Background and Aims: In recent years, the application of various light and laser devices in the treatment of different types of alopecia has been established. This systematic review aims to assess the efficacy and safety of laser therapy and phototherapy in cicatricial and non‐cicatricial alopecia.Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Articles were evaluated across four subgroups: alopecia areata, androgenic alopecia, telogen effluvium, and cicatricial alopecia. Included studies were published in English or Persian between January 2010 and September 2023, focusing on interventional, cohort, or case series research that achieved a minimum score of 75% on the EBL checklist. Exclusion criteria encompassed animal and in vitro studies, review articles, case reports, duplicated or irrelevant research, as well as studies that did not meet the designated EBL score. Editorial letters and case studies were also excluded.Results: Initially, 965 records were collected, resulting in the inclusion of 58 studies in the final review: 26 on alopecia areata, 26 on androgenic alopecia, five on cicatricial alopecia, and one on telogen effluvium. Narrow‐band ultraviolet B, 308‐nm excimer laser, and psoralen ultraviolet A therapy showed varying effectiveness; specifically, the excimer laser was notably effective for patients with shorter disease duration. In androgenic alopecia, erbium‐glass and thulium lasers effectively increased hair density but showed a gradual decline posttreatment. Low‐level light/laser therapy also increased hair density and diameter and exhibited potential benefits when used alongside minoxidil, but did not significantly enhance outcomes in telogen effluvium treatment.Conclusion: Light/laser therapy can serve as an additive treatment for cicatricial alopecia, particularly lichen planopilaris, but has limited efficacy in treating telogen effluvium. Overall, light/laser therapies exhibit a significant positive effect on increasing hair density and diameter across various alopecia types.

Background: Historically, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has been considered the gold standard of bariatric surgery (BS). This procedure acts as a mixed restrictive and malabsorptive operation. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 410 morbidly obese patients (BMI > 40 kg/m² or BMI > 35 kg/m² along with at least one major comorbidity) who underwent primary laparoscopic RYGB surgery from 2009 to 2015 by a single surgery team. The patients were 18 years and older with at least 12 months of follow-up. Total weight loss (%TWL) and comorbidity resolution were compared in short-term (12 months) and mid-term (12–60 months) follow-ups. The primary and secondary outcomes were evaluating the effect of Roux-en-Y on weight loss and control of comorbidities, respectively. Results: The mean ± SD age, weight, and BMI at surgery were 40.1 ± 10.58 years, 123.32 ± 19.88 kg, and 45.78 ± 5.54 kg/m², respectively, and 329 (80%) were female, and 62 (15%) had T2DM. %TWL was significantly higher in T2DM patients 9 months postoperatively and after that. Patients with lower BMI (< 50 kg/m²) at surgery and non-diabetic patients had a significantly lower %TWL over a short- and long-term follow-up (P < 0.001). Conclusions: BS remains the most efficacious and durable weight loss treatment. However, a proportion of patients will experience insufficient weight loss following BS.

Introduction: Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as painful menses with cramping sensation in the lower abdomen with normal ovulatory cycles which has no pelvic pathology. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of inhalation of Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) essential oil on alleviating primary dysmenorrhea.Methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial included 96 students (48 in lavender and 48 in placebo groups) from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Single students with regular menstrual cycles suffering from primary dysmenorrhea regarding the verbal multi-dimensional scoring system were included. The intervention group was administered to inhale lavender essential oil (diluted in sesame oil in 2:1 ratio). The control group only inhaled sesame essential oil. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain score at the baseline and 1, 2, 4, and 48 hours after intervention. Generalized estimation equations method was used for data analysis.Results: The students’ mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 20.32±1.38 years. No significant difference was found in demographic and menstrual characteristics between groups. The mean VAS was not significantly different between groups at the baseline. Lavender inhalation reduced the mean±SD primary dysmenorrhea score of 2.92±0.2 according to VAS significantly during 48 first hours adjusted for baseline VAS (P < 0.001).Conclusion: It could be concluded that lavender inhalation can decrease primary dysmenorrhea. The observed effectiveness of lavender inhalation as an inexpensive therapy without evidence of adverse event supports the interest for potential application of this therapy.

Introduction Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is one of the safe and easily reproducible bariatric procedures. Aim To evaluate the effect of biliopancreatic limb (BPL) and alimentary limb (AL) length on weight loss outcomes after RYGB. Material and methods This retrospective cohort study...