Red light therapy for patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Abstract

We have taken great interest in the topic of red light therapy (RLT) for the treatment of hair loss secondary to cancer therapies. On April 7, 2024, we searched through two private Facebook groups (Fig. 1) intended for patients who used scalp cooling for prevention of chemotherapy-induced hair loss. In these groups, we found several posts inquiring about the use of RLT (Fig. 2). Posts ranged from patients asking if others in the group have used RLT, if RLT is safe to use while scalp cooling, and recommendations for how long to wait to initiate RLT after chemotherapy infusions are completed. Despite the rise in popularity of RLT for the management of hair loss, to date, only two clinical trials have included patients with cancer treatment-induced hair loss, which showed higher hair counts and increased quality of life in those who used RLT [1, 2]. Furthermore, no formal recommendations from oncologists or scalp cooling companies have been made to help guide patients when considering using RLT.