Safety Of Low-level Laser Therapy Research Articles

Low-level laser therapy for skin rejuvenation: A safe and effective solution baked by data and visual evidence.

Skin aging and photoaging is a process that may appear at a relatively early age, causing an aesthetic problem. Common signs of skin aging include wrinkles, dyspigmentation, and decreased elasticity. Aim of this article is to study the effectiveness and safety of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for skin rejuvenation. Thirty Syrian female patients aged 25-50 participated in this study and were diagnosed with moderate to severe melasma and wrinkles. The patients were divided into two groups and received LLLT with a wavelength of 660 nm emitting a continuous wave. The power density and dose used were 15.6 mW/cm2, and 3 J/cm2 respectively, and the laser effective area was 32 cm2. The evaluation was done before, during, and after 12 treatment sessions, based on photographs, in addition to the modified Melasma Area Severity Index (MASI), Pinch test, and Fitzpatrick's classification of facial wrinkling at baseline. Comparing before, and after treatment, and between the two groups, revealed a significant improvement in skin rejuvenation, with a statistical significance (p < 0.05). Additional outcome measures included assessments of patient satisfaction scores, and no adverse effects or re-pigmentation were reported. Our results suggest that LLLT may be a useful and safe therapeutic option in treating melasma, skin elasticity, and wrinkle improvement, which we advised to be integrated into treatment, and follow-up programs in cosmetics and dermatology.

Effectiveness and safety of low-level laser therapy in diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDiabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. The main symptoms of DPN include numbness or pain in both extremities and paresthesia (such as formication or burning sensations), which greatly affect patients’ quality of life. Pharmacological treatments for DPN are associated with both uncertain therapeutic effects and adverse effects, as well as with high costs. Some clinical studies have reported that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) relieves clinical symptoms and improves nerve function in patients with DPN. We intend to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to further evaluate the effectiveness and safety of LLLT for DPN.MethodsThe following electronic databases will be searched to retrieve literature from their inception until December 2020: MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science (the Science and Social Science Citation Index), CNKI, VIP, WanFang, and SinoMed. Simultaneously, clinical registration tests and gray literature will also be retrieved. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing LLLT with either sham LLLT, no (specific) treatment, or active conventional medical treatments will be included. The primary outcomes will be nerve conduction velocity as well as clinical scores that assess neurological function and related symptoms. The risk of bias of each study and quality of evidence will be assessed using the updated Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool and GRADE approach, respectively. A meta-analysis will then be conducted using Review Manager software version 5.3.DiscussionThis study will integrate RCTs and analyze data to provide a detailed summary of the evidence relating to the effects and safety of LLLT in patients with DPN. LLLT will be compared with sham LLLT, no (specific) treatment, or active conventional medical treatments, especially in terms of neurological function, quality of life, and adverse events. In conclusion, this systematic review will generate evidence regarding the use of LLLT to treat DPN, in terms of both its efficacy and safety.Systematic review registrationThis protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews on April 2020 (registration number: CRD42020170625).

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Patients with Perennial Allergic Rhinitis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disease that interferes with the daily activities and reduces the quality of life. Conventional treatments often do not provide complete resolution of the symptoms, and many new treatment modalities have been tried. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for AR in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients diagnosed with AR were randomly allocated to receive LLLT or sham treatment. The primary outcome was a change in the reflective total nasal symptom score (TNSS). The secondary outcome was quality of life scores assessed using the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire. Incidences of adverse events were also recorded. Among 67 randomized subjects, 41 subjects (22 in LLLT group and 19 in sham treatment group) were included for efficacy analysis. The LLLT group showed a significantly improved TNSS score compared to the sham treatment group for decreasing AR symptom severity (p = 0.011) and improving quality of life regarding nasal symptoms (p = 0.036) at the end of treatment. Throughout the treatment period, no severe adverse events occurred. This clinical trial showed that LLLT is an effective and safe option for the management of AR regarding symptom relief and quality of life improvement.

Clinical efficacy of low-level laser therapy for androgenetic alopecia

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-level laser therapy (LLLT)for androgenetic alopecia, and to compare the therapeutic effect of LLLT alone versus in combination with finasteride tablets. Methods Thirty-nine male patients were randomly divided into the LLLT group (n = 21)and combination group (n = 18)to be treated with LLLT alone or in combination with oral finasteride tablets (1 mg/d)for 6 months. LLLT was given twice a week, and each session lasted 30 minutes. All the patients were photographed and asked to fill a questionnaire about subjective symptoms, and hair density (the number of hairs per unit area on the scalp)was determined by using a dermatoscope to evaluate the grade of alopecia, before the treatment, and 3 and 6 months after the treatment. Results The hair density in the LLLT group was significantly higher after 6 months than after 3 months of treatment and before the treatment (184.59±21.17 vs. 169.24±29.21 and 166.67±32.94 hairs/cm2, both P 0.05). The hair density in the combination group significantly increased after 6 and 3 months of treatment compared with that before the treatment (201.80±16.55 and 186.39±17.97 vs. 157.85±27.97 hairs/cm2, both P 0.05), but the combination group showed increased hair density compared with the LLLT group after 3 and 6 months of treatment (both P 0.05). During the treatment, 24 (62%)patients felt less greasy, and 22 (56%)reported less hair loss, with no discomforts reported by the patients except local warm feeling. Conclusion LLLT is indeed effective for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia with no adverse reactions. Key words: Alopecia; Laser therapy, low-level; Finasteride; Treatment outcome; Randomized controlled trial

Use of low-level laser therapy as monotherapy or concomitant therapy for male and female androgenetic alopecia.

Background:Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common form of hair loss in men and in women. Currently, minoxidil and finasteride are the treatments with the highest levels of medical evidence, but patients who exhibit intolerance or poor response to these treatments are in need of additional treatment modalities.Objective:The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for AGA, either as monotherapy or as concomitant therapy with minoxidil or finasteride, in an office-based setting.Materials and Methods:Retrospective observational study of male and female patients with AGA, treated with the 655 nm-HairMax Laser Comb®, in an office-based setting. Efficacy was assessed with global photographic imaging.Results:Of 32 patients (21 female, 11 male), 8 showed significant, 20 moderate, and 4 no improvement. Improvement was seen both with monotherapy and with concomitant therapy. Improvement was observed as early as 3 months and was sustained up to a maximum observation time of 24 months. No adverse reactions were reported.Conclusions:LLLT represents a potentially effective treatment for both male and female AGA, either as monotherapy or concomitant therapy. Combination treatments with minoxidil, finasteride, and LLLT may act synergistic to enhance hair growth.

Long-Term Safety of Low-Level Laser Therapy at Different Power Densities and Single or Multiple Applications to the Bone Marrow in Mice

The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term safety effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) to the bone marrow (BM) in mice. LLLT has been shown to have a photobiostimulatory effect on various cellular processes and on stem cells. It was recently shown that applying LLLT to BM in rats post-myocardial infarction caused a marked reduction of scar tissue formation in the heart. Eighty-three mice were divided into five groups: control sham-treated and laser-treated at measured density of either 4, 10, 18, or 40 mW/cm(2) at the BM level. The laser was applied to the exposed flat medial part of the tibia 8 mm from the knee joint for 100 sec. Mice were monitored for 8 months and then killed, and histopathology was performed on various organs. No histological differences were observed in the liver, kidneys, brain or BM of the laser-treated mice as compared with the sham-treated, control mice. Moreover, no neoplasmic response in the tissues was observed in the laser-treated groups as compared with the control, sham-treated mice. There were no significant histopathological differences among the same organs under different laser treatment regimes in response to the BM-derived mesenchymal stem cell proliferation following LLLT to the BM. LLLT applied multiple times either at the optimal dose (which induces photobiostimulation of stem cells in the BM), or at a higher dose (such as five times the optimal dose), does not cause histopathological changes or neoplasmic response in various organs in mice, as examined over a period of 8 months.