In ruby laser-assisted hair removal, microscopic damage is often seen in th
e basal epidermal cells, where melanosomes are concentrated. It is not know
n whether this treatment leads to cellular hyperproliferation. It was the a
im of this study to investigate this, Ten white patients were treated with
the Chromes 694-nm Depilation Ruby Laser, and biopsies taken before and aft
er treatments to assess the presence of cell hyperproliferation, which norm
ally accompanies epidermal damage, with immunohistochemical staining of ker
atin 16 and Ki67, No evidence of cell hyperproliferation was seen in all sp
ecimens examined after ruby laser irradiation. The authors conclude that de
spite the possible microscopic damages seen in the basal epidermis after la
ser hair removal, there is no evidence of cellular hyperproliferation. This
is in contrast to ultraviolet-irradiated cell damage, in which increased b
asal cell turnover is seen.