Capillus 82/ HairMax Flip 80/ Kiierr 148/ Illumiflow 148, Which Laser Cap is Better ?
Laser Caps regenerate the old dormant hair cells, causing the gaps on your scalp and improving your hair volume. As with any product, there is a huge array of options available in the market when it comes to these caps.
That’s why I’m here – to make it easier for you to choose the best long-term low-light laser therapy cap. Detailed product comparison is just what you need to reach a quick decision.
There can be plenty of reasons why 6 out of every 10 people today tend to suffer from hair fall issues. Stress, hormonal imbalance, genetic problems, scalp infection, pollution, and alopecia are some of them. Regardless of the reason, we can’t argue that hair loss plays a truant to our confidence. However, worry not. There are several ways to deal with it. Traditional methods include hair transplants, medication, or topical treatments. While medication might not help some (have adverse side effects even), others may not be able to get a surgical procedure like a hair transplant. Also, the latter can be really expensive.
No wonder LLLT products like laser caps quickly became the safest, effective, and most popular alternative.
- It is non-invasive.
- You can use them within the comfort of your home.
- They are hands-free laser devices, allowing you to multitask while getting treatment.
In this post, I am reviewing & comparing 4 best-selling laser caps.
CapillusUltra vs. HairMax Flip 80 vs. Kiierr 148 vs. Illumiflow 148
Our comparison includes the following parameters:
- Technology
- Energy Output (Power)
- Size or Fit
- Treatment Duration
- Safety
- Cost, risk-free trial period & warranty
- Market Experience
- Customer Reviews
Technology
Laser caps are one of the latest inventions which uses low-level lasers to help regrow your hair. Capillus, HairMax, Kiierr laser cap, and Illumiflow- they all provide LLLT. Low-level laser hats have a cooling technology in place. These lasers are thus also called cold lasers making them completely painless.
They come with an automatic shut-down option after every use, which makes them very handy hair growth systems. All devices are meant for unisex use.
Technology Winner: All 4 (Tie)
Power
How would you define these non-invasive hair restoration caps in terms of strength or power? If you combine the number of laser diodes, total power output, and wavelength, you will get a fair idea about the strength of a laser cap.
You will find many laser caps that use LEDs as supplements to cut down on cost, but you can’t ignore that LEDs are scientifically proven to be not as effective as lasers. However, all the products that we’re comparing use actual laser diodes (without a single LED) to give maximum results.
Let’s see how the 4 laser caps compare in this case:
CapillusUltra-
- Lasers- 82 laser diodes
- Energy Output- 410 mW
- Wavelength- 650 nm (clinically proven to be the perfect wavelength for optimum hair follicle stimulation)
HairMax Flip 80-
- Lasers- 80 laser diodes (covers half of the helmet; offers more focused front and back head treatment with a simple flip)
- Energy Output- 800 mW (total i.e., when flipped)
- Wavelength- 655 (+/- 10) nm
Kiierr 148-
- Lasers- 148 laser diodes
- Energy Output- 740 mW
- Wavelength- 650 nm
Illumiflow 148-
- Lasers- 148 laser diodes
- Energy Output- 740 mW
- Wavelength- Lasers are calibrated to 650 nm (optimal scalp penetration)
Note: They all use medical-grade lasers.
Power Winner: HairMax (the 80 diode is equivalent to 160 diodes when flipped)
Size & Comfort
The size or fit of the hair regrowth helmet matters, not just for comfort but also for effectiveness
While CapillusUltra and Illumiflow 148 are “one-size-fits-most” caps, Kiierr 148 comes in two sizes (regular and XL). Make sure you contact Capillus customer care if your head size is larger than 24”. HairMax Flip 80 also fits most heads, but it is a perfect fit for up to 22.5” head circumferences.
All the brands provide a silicone liner that helps give the caps a flexible fit and protects the laser diodes at the same time. Moreover, HairMax Flip 80 offers an ultra-lightweight (9.6 oz only) treatment experience.
Size Winner: Kiierr 148; HairMax Flip 80 (if you are looking for more flexibility)
Treatment Duration
Remember, laser caps became popular also for its ease of use and for the fact that it saves you a lot of valuable time. The goal is to find the one that has a lesser treatment time without compromising on the quality of the result.
Note: Irrespective of the treatment time, LLLT caps will show positive results (increase in hair volume) only when you religiously follow the prescribed regime. As per clinical studies, hair falling tendency reduces after the first three months of use; new & healthy hair starts to regrow by the end of 6 months.
HairMax Flip 80- Use for 30 minutes / thrice a week (15 minutes for each half)
CapillusUltra- Use regularly for 6 minutes/ session.
Illumiflow 148- Use for 30 minutes every other day (auto shut-off mode)
Kiierr 148- Use for 30 minutes/ thrice a week (auto shut-off)
Treatment Duration Winner: CapillusUltra (only 6 minutes x every day)
Safety
All the mentioned products are FDA cleared and clinically tested to be safe (for both men and women). You are buying a medical device and thus, you need to protect yourself. After all, these caps use medical-grade laser components and FDA clearance deems them safe.
Safety-check is crucial when you want to make your every penny count!
Cost, risk-free trial period, and warranty
- Price- $899 – For a limited time only Save 50% on Flip 80 laser cap use coupon code flip80 (Check price on Amazon)
- Warranty- 2-year factory warranty (can be extended up to 3 years with additional cost)
- Return Policy- 1-year money-back guarantee with a 25% restocking fee.
- Price- $699.99 (Sale price/ Coupon on Amazon)
- Warranty- 1-year factory warranty and 1-year AC Adapter & battery pack warranty.
- Return Policy- 6-month money-back guarantee (25% service charge applied)
- Price- $699 (Check Bundle available on Amazon)
- Warranty- 5-year factory warranty.
- Return Policy- 6-month money guarantee.
- Price- $645
- Warranty- 2-year manufacturer warranty.
- Return Policy- 7-month money-back guarantee ($50 deducted from the refund).
You can also opt for an extended warranty of up to 3 years for Capillus, Kiierr, and Illumiflow laser caps. Some of these brands also sell refurbished models. Prices will vary but, also be sure to check for differences in warranty and return policies.
Price & Warranty Winner: Illumiflow 148
Return policy winner: HairMax Flip 80
Market Experience
HairMax products have been in the market for 20 years, and they were one of the first companies to come up with their LLLT combs for hair regrowth. So far, they have conducted seven successful clinical trials. They have 8 FDA clearances and 14 international medical licenses to boast of.
Capillus was established in 2012, and its products received FDA clearance in 2015.
Illumiflow caps received FDA clearance in 2016, whereas the Kiierr laser cap is the newest product in the market launched in 2018.
Market experience winner – HairMax Flip 80.
Customer Reviews
After compiling customer verdicts and reviews from major eCommerce platforms, this is what I have found:
HairMax Flip 80– Although HairMax is a popular brand for laser hair devices, the Flip 80 laser caps do not have many customer reviews on eCommerce platforms, including the company website. So, I can’t be sure of the effectiveness of the product in terms of customer verdict.
CapillusUltra– CapillusUltra has fairly positive reviews on the company website. After compiling all the reviews from all the eCommerce platforms, we have concluded that above 65% of customers have rated the device positively.
Illumiflow 148– This laser cap has an overall 77% positive reviews if we compile customer verdicts on major eCommerce platforms. However, this product has fewer reviews than CapillusUltra.
Kiierr 148– I was unable to come up with an unbiased customer opinions’ percentage for this product as most of the reviews are found on the company website having 90% positive reviews. However, the product has not been reviewed on any of the major eCommerce platforms or review sites.
HairMax Flip 80 | Kiierr 148 | Illumiflow 148 | CapillusUltra (82) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Strength & Technology | 80 laser diodes 800mW / 655 nm (the 80 diode is equivalent to 160 diodes when flipped) | 148 laser diodes 740mW / 650 nm | 148 laser diodes 840mW / 650 nm | 82 laser diodes 410mW / 650 nm |
FDA cleared | V | V | V | V |
Size | Fit for up to 22.5” head circumferences | Regular and XL | One size | One size (for head size larger than 24”-contact Capillus customer care) |
Treatment time | 30 min. 3 times a week | 30 min. Every day | 30 min. 3 times a week | 6 min. Every day |
Price | 799$ | 595$ | 549$ | 799$ (Sale price) |
Warranty | 2 Years | 2 Years | 5 Years | 1 Year |
Return Policy | 1 Year | 7 Months | 6 Months | 6 Months |
Market Experience | Since 2000 | Since 2018 | Since 2016 | Since 2012 |
Customer Reviews | - Reviews | 90% positive Reviews | 77% positive Reviews | 65% positive Reviews |
*All data are correct as of the day of writing this article, there may be changes over time |
Final Thoughts
From the price point, I feel Illumiflow 148 laser cap is a fair choice if you are looking for an affordable option to start your hair loss treatment. Moreover, it comes with a 5-year factory warranty and a 6-month return policy. So, this would be my first choice. In case you do not see any results after using Illumiflow 148 for 6 months, I’ll suggest you use the Illumiflow 272 cap I reviewed in the article on the 272 laser caps. It has an overall 60% positive rating in the same price range as CapilusUltra but with more laser output. Or else you can try out the CapillusUltra (formerly the Capillus82).