I Tried a Red Light Hat for a Month and It Sent My Weird Hairline Packing

From infrared sauna blankets to recovery mats, HigherDose has earned cult status for innovative wellness tech that actually works. I was fed an advertisement for its Red Light Therapy Hat ($449), and halted mid-scroll: "Go into the light, Alana," it beckoned.

Red light therapy harnesses low levels of red light to increase mitochondria in our cells, triggering repairs, improving circulation, and reducing inflammation. A clinical study demonstrated red light therapy on the scalp yielded 37 percent hair regrowth for women, while another trial produced a 35 percent increase for men. Numerous others support these findings, so in other words, red light therapy for hair regrowth is no joke.

If you've experienced hair loss, you may have contemplated red light therapy and found products that resemble cartoon brain drains. If the sheer humiliation and confusion of those products puts you off, let the HigherDose Red Light Therapy Hat seduce you. The minimalist black cap doesn't scream, "My hair is falling out!" More like, "I'm chic, tech-savvy, and also smart enough to stimulate my scalp."

All you need for treatment is 10 minutes daily under the hands-free hat. I struggle with designating 10 minutes a day to toning exercises and online shopping returns. But for the chance at a fuller head of hair, could I bear it? And more importantly, would the HigherDose Red Light Therapy Hat work on my anemic ends?

About the HigherDose Red Light Hat

What I Like About the HigherDose Red Light Hat

As a seasoned (read: geriatric) beauty editor, I'm well-versed in at-home devices and machines. The following typically ensues: initial excitement and detailed visualization of use before shoving the device in my bathroom closet to languish till the end of time. It's not that I don't enjoy the results: it's the cords strangling my bathroom for dear life, the short-charge life, and the tedium of maintaining utility.

With the HigherDose Red Light Hat, there's zero nonsense and nary an excuse. It arrives in a cheery blue box with minimal packaging, charged and ready to radiate. Its discreet black power source easily clicks into place on the back of the hat — there is no guesswork.

Then, there's the wear: light as a feather, stiff as a board. If you're a fan of red light therapy/LED masks for your face, you know that red light exposure to your eyes is often present. With this hat, I honestly can't tell whether it's on or off. Beeping sounds alert you that the session has concluded.

I'll summarize my feelings about the HigherDose Red Light Therapy Hat by quoting Elizabeth Barrett Browning: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." I realize this sounds rather dramatic, but it's true: I've nothing negative to say; I love everything about this device.

How to Use HigherDose's Red Light Hat

After charging, place the magnetized black battery on the back of the hat until it clicks into place. Turn it on by pressing the power button and waiting until red lights appear, then place the hat on your head. Do whatever your heart desires (within your legal rights) for ten minutes until the hat beeps to signify it has turned itself off.

Even though the red light revitalizes your scalp, ensure the environment is clean and free of debris and build-up. I continue to trust my roster of healthy scalp-spurring topicals: Nécessaire Rosemary Shampoo For Thinning Hair ($30), Dr. Groot Scalp Revitalizing Solution ($30) in lieu of conditioner, and Verb Ghost Exfoliating Scalp Nectar ($21) between washes.

What to Consider Before Trying HigherDose's Red Light Hat

Combatting hair loss is multifaceted, progressive, and often shrouded in mystery. If you don't like topicals/serums, this mess-free hat keeps your roots clean and dry. With minoxidil formulas, you contend with a sticky texture, potential harm to your cat, and an initial shedding phase. If you're taking oral supplements like Nutrafol ($88), which I and many dermatologists recommend, you must remember to swallow several pills daily. The HigherDose Red Light Therapy can be combined with both of those, but talk to your doctor about using it if you're receiving ultrasound treatments, injections, or implants/plugs. If you're experiencing significant and/or sudden hair loss, consult a doctor/trichologist to ascertain what's happening internally. Hair loss is often genetic and age-related, but it can also be a symptom of health issues.

Don't expect immediate head-turning results. Like any hair loss treatment, it's a gradual process. The brand recommends four months of daily wear and three to four times a week of subsequent maintenance treatments. I've been wearing mine for a month now, and my hair regrowth is most obvious near my hairline, where the curious cowlick I've had since childhood seems more full. I'm committed to this undertaking and I'll update this story when I've reached the full time period.

Despite its stealthy vibes, the hat isn't entirely covert – the power attachment protrudes a bit on the hat's posterior. Anyone who scrutinizes the back of your head will notice something is there – but does anyone really do that? I wore my hat to the grocery store, parks, and out for errands, and if anybody was onto me, they sure didn't say so. Even if someone did notice, it's like wearing cute pimple patches in public – I'd feel adorably relatable.

Regarding sizing, the hat is roomy if you have a smaller noggin. It fits me like a Von Dutch trucker hat in the early aughts.

Where Is the Higher Dose Red Light Therapy Hat Available?

The HigherDose Red Light Therapy Hat is available on the brand's website, as well as at Sephora and Nordstrom.

Rating:

★★★★★

Alana Peden is an award-winning executive storyteller, strategist, and brand shaper. She cut her teeth in print (at magazines like InStyle and More) before holding senior digital positions (at Penske Media Corporation and Bustle Digital Group). In 2017, she conceived and launched Elite Daily's fashion and beauty verticals. More recently, she served as the editor in chief at StyleCaster.