Can a Red Light Device Really Make Your Hair Grow? Here's the Deal (2025)

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 during a treatment session). Plus, it actually covers my entire scalp, not just the top half of the 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.

The helmet even comes in two different head sizes (for the same price, mind you!) and could help increase hair growth in as few as 12 weeks. Simply use it everyday for 10 minutes for the best possible results.

• Usage notes: 10 minutes, daily
• Red light wavelength: 640nm

Glowing customer review: "I've been struggling with alopecia for the past ten years, and for the last four years, I've also dealt with Lichen Planopilaris (LPP), which meant no baby hair growth during that time. However, after starting to use the LED hair growth helmet in conjunction with topical hair products, I began to see baby hairs around the front of my hairline after about four months! I tried using the topicals alone in the past and it didn’t work but the combination works wonders!"

Talk about casual! This innovative hat has the same red light powers as any other hi-tech device on this list...but it legit looks like a regular baseball cap. You can seriously walk around wearing this cap while the machine is turned on, and no one would be able to tell. I use this at my desk once a day and none of my coworkers know when the treatment is underway.

Simply press the button on the controller and let the hat do its job for 10 minutes to encourage root strengthening and increase scalp circulation. Sneaky and stylish, I love to see it.

• Usage notes: 10 minutes, daily
• Red light wavelength: 650nm

Glowing customer review: "I have always had issues with my hair falling out since I was a teen. Since using this hat for the past few months I've noticed less and less hair falling out in the shower and on my brush. I keep it but my couch so I can wear it every time I'm watching a show!"

This LED brush uses both a combo of red and blue light therapy to help potentially trigger hair growth, as well as sonic pulsations that feel hella relaxing when you glide the brush through your hair. Together, the light and vibrations help boost circulation and blood flow, slowly building a healthier scalp environment and hopefully some hair growth arise with continued use.

• Usage notes: daily
• Red light wavelength: 630nm

Glowing customer review: "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."

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 both red light therapy and lasers to help encourage some hair growth with daily 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.

• Usage notes: 12 minutes, daily
• Red light wavelength: 680nm

Glowing customer review: "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 a bit more mobility during your red light session, you should def try out this headband-style device from HairMax instead. It snugly sits 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 gadget 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.

• Usage notes: 3 minutes, 3 times per week
• Red light wavelength: 655 nm

Glowing customer review: "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."

Instead of plopping a clunky helmet on your head when you only have one spot at your hairline that's starting to thin, just go over it with this laser comb from HairMax. It features 12 laser diodes on the surface of the comb, which offer a more precise and condensed beam of light than an LED. Plus, the comb design—which reviewers loved for how lightweight and efficient 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.

• Usage notes: 8 minutes, 3 times per week
• Red light wavelength: 655 nm

Glowing customer review: "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."

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 hat on your head for 30 minutes three times per week instead of every day and potentially start seeing results in three to six months.

• Usage notes: 30 minutes, three times per week
• Red light wavelength: 304 laser diodes

If you want to potentially promote hair growth without spending a pretty penny on a red-light therapy helmet, try scalp dermarolling. The roller is covered in micro needles that basically work to supercharge and enhance the absorption of serums by creating teeny-tiny punctures in your skin to increase microcirculation and enhance the penetration (and therefore the efficacy) of any hair growth oil or formula you apply to your scalp. This potential boost in circulation and product efficacy could increase overall scalp health and hair growth.

It'll take time (usually once or twice a week for a three to six months) before you notice results, but it's the least expensive option on this list and arguably the quickest to use. Part your hair in sections, and drag the roller five times horizontally then vertically in your desired section. Follow it up with a scalp-loving formula (like the brand's GRO Hair Serum) for the full treatment.

• Usage notes: daily
• Red light wavelength: N/A

Glowing customer review: "I absolutely adore this new GRO+ Advanced Derma roller! For someone like me who's got balding at the hairline, it's the perfect tool to pair with my GRO+ Advanced Serum to really get those baby hairs starting to grow! I'm really loving this dermaroller, and I'm going to be extremely sad when my serum runs out!"

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 believed 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, 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.

Consider your commitment level.

If you are fine with spending some time precisely 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 for a few times a week, definitely choose a helmet-style device, like our favorite from CurrentBody.

Factor in your budget.

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.

• Craig Ziering, DO, is a board-certified dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon in New York, NY. He's the owner of Ziering Medical in NYC; Greenwich, CT; and Beverly Hills, CA.

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.

Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with more than two years of experience writing about the best beauty products and innovations out there. She's serious about hair and scalp care and regularly tests and analyzes new products and devices as a result.