Does Laser and/or Electro-optical Synergy Technology for Removal of Unwanted Facial Hair Improve Women's Quality of Life?:

A randomized clinical trial on the comparison between hair shaving and snipping prior to laser hair removal sessions in women suffering from hirsutism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Hirsutism or excess hair growth is a common dermatological problem in females, affecting up to 10% of females worldwide. We aimed this study to compare the two hair-shortening methods shaving vs. snipping among hirsute women regarding the outcome of the therapy and also the paradoxical hypertrichosis phenomenon (terminal hair regrowth) 6 months after the final therapy session.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, 129 premenopausal women affected by hirsutism were randomly divided into two study groups according to hair-shortening method: shaving as group A (66 patients) and hair shortening by scissor as group B (63 patients). Each patient received six alexandrite laser therapy sessions every month for six consecutive months. Chin hairs in a 5 × 5 cm² zone were counted, and the paradoxical hair regrowth was evaluated four times during the study: once at baseline, once before the third session, once before the sixth session, and once 6 months after the last laser session.

RESULTS

Before the third session, the counts were 15.06 ± 5.20 in group A and 13.07 ± 4.44 in group B (P = 0.022); both counts were meaningfully less than the baseline count (P < 0.001). The counts before the sixth session were 2.80 ± 1.16 in group A and 2.71 ± 1.12 in group B (P = 0.673); the counts were significantly lower than the previous session (P < 0.001). Six months after the last laser session, the counts were 11.27 ± 9.30 in group A and 8.15 ± 3.12 in group B (P = 0.012). Paradoxical hypertrichosis was observed in three patients of group A vs. no patients in group B.

CONCLUSION

We found that alexandrite laser therapy is really effective for treating hirsutism. Both shaving and using a scissor for hair shortening showed similar short-term results, but in one-year follow-up, paradoxical hypertrichosis was only observed in shaving group and also a lower hair count was observed in the snipping group.

Laser treatment for female facial hirsutism: are quality-of-life benefits sustainable?

BACKGROUND

Facial hirsutism in women impairs quality of life (QoL). Laser hair removal (LHR) has been shown to confer significant improvements in QoL for up to 6 months after treatment, but the longer-term benefits have not been investigated.

AIM

To assess the sustainability of LHR benefits to the QoL of hirsute women up to 30 months after treatment.

METHODS

Hirsute women about to undergo National Health Service (NHS)-funded LHR in 2010-2012 (n = 142) completed proforma questionnaires quantifying the burden of hirsutism on their QoL. These included: the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) (assessing functional impact on QoL), the number of days spent removing hair per week and a 10-point scale assessing how much their condition bothered them (emotional burden on QoL). Postal questionnaires recorded QoL changes up to 30 months after LHR. Improvements in QoL scores for each woman were compared. Responses were then grouped into periods of 0-6, 6-12 and 12-30 months post-treatment, and the magnitude of change between these time groups was compared for each QoL measure.

RESULTS

In total, 63 women responded to the post-LHR questionnaire. QoL was severely affected, but improved with LHR. The number of days spent removing hair reverted to baseline at 12-30 months post-LHR, and a significant decline was seen in the magnitude of improvement in emotional burden on QoL over time (P = 0.04). However, no significant difference existed between improvements in DLQI scores (P = 0.12).

CONCLUSION

LHR supplies some functional QoL benefits up to 30 months post-treatment. Emotional benefits are less sustainable. Further LHR treatment is required to maintain QoL benefits.