Laser Therapy for Scarring Alopecia (Scarring Hair Loss): What Current Evidence Suggests

Summary from Dr Gwen Adey:

Laser therapy is unlikely to cause harm and may help in some cases, but evidence is limited. It should not replace medical treatment. Early care from a dermatologist is key.

Scarring hair loss includes conditions such as frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planopilaris. These findings relate specifically to scarring alopecia, not other types of hair loss.

If you’ve been researching treatments for hair loss, you may have come across claims that laser therapy can help.

A recent paper in the International Journal of Research in Dermatology explored this—specifically in people with scarring alopecia.

At first glance, the results seem encouraging.

But when you look more closely, the picture is more nuanced—and understanding that nuance is important when deciding what to do next.

First, an important distinction

Not all hair loss behaves in the same way.

Scarring alopecia (also called cicatricial alopecia) includes conditions such as:

• Lichen planopilaris

• Frontal fibrosing alopecia

• Folliculitis decalvans

In these conditions:

• Inflammation targets the hair follicle

• Over time, follicles can be permanently damaged or lost

Because of this, the goal of treatment is usually:

To reduce inflammation and prevent further loss —not to regrow hair in areas where follicles have already been destroyed.

What did the research look at?

The paper reviewed:

• 7 small clinical studies

• A total of 51 patients

Using different types of light-based treatments, including:

• Low-level laser therapy (LLLT)

• Excimer laser

• Nd:YAG laser

Some patients experienced:

• Reduced symptoms (such as itching or discomfort)

• Improvement in visible inflammation

• In some cases, disease stabilisation

How strong is this evidence?

This is the most important part.

Although the results are encouraging, the overall quality of the evidence is low:

• No high-quality randomised controlled trials

• Small patient numbers

• Different conditions grouped together

• Different laser types and treatment protocols

In practical terms:

These findings suggest a possible benefit, but they are not strong enough to give clear or reliable predictions for individual patients.

So, does laser therapy help?

A careful, evidence-based summary would be:

• It may help reduce inflammation in some patients

• It may help stabilise disease activity

• It appears to be well tolerated in the studies available

However:

• It is not established as a standard treatment

• It is not a cure

• It cannot restore follicles that have already been lost

Where does this fit alongside standard care?

For most types of scarring alopecia, first-line treatment typically focuses on:

• Controlling inflammation (for example, with topical or systemic medications prescribed by a dermatologist)

• Monitoring disease activity over time

Light-based therapies, including laser, may be considered in some cases as an adjunct—but not a replacement for medical management.

Why this topic can be confusing

You may see general terms like:

• “Laser for hair loss”

• “Hair regrowth treatments”

But these don’t distinguish between different conditions.

That distinction matters, because:

A treatment that is helpful in one type of hair loss may have little or no effect in another.

What this paper really adds

This study doesn’t prove that laser therapy is the answer.

What it does show is:

There is early, low-quality evidence suggesting a possible role, but much better research is still needed.

What should you do if you’re affected?

If you think you may have scarring alopecia, the most important step is:

1. Get an accurate diagnosis

Ideally from a dermatologist experienced in hair and scalp disorders.

2. Focus on controlling inflammation early

This is the key to preserving as much hair as possible. Your dermatologist can help you.

3. Consider additional options carefully

Treatments like laser therapy can be discussed—but with realistic expectations about what they can and cannot do.

Final thought

Laser therapy for scarring alopecia is:

• Promising in theory

• Reasonably safe based on current evidence

• But still uncertain in effectiveness

It may have a role for some patients—but always as part of a broader, medically guided approach.