My name is Carol Winig—I'm a 70-year-old retired nurse from Jupiter, Florida, and this is my hair loss story.
I'd always had relatively thin hair—and started to notice it was getting thinner with age—but a case of long COVID accelerated the process in a big way. Suddenly, in my late 60s, my hair started coming out in clumps—handfuls would come out in the shower when I shampooed, when I combed it, when I blew it dry, even if I just touched it. This was not normal, I knew.
My road to recovery from the virus wasn't an easy one—my lungs and heart had been seriously compromised—and the hair loss made the process so much more emotional for me. It looked as if I were going through chemotherapy—I would stare into the mirror and burst into tears. I tried everything to remedy the situation, but none of the hair growth products I tried—the shampoos to help combat thinning or the hair oils that promised new growth—were helping at all.
Then, one day, Hairmax caught my eye while I was shopping at a big box store I frequently visited. As they say, the rest is history.
So...what is Hairmax?
Hairmax is a company makes an array of shampoos, conditioners, and at-home laser devices designed to help people like me get their hair back—or at least some semblance of it. From what I learned, laser treatments improve scalp and follicle health to promote hair growth and stop hair loss.
The store was selling a three-pack of some of the brand's top-selling products: shampoo, conditioner, and their red light hair band, the LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex. It was expensive (the device alone can cost upwards of $500), but it was Costco—if it didn’t work in three months, I figured I could take advantage of their generous return policy and take it back. I read the reviews, and it sounded both easy to use and effective, so I went for it.
Other than the fact that it's expensive (my advice: wait for a good sale!), there's nothing I don't like about it. The device is relatively lightweight and comfortable on my head, plus it's really not all that large. I've travelled with it numerous times, without any issue. It also holds a charge for a surprisingly long time—I can usually go about three months without having to give it extra juice.
How does the Hairmax laser band work?
From my research, I learned that Hairmax works using low-level laser therapy (LLLT)—a technology that has plenty of clinical studies to back up its ability to stop hair loss and encourage new growth. (What can I say, I love to dig into the research.) And knowing the company's products are all FDA-cleared as safe and effective for both men and women over the age of 18 gave me further peace of mind.
The brand makes a variety of different devices, but says all of them emit the same laser energy—the only difference is in treatment times. Some models work in just 90 seconds, while others may take 15 to 30 minutes. I didn't dig too much here, since I knew I wanted to take advantage of Costco's deal.
How I used the Hairmax LaserBand
For best results, the brand recommends starting treatment at the first sign of hair loss and using the devices three days a week, indefinitely. I felt like I had kind of missed the boat on that part, since I'd been experiencing hair thinning for quite some time, but I figured I had nothing to lose.
The process was just as easy as the reviews made it sound like: use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner and then place the laser device on top of damp or dry hair. The device beeps at regular intervals to tell you when to move it to the next spot on your head, and again when you're done.
You don't have to, but I've opted to continue using the brand's shampoo and conditioner, despite the price, because they're so fabulous. The shampoo lathers incredibly well, and makes my hair feel soft and look shiny. Plus, a little bit goes a long way, so the bottles last longer, adding to the overall value.
A few times per week I add the brand's scalp serum to the mix—something I decided to buy separately to ensure I did everything I possibly could to help facilitate hair growth. That was easy, too. You just squeeze it onto your scalp and massage it in. Nothing itches, stings, or otherwise hurts. Actually, it's all a breeze from start to finish.
Did the Hairmax system work for me?
Yes. Emphatically, yes. In fact, I have never been so passionate about a product. My experience with hair shedding was devastating—first I lost my health, and then I lost my hair. I was at such a low point, and Hairmax helped me feel a little bit like myself again. It worked almost immediately, too.
I wasn't the only one who noticed what a difference Hairmax made. Nearly everyone around me wanted to know what transformed my hair. Within three weeks my hairdresser and even my postal worker commented on how much thicker my hair seemed to be. I saw it every time I looked in the mirror, so I was so grateful for the reassurance. For the first time in a long time, I felt energized and wanted to keep going to reap the best results possible.
Brigitt Earley
Contributing Writer
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
