iRestore is a hair growth system that uses red light lasers on the inside of a helmet to stimulate hair regrowth. The brand claims that their system is “clinically proven” and is “the most trusted laser device brand.”
But is red light therapy actually proven in medical studies to cause hair regrowth or are these just marketing claims? Has the iRestore device specifically been tested? Are there any risks or side effects associated with this type of therapy? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of iRestore?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review medical research on red light therapy to give our take on whether it’s likely to be effective or if it’s a waste of money. We’ll also explain whether the iRestore device is proven to work.
We’ll overview potential side effects of this type of therapy and feature real, unsponsored iRestore customer reviews.
Can Red Lights Regrow Hair?
Red light therapy, which uses red wavelengths of light for health and cosmetic benefits, has actually been studied in clinical trials.
A 2013 clinical trial tested the effects of red light therapy on men with pattern baldness. The treatment “significantly improved” hair counts by 61% after 16 weeks of treatment.
Red light therapy has also been clinically shown to be effective for women. As we documented in our Capillus reviews article on another red light therapy device, a follow-up trial to the previously cited trial found similar results. Women experienced significant hair count increases.
A medical review published in the Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology journal analyzed data on red light therapy for hair loss and suggested it may be more effective for women than men, because women have less of a hormone called DHT which has inflammatory effects on hair follicles.
Overall we consider red light therapy to be potentially effective for hair regrowth. The studies are early-stage, but are promising.
But just because red light therapy is clinically shown to be effective, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the iRestore device will work. Is the iRestore specifically proven to work? We’ll analyze in the next section.
Is the iRestore Clinically Proven to Work?
Whether or not any specific red light therapy device is likely to work depends on a few factors: if it’s been studied and proven to work in clinical research, if it uses an appropriate red light wavelength and if it uses an appropriate power value.
We can’t find any evidence that iRestore has been clinically proven to work. We can’t even find any clinical studies on the device. This makes their “clinically proven” claim on the brand’s homepage questionable in our opinion. Just because the underlying technology is clinically shown to work, that does not necessarily mean that iRestore will work.
The good news is that the iRestore device uses a red light wavelength that appears effective. The wavelength on iRestore helmets is 650 nanometers (nm). The effective wavelength range based on the clinical trials cited in the previous section appears to be around 620 nm to 700 nm, so iRestore falls right within this range.
The total power output of iRestore Professional is 1,410 megawatts (mW) and the device has 282 lasers, which equals a power level of 5 mW per laser.
A medical review published in the Lasers in Medical Science journal on red light for hair loss concluded that “low-level light...at low powers of 5 mW, can enhance hair growth.”
Based on the technical specs of iRestore, we consider the device likely to be effective for hair regrowth. We can’t find any studies on the device specifically that are published in medical journals, but it does appear to be well-constructed.
But how do real users rate the effects of iRestore? We’ll review in the next section.
Real, Unsponsored iRestore User Reviews
A popular health and beauty influencer and dermatologist named Dr Dray shared her experience after using iRestore for 18 months:
A YouTube creator named Dr. Tommy Martin reviewed iRestore after three months of use and included before and after images:
Where to Buy iRestore for the Best Price
iRestore is sold on the brand’s official website and on Amazon. Here are the prices at the time of publishing this article:
iRestore Essential
Brand website: $695 (link)
Amazon: $695 (link to official Amazon listing)
iRestore Professional
Brand website: $1,195 (link)
Amazon: $965 (link to official Amazon listing)
iRestore Professional is currently 19% cheaper on Amazon than on the brand’s website, and there's currently a coupon for an additional $100 off.
Real Customers Review iRestore
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion. iRestore Essential has been reviewed over 3,000 times on Amazon with an average review rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “SS” who claims that after 3.5 months of use it caused hair growth:
“Update after 3 1/2 months: It's working! I got my hair cut. My hair stylist noticed immediately that I had more hair. I've been using the helmet for 3 1/2 months, and I didn't tell her until after she noticed the difference. ‘Amazing’, she said. She found new hairs just over an inch long.”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Joy” who found in the device’s manual that it’s not necessarily as effective for people with darker skin tones:
“I was shocked and amazed. This product is only clinically approved for certain skin types. It has nothing to do with your hair. According to their manual, which you cannot see unless you actually purchase the product, if you have a skin type that doesn't burn in the sun, that gets darker in the sun, e.g. brown or black skin (their words not mine) then this product has not been clinically approved for you.”
Our Clean Hair Growth Picks
Happy Head Topical is our top hair growth solution.
This formulation uses FDA-approved hair loss ingredients like minoxidil which is clinically shown to increase hair count by 11%.
The brand also publishes the percentage concentration of each active ingredient, which is a sign of quality and transparency.
Interested consumers can check out Happy Head Topical Finasteride & Minoxidil at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
Nutrafol Hair Serum is our top over-the-counter (OTC) hair growth and hair quality promoter.
This product contains Lactobacillus probiotics which were shown to promote hair growth in a medical review published in the Molecules journal.
Niacinamide is included, and a 2021 clinical trial concluded that "Our data demonstrate that niacinamide could enhance hair growth."
Interested consumers can check out Nutrafol Hair Serum at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
Pros and Cons of iRestore
Here are the pros and cons of iRestore as a brand in our opinion:
Pros:
- Backed by good technology
- Likely to work
- Unlikely to cause side effects
- Most online customer reviews are positive
Cons:
- Expensive
- Can’t find clinical studies on iRestore specifically
- Not as effective on darker skin tones
