675-nm Diode Laser as Adjuvant Therapy for Telogen Effluvium: A Retrospective Case Series
Photo by Mufid Majnun / Unsplash
Key Takeaway
Consider 675-nm diode laser as a safe adjuvant for telogen effluvium, but efficacy remains unconfirmed due to low-quality evidence.
This retrospective case series included 13 patients diagnosed with telogen effluvium at a Dermatologic Laser Center in Mexico. All patients received adjuvant treatment with a 675-nm diode laser; no comparator group was included. Follow-up duration was not reported.
Among the 13 patients, 72% had a positive baseline pull test that became negative after treatment. Pruritus improved in 83% of symptomatic patients, and trichodynia resolved in 75%. No adverse events occurred, and the therapy was described as well-tolerated.
Key limitations include the retrospective design, small sample size (n=13), lack of a control group, and single-center setting. The primary outcome was not reported, and no statistical measures (p-values or confidence intervals) were provided. Causality cannot be inferred due to the absence of a comparator.
In practice, 675-nm diode laser appears to be a safe, well-tolerated adjuvant option for telogen effluvium, but controlled studies are needed to confirm efficacy. These findings should be interpreted with low certainty.
View Original Abstract ↓
Telogen effluvium (TE) is a diffuse, non-scarring alopecia that can have a significant impact on quality of life. Although often self-limited, many patients seek therapies that speed recovery. Photobiomodulatory benefits of the 675-nm diode laser are also well established in treating other hair disorders, but there is limited evidence in TE.
We performed a retrospective case series of 13 patients diagnosed with TE at a Dermatologic Laser Center in Mexico. The patients received adjuvant treatment with 675-nm diode laser therapy.
Of the 13 patients, 69% had chronic TE. Among those with a positive baseline pull test, 72% became negative at follow-up. Pruritus improved in 83% of symptomatic patients, and trichodynia resolved in 75%. No adverse events occurred.
675-nm diode laser seems to be a safe, well-tolerated, and potentially effective adjuvant therapy for TE. Controlled studies are needed to confirm efficacy and establish standardized protocols.
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