Member of:
Laser Hair Removal
1. Wendy Lou; Adelle Quintana; Roy Geronemus; Melanie
Goldman. Prospective Study of Hair Reduction by Diode Laser (800
nm) with Long-Term Follow-Up. Derm Surg. 2000; 26:428-432.
Objective: The purpose of this study
was to determine the safety and long-term efficacy of the 800 nm, pulsed
diode laser at reducing hair count.
Methods: Fifty volunteers, primarily
Fitzpatrick skin types II and III, with dark brown or black hair, were
treated with a diode laser (800 nm, 10-40 J/cm2, 5-30 msec, 9 mm x 9
mm, 5oC chilled hand piece). Each subject had eight treatment sites at
varying fluences and pulse durations, as well as a varying number of
treatments and pulses. Hair counts were obtained at each site at baseline,
1, 3, 6, 9, and an average of 20 months after treatment.
Results: After one treatment, hair regrowths
ranged from 22 to 31% at the 1-month follow-up visit, then remained stable
between 65 and 75% from the 3-month to the averaged 20-month follow-up.
After two treatments there were relatively longer growth delays, with
hair regrowths plateauing beginning at 6 months after treatment and ranging
from 47 to 66% for the remainder of the follow-up evaluations. Side effects
were limited to pigmentary changes, transient in subjects with skin types
II and III.
Conclusions: This 800 nm diode laser
with a chilled sapphire tip and variable pulse duration is safe and effective
for long-term hair reduction in individuals with skin types II and III.