneedling) was proposed as a four-week treatment protocol in the treatment of male AA within a case series. Case Series: The one-month treatment was performed in three men with AA, being 12 applications of photobiomodulation (three times a week) using low intensity laser (4 J per point, 40 seconds, 660 nm, 10 mW) and two microneedling sessions with a 15-day interval between them. The main outcome was the density of hair strands per square centimeter (n/cm2). The analysis was performed through a dermatoscope that registered scalp images and software was used to count the number of strands. The images were recorded before the beginning of the treatment, after the sixth session (day 15), after the twelfth session (day 30), and thirty days after the end of the treatment (day 60). After four weeks of the end of the treatment, the hair count increased from 111.1 to 140.6 hair/cm2 (pooled data from all patients). The patients reported reduced dissatisfaction with hair loss after the end of the treatment. Conclusion: The association of microneedling with photobiomodulation is a promising alternative for the treatment of male AA.