Background and Objective: Although several studies on laser-assisted hair r
emoval have been published, data on long-term follow-up are few. The presen
t study investigated the long-term efficacy and safety of normal-mode ruby
laser pulses on hair removal.
Study Design/Materials and Methods: The normal-mode ruby laser (Epi-laser;
694 nm, 3 msec) was used to treat a wide range of body sites in 51 voluntee
rs. The mean follow-up after the last treatment was 8.37 months.
Results: Sixty-three percent of the patients had sparse regrowth. The mean
fluence used was 46.5 J/cm(2) in patients who had sparse hair regrowth and
39.3 J/cm(2) in patients who had moderate hair regrowth (P = 0.0127). Trans
ient pigmentary changes occurred most frequently in patients with skin type
4.
Conclusion: The normal-mode ruby laser is an efficient and safe method for
long-term hair reduction, especially in fair-skinned individuals with dark
hair. Higher fluences produce greater long-term efficacy. Adverse effects a
re minimal and transient. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.