one man's opinion of the theradome laser helmet
Intro to theradome
It was a summer day in 2013 that I stumbled upon a crowd funding campaign that promised to improve the quality and quantity of my hair. Prior to this discovery I had never put much thought into hair. Though it may have been obvious that my hair was getting thinner with age, I didn't see any point in dwelling on it. Why waste time and energy on something that you can't change?
Normally the thought of a laser helmet would have resulted in a skeptical laugh. This day I happened to have a $500 balance in a PayPal account that was easier to spend than withdraw. Approximately $400 later I was a proud contributor to the Theradome Laser Helmet campaign. The next step was telling my wife that I had just spent a good portion of our refunded deposit from our previous house rental on a device that claimed to grow hair. She laughed and questioned my sanity.
Normally the thought of a laser helmet would have resulted in a skeptical laugh. This day I happened to have a $500 balance in a PayPal account that was easier to spend than withdraw. Approximately $400 later I was a proud contributor to the Theradome Laser Helmet campaign. The next step was telling my wife that I had just spent a good portion of our refunded deposit from our previous house rental on a device that claimed to grow hair. She laughed and questioned my sanity.
December 24th, 2013. Suitcases are packed for a trip to the family Christmas celebration. UPS had sent a notification that my Theradome helmet was out for delivery and required a signature. Finally the sound of the doorbell meant I was on the path to a fuller head of hair (and we could leave with enough time to not miss the scheduled Christmas Eve dinner).
The Theradome helmet was as described. The box included the helmet , a charging cradle and some informational paperwork (later I would learn that the Helmet had to be registered on the day of receipt to be eligible for a warranty). Use of the helmet was self explanatory - put it on your head and press the only button. Twenty minutes later I had completed my first laser treatment. The experience was painless and I immediately went to the mirror to look for signs of improved hair (yes, I know that seems ridiculous now). One year later I am still looking.
The Theradome helmet was as described. The box included the helmet , a charging cradle and some informational paperwork (later I would learn that the Helmet had to be registered on the day of receipt to be eligible for a warranty). Use of the helmet was self explanatory - put it on your head and press the only button. Twenty minutes later I had completed my first laser treatment. The experience was painless and I immediately went to the mirror to look for signs of improved hair (yes, I know that seems ridiculous now). One year later I am still looking.
Shortly after completing my first laser treatment I went online in search of reviews and photographic proof that time spent wearing this helmet of lasers would be beneficial. Not much existed. What was there fit into one of two categories. People selling laser devices showing photos of miraculous hair growth and users of hair loss forums either praising or bashing laser technology. Regardless of opinion towards lasers, few had much to show for their years of battling hair loss.
The solution was to start my own review with photos. To date over 100,000 people from 32 countries have viewed the blog. |
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Using the theradome
In the beginning I used the Theradome helmet twice each week. After some feedback from readers of the blog (including some who represented the Theradome company) I decided it would be beneficial to increase the frequency of treatments. The most ever completed in a week was 5. I now believe that 3 times a week is the max a person should use the helmet (though I have no scientific rational for that belief).
The Theradome helmet can be difficult to charge. Mine requires it be placed into a charging cradle. Sometimes the helmet will immediately acknowledge the charger and begin charging. Other times I have to press the power button multiple times. At some point it accepts its position and the charging begins. My helmet requires approximately 3 hours to charge to a level that will power 4 treatments. I recommend charging after 2 treatments to avoid a "battery low" situation. Mine is more difficult to charge after the battery has died. I've heard from other users that the newer model of the helmet includes a superior charging solution. While in use the Theradome helmet keeps track of time. A woman's voice reminds me every 5 minutes of how much time remains in the treatment.
I also learned the importance of treating the scalp with anti-fungal shampoos. A Theradome representative suggested Nizoral, but that was a bit too harsh for my hair / scalp. Since then I have switched to a combination of T/Gel and T/Sal. I use them once per week and leave each on my scalp for approximately 3 minutes.
* I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
The Theradome helmet can be difficult to charge. Mine requires it be placed into a charging cradle. Sometimes the helmet will immediately acknowledge the charger and begin charging. Other times I have to press the power button multiple times. At some point it accepts its position and the charging begins. My helmet requires approximately 3 hours to charge to a level that will power 4 treatments. I recommend charging after 2 treatments to avoid a "battery low" situation. Mine is more difficult to charge after the battery has died. I've heard from other users that the newer model of the helmet includes a superior charging solution. While in use the Theradome helmet keeps track of time. A woman's voice reminds me every 5 minutes of how much time remains in the treatment.
I also learned the importance of treating the scalp with anti-fungal shampoos. A Theradome representative suggested Nizoral, but that was a bit too harsh for my hair / scalp. Since then I have switched to a combination of T/Gel and T/Sal. I use them once per week and leave each on my scalp for approximately 3 minutes.
* I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Expectations
Per the Theradome website:
Step 1: The first step is minimizing hair loss, which typically occurs 4-18 weeks into treatment.
Step 2: Reversing miniaturization is the next step to getting thicker, fuller and more lustrous hair and typically occurs within 18-26 weeks of continued use.
Step 3: The final step is renewing your hair growth, which typically begins within 26-52 weeks of starting treatment.
Step 1: The first step is minimizing hair loss, which typically occurs 4-18 weeks into treatment.
Step 2: Reversing miniaturization is the next step to getting thicker, fuller and more lustrous hair and typically occurs within 18-26 weeks of continued use.
Step 3: The final step is renewing your hair growth, which typically begins within 26-52 weeks of starting treatment.
What happened?
My opinion
My opinion here usually results in controversy. There is one group who believes I have achieved extraordinary results and my hair looks better than ever. Another group thinks I'm losing more hair by the day and will be bald before the end of this 52 week Theradome experiment. The majority of others fall somewhere in between those opinions. At the time of this writing I am unable to say with any certainty if the Theradome Laser Helmet worked as advertised. In some photos my hair appears to be fuller (less visible scalp), while in others a notable change is debatable. I have not noticed any change to my hairline. The texture and thickness of my hair seems unchanged to the touch. I don't see evidence of new hair growth. Looking in the mirror doesn't reveal much (if any) change. |
It is impossible to know how my hair would look today without having used the Theradome. It could be substantially worse, or even a bit better. We will never know. I tried to produce photos each week in similar circumstances including lighting and angle. This proved more difficult than I had expected. A single photo session can produce images that make the hair look either far worse or much improved. Lighting can either reflect off the scalp or make the scalp disappear beneath the hair. The camera used for the photos makes a huge difference as well. The lesson here is to be skeptical of images you see online. The person posting has a lot of control over how they appear. Anyone selling a product will likely change conditions to be in their favor. Ultimately, at least for now, I have to say the Theradome Laser Helmet failed to live up to the expectations set by the company's advertising and crowd funding campaign. I was hoping to be able to zoom in on an area of the scalp and show some signs of new hair growth. Unfortunately I'm unable to do so. |
Advice
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Many people have asked if I recommend that they buy a Theradome helmet. The answer depends on money, time and expectations.
Do you have an extra $900 to spend? Are you willing to dedicate a minimum of 40 minutes a week to wearing a helmet of lasers? Would you be upset if no positive changes occurred after a year of using the helmet? These are all important questions to ask yourself prior to investing in Theradome. The majority of Theradome users I've discovered online have had results similar to mine. Not terrible, but nothing the Theradome company would likely use to promote their products. |
Conclusion
I have enjoyed these 52 weeks of maintaining a Theradome review blog. In that time I received a great education from those who commented on my blog posts and the folks on hair loss forums. I wish you all the best of luck. I also want to thank the more than 100,000 people (well, unique IP addresses) that visited the blog. I hope my efforts helped you make an informed decision. One thing I take away from it is not to be obsessed with keeping hair that is destined by genetics to leave your scalp. I will continue to use the Theradome helmet twice per week, but beyond that I am content with letting nature take her course.