Do they actually work? I asked an expert.
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If you feel like you've tried everything for your hair loss and thinning hair—hello, hair-growth vitamins, hair-growth shampoos, castor-oil hair treatments—with no success, you may want to consider a treatment that targets the health of your whole scalp, like a hair-growth device. At-home red-light therapy devices for your scalp, including helmets and combs, as well as scalp microneedling devices, are everywhere now, claiming to help regrow lost hair in as little as a few months. They sound like the dream—but do these hair growth devices actually work?
According to dermatologist and hair-loss expert Craig Ziering, DO, these at-home therapies can be beneficial for hair growth. But there are a few things you need to consider before choosing the best hair-growth device (don't worry, Dr. Ziering and I got into all of it below). Keep scrolling for the details, plus the best devices on the market, according to Dr. Ziering and first-person reviewers.
Keep scrolling for my top hair growth device picks, plus important info from Dr. Ziering about how hair-growth devices work and which ones to try.
I am such a fan of all of CurrentBody's skincare devices, so I knew I had to try their first-ever hair-growth option too. I absolutely love how comfortable this device is (thanks to the ear pads that actually act as bluetooth headphones to listen to a podcast or music while I do a treatment session). Plus, it actually covers my entire scalp, not just the top half of my head, which is great for the thinning I'm starting to experience at the nape of my neck from all those super-tight, slicked-back low buns.
ONE SHOPPER WRITES: "I've been using this device for a month, and I noticed my scalp gets less greasy. I used to wash my hair every day as it gets very greasy within a day, but since I use this device, I can hold up for two days!! This is already a lifesaver!! I've noticed some baby hair came out from my frontline, but it's not obvious yet. Anyway, it's already a good start for me, and I'm very excited about what's to come!"
After seeing dozens of ads for this hair-growth device, I finally decided to try it about six months ago, and I'm slowly starting to notice results. It uses red light to help encourage some hair growth with once a day use across six to eight months. But my favorite part is how easy this device is to use and set up. Out of the package, you just scan a QR code to register the device and get info straight to your phone about how to use it.
A SHOPPER'S REVIEW READS: "I bought this item in November 2022 and hid it from my husband because I felt stupid spending so much money on something that I thought probably would not work. But it definitely did work! I used it faithfully every other day for five to six months before I noticed anything. Last May or June, I noticed significant new hair growth along my hairline in the front. This growth has continued and thickened ever since. This machine is the first thing that actually increased my hair volume. I highly recommend it and hope this review helps someone make their purchasing decision."
If you want to potentially encourage hair growth without spending a fortune on a red-light therapy helmet, try scalp dermarolling. The roller is covered in micro needles that create teeny-tiny punctures in your skin to increase microcirculation and enhance the penetration (and therefore the efficacy) of whatever hair growth oil or serum you apply to your scalp post-treatment. This potential boost in microcirculation and product efficacy may help increase hair growth.
It'll take time (usually once or twice a week for a three to six months) before you notice a result, but it's the least expensive option on this list and arguably the quickest to use. Shampoo your hair, then part it in sections, and drag the roller once horizontally and once vertically. I follow it up with Act and Acre's Stem Cell Serum to keep my scalp v healthy.
ACCORDING TO ONE BUYER: "It definitely works.At first, I was like, 'okay, where are the results,' but in two months, I 10000% am seeing results! I had thinning hair around my hairline and now after using the products almost every day, I noticed the area has much more hair and doesn't look nearly as bare."
Instead of plopping a clunky helmet on your head when you only have one tiny spot at your hairline that's starting to thin, just go over it with this laser comb from HairMax. It features nine laser diodes on the surface of the comb, which offer a more precise beam of light than an LED. Plus, the comb design—which reviewers loved for how lightweight it is—makes it really easy to just use it where you need it, instead of spending 15 to 20 minutes going over your whole head.
ONE HAPPY CUSTOMER WRITES: "This is a great product. In combination with PRP, my hairline has been completely restored In 7 months. No messy Rogaine every day, no wigs or hairpieces. I’ve tried them all. This works fast, it’s clean, and this new laser comb is cheaper than the last one I purchased five years ago."
If LED hair-growth helmets struggle to fit comfortably over your head, you should def try out this headband-style device from HairMax instead. It snugly fits over your head like headband and uses teeth to help section out your hair a little bit to encourage the LED light to spread evenly across your scalp, even if you have majorly thick hair.
You just glide the device onto your scalp (legit, just like a headband), and hold it in place for 30 seconds. Then, gently slide it back to the next position and repeat across your entire scalp.
A CUSTOMER REVIEW READS: "I already use LED treatment for my face, and while it's not a miracle solution, I can tell that my skin texture is better. It's the same with this product. It'll take a few months for progress but if you are consistent—key word here—then you will notice stronger hair and in my experience more growth in the designated areas you treat."
This LED brush uses both a combo of red and blue light therapy to help potentially trigger some hair growth, as well as sonic pulsations that feel hella relaxing when you glide the brush through your hair. Together, this helps boost circulation and blood flow, slowly encouraging a healthier scalp environment and hopefully some hair growth with continued use.
ONE CUSTOMER WRITES: "I bought this based on my friends recommendation a few months ago. I want to share how positive my experience has been. I see less shedding when I brush my hair, less in the drain when showering, and less when I take off my ponytail for the day. I'm losing much less. Second it feels like my hair has started to come in a little faster with less split ends. Last it's shiny and healthy looking, not sure if it's LED or the massage I do, but my hair game is on point thanks to this wonderful brush massager."
This device was actually developed by Dr. Ziering for his patients to use at home in combination with in-office treatments. It uses low-level light therapy (LLLT, just like the popular Lyma Laser for anti-aging), which is thought to "help activate the hair follicles and lengthens the growth stage of the hair cycle while also reducing the transitional resting stage of your hair follicles," Dr. Ziering says. Why LLLT instead of LED, you might ask? It's much stronger, so you can sit the device on your head for 30 minutes three times per week instead of every day and potentially start seeing results in three to six months.
Hair-growth devices can potentially work, but it'll take consistency and time to see results. Essentially, these devices work by creating a healthy environment for hair to grow, increasing circulation, and/or stimulate hair follicle activity.
The best technologies to regrow hair at home include red light therapy, low-level laser therapy (also referred to as cold laser therapy), and microneedling, says Dr. Ziering. Red-light therapy and low-level laser therapy both send heat into your hair follicles, which then is thought to help prolong the growth phase of your hair. More time to grow before shedding = more hair, essentially.
Microneedling, however, which creates micro-injuries in your skin, triggering it to send more blood flow to the area, which can help regrow thicker hair. "More significantly, though, it creates 'microchannels' that enable topical treatments for hair loss, such as minoxidil and finasteride, to be more effective," says Dr. Ziering.
But it's important to keep in mind, “if you are experiencing hair loss, the single most important thing you should do is consult with a hair loss expert who can properly diagnose what’s causing your hair loss and advise you on what types of treatments would deliver optimal results for you," says Dr. Ziering.
If you are fine with spending 20 minutes gliding a comb throughout your entire scalp every day, then def try something like the Solaris Labs Intensive LED Hair Growth Brush (which is also the cheapest option on this list for LED devices too). But if you want something you can kinda plop on your head and just chill out a few times a week, definitely choose a helmet-style device, like my favorite from CurrentBody.
Laser and LED hair-growth devices are definitely some of the most likely to be effective at home, especially when combined with in-office treatments. But they're much more expensive than, say, a dermaroller and over-the-counter minoxidil. Which is why it's so important to talk to your dermatologist or a hair-loss specialist first, as your solution might be much simpler and cost-effective than a $$$ laser helmet.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with five years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories that range from wavy-hair products to protein treatments. She’s an authority in all hair categories, but is an expert when it comes to hair-growth devices after interviewing dermatologists and trichologists about hair loss and thinning hair, as well as testing the newest treatments and technologies.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
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