Hair to grow, acne to go

Two new laser treatments improve quality of life for those suffering from hair loss, skin problems

One Owasso woman is taking the power of light to a new level. She has learned to use infrared light for hair growth and a narrow-band, high-intensity blue light for clearing up skin problems, such as acne.

"I will not sell something I don't believe in," said Peggy Dohlman, owner of Light Touch Hair Restoration Therapy in Owasso. "I don't believe everything I hear, so when I heard about these new treatments, I was skeptical. But I looked into it and decided it was worth a try and I've been having very good results."

Two of Dohlman's hair restoration cases in particular stand out.

"I had a 70-year-old lady who had maybe only a dozen hairs on the very top of her head," said Dohlman. "After the second week of treatment, she didn't have any more dandruff. After the third week, she stopped losing her hair. After the fifth week, new hairs were growing all over."

Another fantastic case was a 14-year-old girl who was missing a large clump of hair on the back of her head due to alopecia areata. One year after starting treatment, thick hair covered the once-bare spot.

"At first, I thought this treatment sounded ridiculous," said Dohlman. "I don't think it's ridiculous anymore."

The laser hair therapy works by increasing bloodflow to the area directed, which provides oxygen and nutrients while also getting rid of waste.

The hair restoration program is a year-long program where a patient comes in regularly to sit under the infrared light machine. Patients can sit under the machine for one hour once a week or for half an hour twice a week. The laser is a cold laser, which is completely harmless with no proven side effects. Patients are also given special hair products to use at home.

There's a reason the treatment takes at least a year.

"Hair has a life cycle, but each time that hair regrows, it's thicker and longer," said Dohlman. "We may have to go through several of the hair's life cycles to get the fullness desire."

However, the treatment is not a magic cure-all.

"As in everything medical, you can't guarantee it will work in everyone," she said.

The best candidates for the hair restoration program are those who are just starting to notice thinning hair.

"The earlier you start, the better," said Dohlman. "If you are a man who has been bald for 10 years, then there's a good chance those hair follicles are gone and can't be revived. If you have just recently started to lose hair, those hair follicles probably aren't totally dormant yet and this process would have the best chance of working."

However, for those who do make a good candidate for the treatment, there's a good chance that the process will stop hair loss and possibly regrow the hair.

Dohlman does want to stress that the light therapy is not a cure for diseases that have no cure, such as the alopecia areata. There is a chance that the 14-year-old girl who had such amazing results will begin to lose hair again and will have to start treatments again.

Dohlman has also just recently started offering the blue light treatment.

The blue light treatment can be used to improve several skin problems, such as sun damage, pore size, freckles, age spots, facial redness, wrinkles, veins, acne and rosacea/psoriasis.

The recommended blue light treatment is twice a week for four weeks and then on an as-needed basis.

"Just like with the hair restoration treatment, this is not a cure for something that isn't curable," said Dohlman. "There is no cure for acne. This is just a treatment similar to topical ointments or other treatments that must be continued as long as the acne keeps flaring up."

Blue light therapy might be the best solution for those who are not having good results with other treatments or for patients whose skin is too sensitive to tolerate topical medications.

Her son, who is a dermatology physician's assistant with Smith Dermatology in Tulsa, has been helping her research these new treatments.

"I have personally seen the improvement for each type of light when other treatment options have failed," said Matt. "These are both very safe and effective therapies."

Light Touch Hair Restoration Therapy is at 10310 N. 138th E. Ave., Suite 102, behind the Lanes at Coffee Creek.

Dohlman has been a practicing electrologist for 22 years in Tulsa and just recently relocated to Owasso. Her electrology business, Eastern Oklahoma Electrology, is also being run out of the same office as Light Touch. For more information, call 609-5550 or visit the Web at lighttouch.eoetulsa.com.

Related Photos:

Peggy Dohlman, owner of Light Touch Hair Restoration Therapy, sets up the infrared laser machine on new patient Virginia Grant. The infrared light treatment can stop hair loss and regrow hair while a similar blue light treatment can improve several skin problems.
This patient has been doing the blue light treatment to clear up her acne.	These results are after just four treatments.
This patient began treatment at Light Touch Hair Restoration Therapy after losing a section of her hair from the effects of alopecia areata.	One year later, the results of her treatments are obvious