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Whether at home or in the clinic, hair loss treatments aren’t what they used to be—they’re much better. From shampoos for hair loss to over-the-counter supplements, if you’re trying to address hair growth concerns, there are more over-the-counter options than ever before. When I noticed unexpected postpartum hair loss and shedding after my first child was born, I went into full panic mode, buying hair-growth serums, vitamins, and supplements in bulk—anything that could restore my drab, dissipating hair to the thick, healthy locks I once knew so well.
If I were dealing with that same stressful issue today, I wouldn’t rush to buy overpriced hair growth serums considering the very impressive results we’re seeing with red light therapy devices. Products like the recently released HigherDOSE Red Light Hat are tapping into the clinically-proven power of red light therapy to revitalize your locks.
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How Does Red Light Therapy Boost Hair Growth?
“Red light therapy promotes hair growth and reduces thinning by stimulating cellular production and healthier hair follicles through low-level wavelengths of red and near-infrared light at 630nm,” a rep for HigherDOSE tells The Daily Beast. “This light penetrates the scalp, enhancing blood flow, which increases oxygen and nutrient delivery to the follicles. The light also triggers ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production in cells, promoting follicle growth and extending the life of the hair cycle.” Plus, just like the skin on our face, red light also may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which are both contributors to hair loss.
Many red light therapy hair treatment devices come in the form of pricey, bulky, and, frankly, unsightly helmet-like devices, but there’s one healthy-hair solution you can wear on your head like an everyday baseball cap without drawing attention to your hair care routine: The HigherDOSE Red Light Hat.
After seeing Courtney Cox’s post about the HigherDOSE Red Light Hat on Instagram a while back, I decided to try the celebrity-approved hair loss solution myself. After all, at 60, Cox’s mane looks amazing, and the price point is much more approachable than other red light hair devices on the market. I’ve been using it as directed for a few months to see how well it improved my tresses. Read below to see if this innovative red light therapy device actually works.
Unassuming, Discreet and Hassle-Free Design
At first glance, the HigherDOSE Red Light Hat looks like an unassuming black baseball cap you’d wear to hide a ‘bleh’ hair day, but this discreet hat actually features built-in cutting-edge, FDA-cleared hair rejuvenation technology to help address hair thinning. The HigherDOSE Red Light Hat uses red light therapy technology, with a thin layer of 120 medical-grade LED bulbs that emit 650 nm red light tucked inside the cap.
The cap is powered by a simple, one-button remote control that magnetically attaches to its back. When powered on, the remote immediately starts the 10-minute treatments.
The remote, though small, is the only part of the cap that makes it visually stand out from the rest of your hat collection. While I felt I could wear the cord-free cap out and about, I was a little uncertain what people might think of a hat with a random remote stuck to the back. It might be a self-conscious hurdle at first, but it is a stand-out feature that takes some getting used to if you want to blend in with the crowd.
One thing that doesn’t stand out about this hat, though, is the actual red lights themselves. Even when powered on, the hair-boosting treatment stays hidden under the cap without illuminating the outside world, making it virtually undetectable to bystanders.
How Effective Is the Red Light Hat?
The real concern, of course, is whether the HigherDOSE Red Light Hat actually delivers on its claims of hair enhancement and growth, and I can confidently attest that after using it for a few months, I saw a substantial improvement in my hair’s thickness, texture and yes, even growth. It is worth noting that the HigherDOSE Red Light Hat requires a commitment of both time and patience to fully realize its overall benefits. HigherDOSE recommends users commit to daily ten-minute treatments for 16 weeks, followed by regular maintenance of three to four times a week.
Whereas traditional red light therapy face masks take weeks or a few months to yield visible results, this red light hat takes around three months to start seeing visible improvements, especially if your main concern is hair growth.
After a month of using the Red Light Hat, I started to notice that my hair shedding definitely decreased. Instead of pulling out an alarming number of strands during my weekly shampoo session, my hair was shedding a normal, reasonable amount—a huge relief from the excessive loss I had experienced before. I could feel how much more robust my hair had become, with a noticeable improvement in texture and strength.
Unexpectedly, my hair color also became more vibrant, with richer tones and deeper dimensions brought to life because of the daily therapies. I didn’t realize this was a benefit, but it was a very pleasant surprise.
The HigherDOSE Red Light Hat is a welcome addition to the red light therapy space, providing a portable, discrete, affordable, and effective way to promote hair health and appearance. The hair-boosting accessory is an easy-to-incorporate tool for those who want to achieve thicker, fuller, and healthier hair without resorting to quick-fix products that often fail to produce tangible results. When using the cap daily, you’ll notice a difference in hair health and the sprouts of baby hair emerging.
Pros:
- Price: $449 might seem pricey for an at-home red light therapy device, but compared to other red light therapy hair devices, like CurrentBody’s $859 LED Hair Growth Helmet, you’re saving hundreds of dollars without sacrificing any of the benefits.
- Visible results: Your hair will start to show new growth and improvement in hair density and look stronger, healthier, and more vibrant.
- Short, simple, secretive treatments: With the lights tucked away discretely below your cap and no outside illumination, no one will be the wiser to your daily doses of red light therapy hair care.
Cons:
- Expect reasonable, not radical, results. Those who experience major hair loss won’t recapture all their former glory, but they can still improve hair density, health, and growth.
Overall Thoughts
As someone who dealt with postpartum hair loss before and managed to get nearly all of my hair back, I wasn’t sure what growth results I would see with the cap, but the cap did promote new hair growth. After about two months, I started to notice little baby hairs sprouting up around my temples—a delicate but definite indication that the treatment was working behind the scenes to stimulate new growth and strengthen my follicles.
Though I’m not sure how well the HigherDOSE Red Light Hat would work on someone with significant hair loss, I do feel the device is an ideal self-care treatment for those who are hoping to turn drab, deflated hair back into resilient strands that can withstand styling, environmental stressors, and daily wear and tear.
Let’s face it: red light therapy has found its niche in skincare, and if you’re already invested in your skin’s health and appearance, why not double down and give your hair and scalp some TLC? You might find you’ve planted some new roots that are ready to grow.
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