Nonablative radiofrequency for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: An open‐label study

Abstract

Introduction Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of progressive hair loss, and current treatments are limited. Wound healing has been associated with hair regrowth; consequently, its mechanism has been suggested for treatment of hair loss. Nonablative radiofrequency (RF), which induces wound healing mechanisms through thermal damage, has been shown to increase hair growth when applied to the scalp. In this study, we aim to evaluate a specially adapted non‐ablative RF device as a noninvasive, nonsystemic treatment for AGA. Methods An open‐label study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a nonablative RF device for treatment of AGA. Patients diagnosed with Hamilton–Norwood Stage 3 or above were recruited and received 10 weekly RF treatment sessions. Hair counts were performed before and after treatment manually by a medical resident. Results Ten male and 10 female subjects were recruited. Hair count, hair density (per cm2), vellus hair density (per cm2), terminal hair density (per cm2), cumulative thickness (mm/cm2), number of follicular units, density of follicular units (per cm2), and average hair per unit increased from before to after treatment. Only the increases in hair count, overall hair density, terminal hair density, cumulative thickness, and average hair count/unit were statistically significant (p < .05). Discussion We observed significant improvement in hair growth in 19 out of 20 patients. Overall, significant improvement was observed in total hair counts, terminal hair counts, hair shaft thickness, and in the number of follicular units. Further clinical research is warranted to further explore nonablative RF for treatment of AGA.