Non-Physician Laser Hair Removal Treatments Pose Dangers: A Case Study

The use of lasers for hair removal has exploded in popularity since the technology was first introduced for this purpose in 1996. And with good reason. Laser-assisted hair removal is currently the most efficient long-term method of getting rid of unwanted body hair.

These devices need to be operated by skilled and trained practitioners, however. If used improperly, lasers can result in serious side effects, including burning, scarring, pigmentary changes, damage to the eyes, and severe swelling and pain.

In a recent issue of the Canadian Family Physician, two Spanish dermatologists relate the case of a healthy 28-year-old woman who was referred to them a few hours after undergoing her first laser hair removal treatment with a ruby laser at a neighborhood “aesthetic center.” As a result of the non-physician-supervised treatment, the woman had experienced first-degree burns and hyperpigmentation on her neck. The dermatologists prescribed her a twice-daily application of a topical corticosteroid, but six months later the treated area still showed signs of skin pigmentation and slight scarring.

The authors present the woman’s story as a cautionary tale. They note that they have seen an increasing incidence in their hospital of side effects caused by laser hair removal performed by non-physicians. The authors also want family physicians to be able to recognize the signs of skin-related complications of laser hair removal treatments so that they can correctly diagnose and treat those complications in their patients.

Source: Vano-Galvan S, Jaen P. Complications of nonphysician-supervised laser hair removal: case report and literature review. Can Fam Physician. 2009;55:50-52.

Are Two Lasers Better than One? No, Says a New Study

Researchers have found that using two types of lasers in combination to remove unwanted leg hair offers no additional benefits and may lead to more adverse effects that using either of the lasers alone.

For this single-center, randomized trial, which was published in the Archives of Dermatology, researchers compared the long-pulsed Nd:YAG and alexandrite lasers, individually and in combination. It’s the first study to examine the effect of combining these two lasers in a single treatment session, rather than sequentially.

Twenty people, aged 16 to 50, were enrolled in the trial. The medial and lateral sides of each participant’s legs were randomly assigned to receive one of these four laser treatments:

• A long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser (12-millimeter spot size)
• A long-pulsed 755-nanometer alexandrite laser (12-millimeter spot size)
• A long-pulsed 755-nm alexandrite laser (18-millimeter spot size)
• A combination of both lasers

Identified areas were treated for a total of 4 sessions at 8-week intervals. Fifteen participants finished the trial. (One dropped out due to adverse side effects; the other four were lost to follow-up.). The mean hair reduction (based on hair counting with digital photography) 18 months after the final treatment session was the following:

• 75.9% for the 12-millilmeter spot size alexandrite laser
• 84.3% for the 18-millimeter spot size alexandrite laser
• 73.6% for the Nd:YAG laser
• 77.8% for the combination therapy

The incidence of adverse effects (hyperpigmentation) and severe pain were most likely to occur in areas that received combination therapy. “After 18 months of follow-up, alexandrite and Nd:YAG lasers were efficacious for leg hair removal,” concluded the study’s authors. “Combination therapy did not have any additional benefit and caused more adverse effects.”

Source: Davoudi SM, Behnia F, Gorouhi F, et al. Comparison of long-pulsed alexandrite and Nd:YAG lasers, individually and in combination, for leg hair reduction. Arch Dermatol. 2008;144:1323-1327.