Lifestyle

Experts Share How Low Level Laser Therapy Work

Published

5 years ago

October 30, 2020

Hair loss is a normal part of aging. Whether you’re a man or woman, it’s something that you’ll eventually have to embrace. But there’s a difference between embracing who you are and letting hair loss lead to premature balding. If you want to address the issue, low level laser therapy is one of the most effective options.

What is LLLT?

Low level laser therapy (LLLT), known in scientific circles as photobiomodulation, has been around for decades. However, it’s only just recently become accessible to the masses.

LLLT was first discovered in 1967 by Endre Mester who was working at the Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. He found that applying laser light to the backs of shaven mice would actually induce hair to grow back more quickly than normal. Furthermore, he found that lasers could be used to treat skin ulcers, wounds, and certain neurological disorders.

“LLLT involves exposing cells or tissue to low levels of red and near infrared (NIR) light, and is referred to as ‘low level’ because of its use of light at energy densities that are low compared to other forms of laser therapy that are used for ablation, cutting, and thermally coagulating tissue,” explains a study published in the Annals of Biomedical Engineering. “LLLT is also known as ‘cold laser’ therapy as the power densities used are lower than those needed to produce heating of tissue.”

It was previously thought that LLLT required coherent laser light, but researchers have found that light emitting diodes (LEDs) are equally as effective and less expensive.

And while LLLT is used for dozens of therapeutic techniques, its application for hair loss is among the most prized and highly sought after — particularly since it’s become available as a consumer product.

“Until recently, this technology was available only through expensive procedures performed by physicians. Now, you can have it right in your own home for a more comfortable, more time-efficient method of treating hair loss,” explains Kiierr, one of the leading providers of laser hair growth caps.

In terms of hair regrowth, LLLT irradiates photons into scalp tissues. And as these photons are absorbed by weaker cells, it encourages hair growth. In other words, laser therapy improves cellular respiration, stimulates hair follicles, and jumpstarts the hair growth process.

LLLT technology is FDA approved and has been backed by numerous clinical trials. Here are two of them:

In a 2014 study, low level laser therapy was found to be both safe and effective for hair growth in men and women.
In a separate study of 41 males between the ages of 18 and 48, laser therapy produced a 39 percent increase in hair growth over a 16-week period.

Who Should Try LLLT?

As more consumers learn about LLLT, it’s becoming a favored option for fighting hair loss. So, is it right for you? Here are some instances where it makes sense:

You’re experiencing some sort of rapid or premature hair loss. This could be balding at the crown of the head, thinning, and/or a receding hairline. LLLT will not only slow the rate of hair loss, but it could also allow you to regrow hair in areas where you were previously balding.
You need help regrowing hair, but you don’t want to go through the pain and hassle of a hair transplant procedure. You’d prefer something convenient and discreet that can be done in the comfort of your own home.
You aren’t interested in hair loss medications because of the side effects, mess, and ongoing monthly expense. You’d rather have a cost-effective option with no side effects.

LLLT is for both men and women. Whether your hair loss is caused by hereditary factors, changes in hormones, stress, or unknown factors, laser therapy can help you grow a thicker and fuller scalp of hair.

Other Helpful Tips for Fighting Hair Loss

While it’s certainly one of the most effective methods for fighting hair loss, LLLT is just one option. If you’re going to try it, make sure you’re setting yourself up for success with the lifestyle decisions you make. Diet, nutrition, sleep, and stress reduction are all important factors. Live a healthy life and do what you can to fight back against hair loss!

Lifestyle

Kat Marie Alvarez: Where Innovation Meets Regulation

Published

3 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Michelle Langton

Regulation is often thought of as a limitation, yet in healthcare, it also serves as a foundation for building models that endure. For Kat Marie Alvarez, Founder and CEO of KATALYST & CO, the framework of rules established by agencies like CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) and the OIG ( office of the Inspector General) create opportunities to design systems that are compliant, ethical, and transformative. Her approach demonstrates that regulation can be a platform for innovation when it is interpreted with both technical rigor and vision.

Kat’s 25-year career reflects this philosophy. A former nurse who advanced into executive leadership and strategy, she has led $2.7B+ P&L operations, advised on over $5B in healthcare transactions, and guided value based organizations including Innovacare, Cano Health, WellMed, Centene, and Humana through periods of exponential scaling. Her perspective combines clinical, financial, and regulatory experience, giving her a unique ability to design structures that support integrity and accountability while driving measurable outcomes.

Turning Statutes into Strategy

For Kat, regulation serves as a framework for building smarter and more ethical models. She interprets CMS guidance and OIG rules as levers for innovation, using them to advance integrity and accountability. With the CMS V28 risk adjustment model, Alvarez refined coding practices, strengthened clinical documentation, and structured risk frameworks that reward accuracy and elevate standards of care. In addressing RADV audits, she crafted strategies that protect stakeholders while keeping patient outcomes at the forefront. She aligns compliance, cost, and care in equal measure. Her current work as a contributor to the CMS IDea Challenge, an initiative focused on strengthening the foundation of trust in our system, further echoes her commitment to advancing regulations in ways that unlock innovation while safeguarding the integrity of care.

Her interpretive approach brings discipline and vision to every challenge. She engages stakeholders to redesign workflows that meet regulatory requirements and enhance the patient experience. Each policy becomes a mechanism to strengthen accountability and operational precision, shaping a system that is both compliant and humane.

Innovation Built Within Boundaries

At KATALYST & CO, this interpretive approach is carried into every project. Kat has integrated predictive analytics and AI-driven tools into care models, with safeguards that ensure interventions remain clinician-led and ethically sound. For example, AI flags in chronic disease management are connected to human-led actions that improve patient care. The result is a model that benefits from technology while preserving accountability and clinical integrity.

Staffing and infrastructure provide another example of her philosophy in action. By leveraging offshore BPO operations in Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe, KATALYST & CO extends capacity for health plans and providers. These expansions are carefully designed to meet data security, licensure, and jurisdictional requirements, ensuring that global reach is paired with local compliance. It is a system that balances scale with responsibility.

The Art of Influence Through Alignment

Kat often describes her role as translating complexity into clarity. Whether she is working with payers, providers, or investors, she builds consensus by grounding ambitious strategies in the language of statute. Value-based care models, utilization management programs, and clinical frameworks are designed to prove compliant ROI for stakeholders while maintaining patient focus.

Her approach begins with people. In integrations, partnerships, and platform builds, she respects legacy strengths, listens to frontline voices, and creates systems that are not only efficient but also trusted. This ensures that compliance does not feel like restriction, but like a structure that supports innovation and adoption.

Redefining the Future of Compliance and Care

KATALYST & CO is scaling with $10M in initial funding, expanded international operations, and a growing advisory portfolio. Under Kat’s leadership, the firm is showing how regulation can be a foundation for both innovation and durability. She demonstrates that lasting progress in healthcare is achieved by leaders who know how to design systems that are bold, ethical, and deeply human.

By approaching regulation as a guide rather than a limitation, Kat Alvarez is building models that prove compliance and innovation can move forward together. Her formula ensures that the future of healthcare is shaped not only by ambition, but also by trust and responsibility.