The Ohshiro protocol is a low-level laser therapy approach developed by Japanese physician Dr Toshio Ohshiro and investigated as a potential treatment for female infertility. Its defining feature is the “proximal priority” technique: applying a near-infrared laser to points on the neck, rather than only focusing only on the lower abdomen.
In his 2012 report, Ohshiro described an 830 nm laser used in skin contact. Pregnancy and live births were reported, often alongside assisted reproductive treatment.
For women facing years of fertility struggles, hope often meant enduring repeated disappointments even after using the latest assisted reproductive technologies. Among evidence-backed alternatives, the Ohshiro protocol stands out as a pioneering, gentle form of photobiomodulation, or low-level laser therapy (LLLT), for boosting reproductive potential.
This guide explains what the original research involved, why the sides of the neck was treated and what the pregnancy figures mean.
Where It Began
Dr. Toshio Ohshiro, a leading figure in medical laser science from Japan, developed his fertility protocol after years of clinical observation and innovation. In his landmark studies, Dr. Ohshiro treated hundreds of women labeled "severely infertile" - many with over nine years of failed ART and medical interventions - with simple, targeted LLLT. He achieved pregnancy rates of 22% in this group, with more than 79 live births reported.
What is the Ohshiro protocol for fertility?
A key innovation in Ohshiro’s protocol was switching from a “distal” (ovary-directed) method to a "proximal priority" method, beginning each session by treating the neck region first. Scientific observations showed that improving blood flow and neuroendocrine signaling centrally enhanced the effects of subsequent treatment to the abdomen and reproductive organs.
Why Placement and Contact Matter
While the concept is spreading, many women TTC are still unaware that starting only at the lower abdomen or simply waving a laser or red light device around the neck area will not deliver the therapeutic dose required. For effective photobiomodulation, skin contact is essential. Without skin contact, energy delivery drops sharply due to reflectance, scattering, and air gap losses potentially compromising the entire therapeutic effect.
Thermal and Doppler images from Ohshiro’s studies clearly show the increased blood flow achieved through proper contact laser application at the neck; such impressive vascular changes would be nearly impossible to achieve with non-contact “waving” techniques.
The Solasta Laser and Protocol Personalization
The Solasta home laser system is uniquely designed to facilitate the full Ohshiro protocol and more with true skin contact. This system can be used to deliver the specified energy dose to the neck and reproductive areas precisely and safely. I’ve developed customized instructions and protocols tailored for women based on their unique medical history, hormonal profile, and fertility journey. This enables practitioners or users to optimize every treatment session, mimicking the successful clinic results achieved by Dr. Ohshiro’s team, and ensuring energy is delivered exactly where (and how) it’s needed most.
Why Proximal Priority and Skin Contact Make the Difference
· Systemic Effect: Beginning at the neck sets the hormonal and circulatory stage for better reproductive responses.
· Efficient Energy Transfer: Skin contact maximizes therapeutic energy delivery and depth of penetration.
· Holistic Support: Personalized protocols adapt to each woman’s health history for the safest and most effective outcome.
My Solasta Laser uses an 808 nm near‑infrared laser, which sits in the same therapeutic window as Ohshiro’s original 808 - 830 nm devices. Because we’re applying it in firm skin contact over the neck to support vasodilation and neuroendocrine signaling, and because it is a true laser (not an LED panel) or LED belt it can closely replicate the ‘proximal priority’ technique seen in his studies.
Wavelength and dosage are really the “prescription” side of photobiomodulation. In Ohshiro’s work, pregnancy outcomes changed not just because women were exposed to red or infrared light, but because he used very specific wavelengths, power outputs, treatment times, and exact placement to deliver a repeatable energy dose to the neck and reproductive areas. In other words, it wasn’t “light in general” that worked; it was a precise protocol.
A helpful way to explain this is to compare panels vs. targeted lasers to multivitamins vs. prescription medication. A good red light panel is like a high-quality multivitamin: it can support general wellness, mood, and recovery by bathing a large area in beneficial light at safe, relatively low intensities. For a specific medical issue like long-standing infertility, though, you usually need more than a “light multivitamin.” You want a targeted “prescription” dose: wavelengths and power that reach the ovaries and neuroendocrine system, delivered in the right place, for the right number of minutes, and in the correct sequence (starting with the neck in Ohshiro’s proximal priority method). That is what the Ohshiro protocol offers: a structured, evidence-informed treatment rather than generic exposure, and it is this precision that allows home systems designed for contact dosing to more closely mimic the results seen in his clinic.
Evidence in Images
Thermal and vascular imaging published by Ohshiro’s group underline these advantages, with striking before-and-after images showing the impact on circulation when the laser is used with firm skin contact and in correct anatomical order. Just look at the systemic effect on the entire body after just one session. (I now do this on myself 3 times a week for general wellness).
Low Level Laser Therapy - Ohshiro Protocol
Thermographic images reproduced from Ohshiro’s 2012 report, showing surface-temperature changes before treatment, after one neck-treatment session and after five sessions. These images illustrate the author’s proposed circulatory effect.
Could my Solasta low level home laser support your reproductive health? Contact me here for more information.
https://blog.tracydonegan.org/blog/red-light-therapy-for-fertility-is-it-working
Additional Information
· Ohshiro, T. Personal Overview of the Application of LLLT in Severely Infertile Women.
· Proximal Priority Theory: An Updated Technique in Low Level Laser Therapy.
