Aspects of Diode Laser (805 nm) Hair Removal Safety in a Mixed-Race Group of Patients

Assessment of adverse events for a home-use intense pulsed light hair removal device using postmarketing surveillance

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Home-use intense pulsed light (IPL) hair removal devices are convenient for consumers. Consumer safety associated with home-use IPL devices, however, remains a subject of interest. In this descriptive analysis, we assessed the most commonly reported adverse events (AEs) for a home-use IPL device from postmarketing surveillance and qualitatively compared these with AEs from clinical studies and medical device reports of home-use IPL treatments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For this analysis of voluntary reports, we queried a distributor's postmarketing database for IPL devices for the period beginning January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021. All sources of comments, for example, phone, e-mail, company-sponsored web sites, were included in the analysis. AE data were coded according to the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) terminology. Also, we conducted a PubMed search to identify AE profiles from existing literature on home-use IPL devices and we searched the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database for reports on home-use IPL devices. These results were qualitatively compared to the data in the postmarketing surveillance database.

RESULTS

A total of 1692 cases involving IPL were identified from voluntary reports of AEs between 2016 and 2021. The shipment-adjusted reporting rate for AE cases (number of AE cases/100,000 shipped IPL devices) was 67/100,000 during this 6-year period. The most commonly reported AEs were pain of skin 27.8% (470/1692), "thermal burn" 18.7% (316/1692), and erythema 16.0% (271/1692). Among the top 25 AEs reported, no unexpected health events were observed. The reported AEs were qualitatively similar to the pattern seen in clinical studies and the MAUDE database associated with such home-use IPL treatments.

CONCLUSION

This is the first such report documenting AEs for home-use IPL hair removal from a postmarketing surveillance program. These data are supportive of the safety of such home-use low-fluence IPL technology.

Individual Typology Angle and Fitzpatrick Skin Phototypes are Not Equivalent in Photodermatology

Individual typology angle (ITA) measures constitutive pigmentation while skin phototypes (SPT) categories are based on sun reactiveness. However, the association between the two, ITA and SPT, is yet to be established. Since both systems provide six categories, recent studies have used ITA classifications as synonymous to SPT. The results of this study indicate that these cannot be utilized interchangeably. In conclusion, poor correlation between the six objective individual typology angle categories and the subjective Fitzpatrick skin phototype categories was established along with highlighting ITAs potential in photobiologic studies and objective standardization of skin type classifications.

Effect of Different Pulse Durations on the Efficacy of Long-Pulsed Alexandrite-Assisted Hair Removal; A Split-Face Comparison Study

Introduction: Laser-assisted hair removal is widely used by a large number of patients complaining of unwanted hair. However, little is known about the effect of varying the pulse duration on clinical results and side effects. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of hair removal using an alexandrite laser with different pulse durations. Methods: Fifty female patients with facial hirsutism were subjected to a hair removal procedure with an alexandrite laser, using 3 and 10 milliseconds pulse durations on each side of the face every 5 weeks for three sessions. Photographs were taken and hair counts were checked before the treatment and one month postoperatively. Results: one month after the laser treatment, the clearance rate was 56% with both 3 and 10 milliseconds pulse durations. There was not any significant difference in clinical efficacy or the side effect profile. Conclusion: Using a 755 nm alexandrite laser for hair removal is an effective and safe method for delaying hair regrowth and this delay is not markedly different by increasing the pulse duration from 3 to 10 milliseconds.

The results of the diode laser hair reduction treatments after the IPL hair reduction treatments

Introduction: Lasers and IPL action are similarly based on the selective photo thermolysis principle, where the melanin acts as chromatophore. There are, however, fundamental differences in the way they are built and in the light they emit.The goal of this paper is to compare the results of epilation treatments by a laser and by an IPL and to rate the effectiveness of a diode laser epilation following a non-coherent light therapy.Methods: 45 healthy females, 21-23 years old, skin type II-III took part in the study.805 nm diode laser and the IPL device with a wavelength of 640-1200 nm, was used. The informed consent for participation and treatment was obtained during a consultation. The participants were randomly divided into three groups of 15: I - one IPL treatment was followed by three diode laser treatments, II - two IPL treatments followed by three diode laser treatments, III- three IPL treatments followed by three diode laser treatments.Results: A percentage average of hair loss among patients treated with a diode laser as a control group is higher which indicates the laser's higher effectiveness.Conclusion: The IPL has been shown to negatively impact the effectiveness of a diode laser. This is linked with the way non-coherent light weakens and thins the hair that impedes the absorption of laser light by the melanin and adversely affects the treatment results.

Diode Laser 805 Hair Removal Side Effects in Groups of Various Ethnicities - Cohort Study Results

Introduction: As hair removal has become most popular in aesthetics, the management of its side effects is crucial for every practitioner. Available studies describe the effectiveness of the diode laser hair removal for all skin types according to the Fitzpatrick scale independently, but the question of the occurrence of side effects and adverse effects remains unanswered. This study aims to illustrate aspects of side effects for patients of various ethnicities and the impact of those on the effectiveness of the treatment. Methods: The research was carried out in Poland and the United Kingdom from March 2016 to March 2019. 217 people of various ethnic origins were qualified for the study, 206 sessions were completed and statistical analysis was performed. The procedure was performed in the pubic area with diode lasers with a wavelength of 805 nm, minimum peak power of 2100 W and pulse duration between 15 and 400 ms. ET sapphire cooling assisted handle 9 x 9 mm large and pulse energy density between 10 and 100 J/cm² were used for all treatments. In addition, in order to illustrate the effectiveness of treatments, the subjective and objective analyses of hair loss percentages were indicated. In statistical analysis, the chi-square test for independence was used to evaluate the correlation between the type and severity of side effects and the ethnic origin of patients, the number of treatments, the Fitzpatrick scale and the level of satisfaction. Results: The occurrence of sensitivity depended statistically significantly (PP=0.002) on ethnicity. Ethnicity had no significant effect on the occurrence of erythema. The occurrence of hyperpigmentation statistically significantly depended (P<0.001) on ethnicity. The occurrence of burns depended statistically significantly (P=0.001) on ethnicity. The number of treatments had a significant (P P=0.012) effect on the severity of side effects occurrence. Among participants who had 6 treatments, only half had side effects, including multiple effects occurring in 9.79% of cases. The occurrence of side effects such as sensitivity and hyperpigmentation did not depend on the number of treatments. However, the number of treatments had a significant impact on the incidence of erythema (P<0.001) and burns (P=0.005). More than half of the respondents (58.33%) had erythema after more than six procedures, whereas in the 6 treatments the erythema occurred only in 6.7% of cases. Conclusion: The treatment with the use of diode lasers for all subjects with different ethnicity and thus the recognized scale according to Fitzpatrick is effective and safe. The occurring side effects are transient and do not impact the effect of the whole therapy.