Laser Hair Removal Info

"Facebook Generation" and Hair Removal

2010-09-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Hair Removal Journal recently released the results of a poll conducted on their website breaking down the age demographics of people actively searching for laser hair removal.

"...we found the share of young adults (18-29 yr olds) looking to have the procedure performed at its highest levels on record. Of the 1,541 responses in the survey, 61% were in the 18-29 age demographic, up from 43% in 2009. The share of 30-40 year olds has dropped significantly, from 36% to 24%."

What does this information tell us? Perhaps the economic downturn of the last year has hit the 30-40 year old age group harder than the younger generation. After all these are the people more likely to have children and mortgages to consider. Or does it mean that the younger generation has become more susceptible to the pressures of "looking good". I would tend to believe the former.

Laser Hair Removal Treatments Improve Women’s Quality of Life

2010-02-26T18:37:00.000-08:00

Unwanted facial hair can have a significant psychological impact on women. Research has also shown that it can also reduce their overall quality of life.

Laser therapy can help, however. In a study involving 70 women, a team of Iranian researchers found that women’s scores on a standard quality of life assessment more than doubled after they received laser treatment for their unwanted facial hair.

“Unwanted facial hair removal with laser can improve the quality of life of patients,” the study’s authors concluded.

SOURCE: Maziar A, Farsi N, Mandegarfard M, Babakoohgi S, Gorouhi F, Dowlati Y, Firooz A. Unwanted facial hair removal with laser treatment improves quality of life of patients. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2009 Dec.18 [Epub ahead of print].

Shorter Pulsed Laser Found Safe for Hair Removal

2009-05-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

A new study reports that a laser that delivers energy pulses shorter than those currently considered standard practice is effective and safe for hair removal. The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy.

Laser pulse duration is believed to be an important factor in the safety and efficacy of laser treatments. Studies have generally found that although longer pulses are safer for darker skin, shorter pulses tend to be better at removing hair. Fluence, or energy level, is also important. Generally, the higher a laser’s fluency, which is measured in joules per square centimeter (J/cm2), the longer-lasting the treatment

This new study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a shorter pulsed, 0.65 ms Nd:YAG laser. Six women were recruited. Using a Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm and a pulse duration of 0.65 milliseconds, each woman had one-half of each underarm treated. The other half of the underarm was left untreated as a control. The laser fluence used on the treated areas was either 21 J/cm2 or 36 J/cm2. The women received 4 monthly treatment sessions. A manual hair count was conducted before each session and at a 4-month follow-up visit.

The results: At the four-month follow-up, there was a 75% to 100% reduction in hair on the high-fluence treated areas and a 50% to 75% reduction on the low- fluence areas. The average hair count declined 76% on the high-fluence areas and 72% on the low-fluence areas.

“This well-controlled study shows that a 0.65 ms ND:YAG laser is effective and safe for hair removal,” the authors concluded.

Source: Khatri KA, Lee RA, Goldberg LJ, Khatri B, Garcia V. Efficacy and safety of a 0.65 millisecond pulsed portable Nd:YAG laser for hair removal. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2009. Feb 6:1-6. [Epub ahead of print]

Laser Hair Removal Treatments Well-Tolerated in Children, Study Shows

2009-05-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

Using lasers to remove unwanted hair in adults is known to be safe and well tolerated, but what is the safety and tolerability of the procedure in children? Children also have conditions, including hypertrichosis and hirutism, that result in excessive hair, which can lead to significant psychosocial distress. Families often resort to extreme measures to minimize the undesired appearance of unwanted hair, including neonatal shaving, trimming, plucking, bleaching and waxing. Increasingly, parents have turned to laser hair removal treatments for their children, despite the lack of extensive investigations into its safety and efficacy for this age group.

In an article in the journal Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, British researchers describe their experience with laser hair removal in 24 children under the age of 16 years. Depending on their skin type, the children received a minimum of three treatments with a long-pulse alexandrite laser (with either continuous chilled-air cooling or cryogen cooling) or a long-pulse Nd:YAG laser (with either a chilled contact sapphire tip or cryogen cooling).

The mean age of the children was 12.3 years. They were diagnosed with constitutional hirsutism (14 patients), polycystic ovarian syndrome (5), congential melanocytic naevus (2), generalized hypertrichosis (2) and naevoid hypertrichosis (1). Before the treatment, 1 patient required a general anesthetic, 8 required a topical anesthetic, and 15 needed no anesthetic at all.

The results: Only two children experienced discomfort that required adjusting the fluence of the laser. This was the only side effect. No incidences of blistering, infection, dyspigmentaion or scarring occurred.

The authors concluded that “[w]hen administered appropriately, laser hair removal is safe and well tolerated in children aged < 16 years.”

Source: Rajpar SF, Hague JS, Abdullah A, Lanigan SW. Hair removal with the long-pulse alexandrite and long-pulse Nd:YAG lasers is safe and well tolerated in children. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2009. Jan 23. [Epub ahead of print]

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

2009-04-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

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.

What’s the Future for Home Laser Devices?

2009-03-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

In a recent issue of the journal Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, Darryl Shaw Hodson, MD, takes a comprehensive look at home laser and light devices for hair removal. He notes that although all currently available data (both peer- and nonpeer-reviewed) show these devices to be safe and effective, more studies are needed to validate their safety and efficacy.

Most studies to date have been conducted not in the patients’ home, Dr. Hodson observes, but in the artificial setting of the research environment, where someone is readily available to answer the patients’ questions—and to rescue them from mistakenly harming themselves with these devices.

Dr. Hodson writes:

“The true test of knowledge may not be whether a patient can properly discharge laser energy to the skin but whether the individual can recognize pitfalls before a complication occurs. It is not clear from the literature available that patients can do this. As an example, slight graying of the skin can occur if excessive energy or inadequate cooling is used during hair removal. Most laser experts can recognize this change before a large area is treated and adjust accordingly so that any side effects are minimal. Although the color change is typically obvious to laser experts, it remains to be seen whether patients can detect these subtleties.”

Still, Dr. Hodon believes that as these devices become smaller, safer, less expensive and easier to operate, their use by patients will increase—and for purposes other than hair removal. “Results from home use devices are impressive but still inferior to office-based lasers and light devices,” he writes. “It is likely that home lasers and intense pulsed light devices will eventually receive other indications because many of these devices use wavelengths similar to currently available office based equipment.”

Source: Hodson DS. Current and future trends in home laser devices. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2008:27:292-300.

Home Laser Hair Removal

2008-09-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

Since the advent of laser hair removal companies have hoped to offer something for use inside consumers’ homes. Unfortunately the delicate nature and highly sensitive art of lasers has made it very difficult to develop something which can be both affective and safe for use by a consumer. However, news is out that exciting new technologies are in development and being marketed as “laser hair removal” for the home. These new technologies are being launched by some of the premier names in laser technology.

Companies such as Spectragenics, Palomar, Radiancy, Gillette, and Phillips are getting into the development and marketing of laser/light based devices for home use. This exciting turn of events could lead to “lasers” being used by average people within the privacy of their own homes in a matter of a few years. Technologies not only for hair removal but also for skin rejuvenation and acne are in the works.

Some devices are already being sold to US consumers. The No!No! by Radiancy retails for $250 and is marketed as a “Professional Hair Removal System”. The Silk’n hair remover uses intense pulsed light technology. It retails for $800, but comes with a life of 750 pulses. Once the pulses run out, you must replace it with a lamp cartridge which retails for $80.

The Tria device has been cleared by the FDA for the neck down. This device is a laser, and is therefore skin-color dependent. In order to ensure that dark skinned people do not use the Tria, it comes with an activator which will either turn green or red depending on your skin tone. If green, it will activate the Tria device and allow for treatment. If red, it will lock the Tria to prevent use to safeguard the consumer. The reason for this precaution is that patients who are darker-skinned are more complex to treat with lasers as lasers can target the melanin pigment in the skin. This may cause damage if not properly treated by a physician. The Tria is now selling for $995.

As these products gain wider acceptance and usage rates around the US, it is expected that the cost for these devices will decrease over time. In addition increased competition should lower cost as new devices continue to enter the market.

Laser Innovation, Part 5,

2008-08-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

In this articles we cover Cynosure, the last of the medical laser companies we are covering. They also produce lasers for hair removal and many of the top laser hair removal clinics are using their technologies.

Cynosure

Established in 1991, Cynosure is a developer and manufacturer of a broad array of light-based aesthetic treatment systems. Cynosure holds a number of U.S. patents and currently offers 15 different aesthetic treatment systems targeting a variety of non-invasive treatments including hair removal, skin rejuvenation and the temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite. Cynosure is headquartered in Westford, MA.

The market for aesthetic procedures has grown significantly over the past several years. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons estimates that its members treated approximately 2 million people in 2002, a 95% increase since 1998. According to industry analysts, an estimated $1 billion is spent each year on cosmetic laser procedures in the United States alone. As more and more laser technologies are developed with higher utility and efficacy, the more popular procedures are likely to gain in popularity increasing demand for lasers and greater technologies.

Laser Innovation, Part 4, Cutera

2008-08-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

Cutera

The following article is the fourth of five covering the major cosmetic laser companies. The lasers produced by these companies are utilized in facial hair removal among other treatments. Cutera designs, manufactures and markets the CoolGlide® family of lasers and other light-based products for aesthetic treatments. These products enable dermatologists, plastic surgeons, gynecologists, primary care physicians, and other practitioners to offer non-invasive aesthetic procedures to their patients.

Their products are designed to allow customers to perform multiple procedures using a single system. The products consist of a control console and one or more hand pieces that allow practitioners to treat a range conditions, including hair removal, vein treatments, skin rejuvenation and the treatment of pigmented lesions. Cutera is headquartered in Brisbane, CA.

Laser Innovation, Part 3, Palomar

2006-08-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

This is the third of five articles designed to aide you in understanding the various companies designing and producing lasers for use in cosmetic medicine. This article covers Palomar Medical Technologies:

Palomar Medical Technologies

Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. is a researcher and developer of light-based systems for hair removal and other cosmetic procedures. In 1997 Palomar obtained FDA clearance for the first high powered laser hair removal system and high power diode laser system. In 1999 Palomar obtained FDA clearance for a sub-zero cooled laser system. In 2001 Palomar introduced the Q-Yag5 system for tattoo and pigmented lesion removal. In 2004 Palomar signed a Development and License Agreement with The Gillette Company to complete development and commercialize a patented home-use, hair removal device for women. In 2004 Palomar signed a Development and License Agreement with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc, a Johnson & Johnson company, to develop, clinically test and potentially commercialize home-use, light based devices for reducing or reshaping body fat including cellulite; reducing appearance of skin aging; and reducing or preventing acne. They have one operating subsidiary, Palomar Medical Products, Inc. located at Palomar's headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts, which oversees the manufacture and sale of Palomar's lamp and laser based systems currently on the market. The Company conducts business in one industry segment, medical and cosmetic products and services.

Laser Innovation, The Big Players, Part 2

2006-08-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

To help you better understand the lasers being used in cosmetic medicine, specifically for laser hair removal, we have produced a five part series remarking on the major laser manufacturers producing new technologies. This article covers the Lumenis Corporation.

Lumenis

Lumenis develops, manufactures and markets proprietary laser and intense pulsed light devices. Its systems are used in a variety of aesthetic and medical applications. These include hair removal, non-invasive treatment of vascular and pigmented lesions, acne , psoriasis , open angle glaucoma, secondary cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, various ENT conditions, gynecology, urinary lithotripsy, benign prostatic hyperplasia, neurosurgery , veterinary procedures and dentistry. Lumenis maintains its headquarters in Yokneam, Israel with regional offices in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Series Report: Laser Innovation, The Big Players

2006-08-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

This article is the first of five covering the five major companies producing lasers for cosmetic medicine. The first is:

Candela Corporation

The Candela Corporation is involved in the development and commercialization of advanced aesthetic laser and light-based systems that allow physicians and personal care practitioners to treat a wide variety of cosmetic and medical conditions including: vascular lesion treatment of rosacea, facial spider veins, leg veins, scars, stretch marks, warts, port wine stains and hemangiomas, laser hair removal, removal of benign pigmented lesions such as age spots, freckles and tattoos, skin rejuvenation and wrinkles, acne and acne scars, psoriasis, other skin treatments.

Candela Corporation's product line includes the following products: GentleLASE, GentlYag, Vbeam, ALEXLAZR, Smoothbeam, C-beam, Ellipse Intense Pulsed Light system. They market and sell their products in more than 64 countries worldwide. Candela maintains separate regional executives in North America, Latin and South America, Japan, Asia, Europe and the Middle East which manage their marketing, selling and service activities through a combination of direct personnel and a network of independent distributors. They lease a facility for their operations in Wayland, Massachusetts.

“Beam Me Up”..Doc?

2006-08-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

Lasers Change Medicine, and Your Looks

Cosmetic medicine, that fascinating field which has brought us larger breasts than nature intended and hairless male chests, has taken America by storm. Approximately 300,000 breast enhancements are performed each year. Millions more laser and injection procedures are performed, each to address an ever widening array of aesthetic needs. If you are an aging beauty with wrinkles, no matter. Botox™ or Restylane can restore you to the shining beauty of your twenties, for a price. Hormones have you looking like BigFoot, with hair here, there, and everywhere? Laser hair removal can zap you smooth as a baby’s bum. As laser surgeons and dermatologists have yet to find the fountain of youth that will help us live forever, at least they have found ways to keep us looking young until death does come knocking.

Perhaps the fastest growing and most promising technology in cosmetic medicine involves lasers. Laser medicine, as popularized by such procedures as laser hair removal and the ubiquitous laser eye surgery, has revolutionized the way cosmetic physicians can address their patients needs. In a few sessions, lasting typically under 30 minutes, unwanted hair may be completely removed leaving in its place softer and smoother skin. Unsightly age and sun spots are obliterated leaving younger looking and smoother skin with no downtime. Spider and facial veins are wiped away with a pass of a laser handset. This revolutionary technology has made smoother, younger-looking skin less expensive to achieve with longer lasting results.

Laser Hair Removal Information Resources

2006-06-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

The internet is awash in information about cosmetic procedures, laser hair removal among the most popular of them. The rise in popularity of the procedure has seen an increase in the erroneous and flat out misleading information available regarding laser hair removal. Over 1.4 million laser hair removal procedures were performed in 2005 and many of these procedures were not performed by qualified practitioners. The number of patients injured while having laser hair removal performed has increased dramatically as the number of unqualified offices has proliferated. As a result, professional medical societies such as the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, one of the largest and most respected associations of dermatology experts in the world, has created a patient safety campaign to help educate the public about the need to see a medical doctor for laser hair removal. Please visit the Patient Safety Campaign page of the ASDS for more information.

Often advertisements would have a prospective patient believe laser hair removal is akin to having a waxing. This simply is not the case. If you are looking to compare laser hair removal to other hair removal methods, you may visit the Laser Hair Removal Comparison. In the hands of a well-trained technician, with a medical doctor on-site to supervise and consult should any complications arise, laser hair removal is a safe, effective and long-lasting treatment. Lasers are highly delicate and sensitive devices that require a high level of competance to operate. Most lasers which are now used in medicine were developed and researched by some of the nation's greatest dermatologists, physicists and researchers. Physicians at research institutions such as the Harvard-MIT Divison of Health Sciences, Beckman Laser Institute and University of Pennsylvania spent decades developing the technology which has now become ubiquitous.

The highly technical nature of a laser requires that a trained operater perform laser hair removal with a medical doctor nearby. Without a doctor physically available on-site, potential complications can go unnoticed and thus harm can be caused. Many chains claim to have a physician ‘supervising’ their offices. In many cases the doctor is involved in name only. If a doctor is not physically directing a practice on-site, the potential for substandard treatment is much greater. There are a number of resources which can help you find information about laser hair removal such as www.pennhealth.com, www.hairfacts.com, and www.lasersurgery.com.

Certain considerations should be made when thinking about having laser hair removal. A patient’s skin tone, provider qualifications, physician directed treatment, the laser being used, all are critically important in the final outcome of laser hair removal. If you spend a little time finding a quality provider and learning about the procedure, you may find a completely satisfying and long-lasting result awaits. For more information about laser hair removal, you may visit the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery laser hair removal information page.

Understanding Laser Hair Removal

2006-06-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

Unwanted hair is common for both men and women. For men, often this hair appears as back hair or shoulder hair. Men can also experience painful ingrown hairs on their back and neck. For women, hair is generally a problem is most areas including the face, neck, upper lip, chin, underarms, and bikini area. The technology to remove and diminish the amount of hair an individual has exists, and its laser hair removal.

Before undergoing laser hair removal, one should determine if the hair growth is unusual for them. If a sudden growth of hair occurs on the face for a woman, this may be a sign of a hormonal imbalance. Such a hormonal imbalance may be due to an irregular menstrual cycle or hormonal changes due to medication. If you fear your hair growth is the result of a sudden shift in your hormonal balance, you should consult your doctor.

Typically unwanted hair is either shaved, tweezed, plucked or waxed. Repeated plucking is difficult and time-consuming, making it impractical over large areas. Aggressive plucking can also lead to skin irritation and scarring over time. Depilatory creams and lotions are also popular, especially over larger areas. These products work by dissolving the hair at the base of the follicle. Often they may be problematic because they can often irritate the skin.

Waxing is among the most popular treatment for removing unwanted hair over a large area. Waxing will only last between two and six weeks and may cause superficial abrasions to the skin. Obviously it can be painful as well, making monthly treatments a dread.

If you have isolated and light colored hairs, Electrolysis is a good option. Though costly and time consuming, Electrolysis is an effective method, though if done improper can cause scarring. Be sure to visit an experienced provider if you choose Electrolysis.

The appeal of laser hair removal is the level of effectiveness and lasting effect of the treatment. The procedure can be performed on virtually any segment of the body from legs and bikini to back and chest. It has a mild pinching sensation during the actual treatment, however patients often comment that this pain is less than that felt during waxing. Laser hair removal is ideal for larger areas too because the speed of the treatment allows for a larger area to be treated in one session. Generally, after three sessions most hairs are removed. Hair will regenerate in the treated area over time, though this can vary between six and twelve months to as many as four or five years depending on the patient. The treated areas also tend to have fewer and thinner hair over time.

Laser hair removal exploits the difference in the pigment between the treated hairs and the skin. The darker hair is, the better it may respond to laser hair removal. For more information please visit

Hair Removal Journal

Case Report: Complication Using Flashlamp Device for Laser Hair Removal

2006-05-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

Laser Hair Removal Case Report: Complication using a Flashlamp Device.

Background

The following is a case report describing an adverse reaction during treatment with a flashlamp device. A search of the literature did not reveal any interactions between an orthodontic appliance and a flashlamp.

Report

A 12 year old female presented to our clinic with her mother requesting hair removal on the upper lip. A medical history was taken and a limited physical exam was completed. There was no supporting history or clinical evidence of hirsutism. A long discussion was held regarding the various treatment options for hair growth on the upper lip. After an extensive discussion the patient and mother desired to proceed with hair removal using a laser/light based device.

The patient had brown eyes, sandy blond hair and responded to sunlight by mostly tanning. She was assessed to be a skin type III. Hair growth was medium in density and size. Hair color was brown/black. Hair growth was noted from the corners of her mouth to the philtrum. The distribution was symmetric.

In our clinic we have two laser/light based options available for hair removal. One method is a 1064nm wavelength laser and the other is a flashlamp device. It was decided that the most efficacious and safe method for hair removal on this patient would be the flashlamp device.

Pre-treatment photographs were taken. Informed consent was obtained. The upper lip was shaved. Adhesive laser eye shields were placed. Parameters on the flashlamp device were set based on the patient’s skin type and characteristics of the hair. The following settings were used:

Filter- 640nm

Fluence- 10 J/cm²

Pulse width- 20ms

Cooling- 10 degrees centigrade

50% of the sapphire was masked to fit the area to be treated

Conservative flashlamp settings were used. This is our clinic’s standard approach with the initial treatment.

A test spot was performed on the patient’s mid volar forearm to assess her response to the parameters and to allay any anxiety about the discomfort she would feel with treatment. No skin changes were noted on the forearm after five minutes of observation. The patient did not feel any discomfort with the test spot. Treatment was then carried out on the right side of the upper lip. The patient stated immediately that she felt a sensation in her arch bar. Unbeknownst to the treating physician was that the patient had an orthodontic appliance. The appliance consisted of two bands encircling her posterior most molars connected by a wire that went from the lingual side of the bands and followed the contour of the hard palate forming a half circle. The arch bar had a tear drop shaped bend at its apex oriented at 90 degrees and pointed toward the pharynx. No skin changes were noted in the treatment area and inspection of the mouth confirmed the orthodontic hardware and no mucosal changes. At this time a piece of moistened white gauze was placed across the upper teeth. It is uncertain whether coverage was adequate over the banded molars. No skin changes on the right upper lip were noted and the patient experienced no discomfort in the area treated. Therefore the fluence was increased from 10 J/cm²to 11J/cm². Again the patient felt a sensation in her arch bar with treatment of the left upper lip. She stated the sensation was more intense at the fluence of 11 J/cm². The patient described the sensation as an electrical shock in the bands wrapped around the posterior molars. The patient did not feel any discomfort in her upper lip. Faint erythema was noted in the area treated that resolved over five minutes. The treatment was concluded and the patient was discharged 10 minutes later without any discomfort. No mucosal skin changes were noted. Follow up exam at 1 week and subsequent phone conversations with the mother revealed no complications including visits to the patient’s orthodontist.

Discussion

The patient’s reaction to treatment and statement that she felt a shock was initially puzzling to this physician. I had not encountered this adverse reaction in my readings on flashlamp devices nor was it mentioned in the manufacturer’s literature. A literature search did not reveal case reports or potential interactions of flashlamp devices with orthodontic appliances.

Although the treating physician was aware of laser penetration and the need for dental protection with longer wavelength lasers, protection of the patient’s teeth with moistened white gauze didn’t prevent the sensation from occurring. In addition, the sensation was stronger with increased fluence.

A call was subsequently placed to the flashlamp manufacturer and the case was discussed with their clinical trainer. The trainer was unaware of this reaction occurring or being reported with the flashlamp device. The information was forwarded to a physicist employed by the manufacturer. Upon discussion it was believed that an inductive phenomenon occurred. The flashlamp creates its pulse of light in the handpiece using high amperage. This generated an electromagnetic field and the arch bar reacted like a coil through induction resulting in the patient’s discomfort and sensation of a shock.

To prevent this reaction from occurring in the future we have added additional questioning on our history to identify metal objects in the body.

4/27/06

This is a rough outline of the case report. The literature search for flashlamp interactions is not complete. Supporting information and references for the discussion is not complete. Any feedback or suggestions would be appreciated. We plan on submitting this report to Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.

John E. Carter, MD

Julianne M. Mazurek, MD

What is Laser Hair Removal?

2006-04-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

Laser hair removal has become one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the United States. Each year over $650 million is spent on the procedure. Originally thought to totally remove hair, laser hair removal actually causes hair to lay dormant, where it cannot be seen. The process of laser hair removal has continued to improve as the laser technology has improved. It is today by far the most widely used high-tech method for hair removal. Laser hair removal techniques provide an extremely fast treatment time with little discomfort and less pain as compared to other hair removal methods like waxing. It provides long-lasting effects and since lasers work on removing multiple follicles at a single time, the process is much faster than other similar techniques.