A plethora of new hair regrowth products are sweeping the holiday market claiming to cure baldness using the power of low-level laser technology. The assumption is that diminished blood flow to the scalp causes the hair to thin and fall out. Through the “reinvigorating” action of pulsed laser light, the follicles are literally pulled back from the brink of extinction to repopulate the scalp anew.

One of the latest products is the HairMax Laser Comb, recently approved by the FDA and now being marketed as an effective treatment for hair loss. Out of 460 test subjects, both men and women, 93 percent claimed significant hair growth after using HairMax. The home laser system is said to stimulate follicles and restore normal blood flow to the scalp.

Similar products that use low-level laser light include the Theradome helmet, in which the patient simply places the helmet onto his or her balding dome and waits for the healing power of lasers to restore thinning hair. iGrow is another hair growth system claiming to regrow hair by re-energizing the cells in compromised follicles.

While all of these products may, in fact, live up to their promise to some degree, the basic idea is that diminished blood flow causes baldness. There may be some truth to that claim, but in many cases hair loss precedes reduced blood flow. That’s because declining follicles use less blood, so there is less demand for it from the circulatory system.

In the majority of cases, specifically male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss, hair loss is the direct result of hereditary influences. It’s the family gift that keeps on giving – for generations. This is not to say that genetics is the only true cause for hair loss, but it’s probably the most potent. Stress, anxiety, poor diet, substance abuse, hormonal changes and auto-immune diseases can also play a role in the still never ending saga of thinning hair.

Should you consider giving alternative treatments for hair loss like laser light therapy a try? If you have the disposable income, why not? But if you are looking for an effective and lasting solution for hair loss related to male or female pattern baldness, your best bet is hair restoration surgery. Talk to a board certified hair restoration specialist about your options as well as the value of alternative therapies.