Hair Removal by Lasers and Intense Pulsed Light Sources
December 2000
in “
Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery
”
TLDR Laser and light treatments offer quick, long-lasting hair removal for large areas.
Traditional hair removal methods like shaving, plucking, and electrolysis were limited by pain, inconvenience, and poor long-term results, with only electrolysis offering potential permanent removal but being impractical for large areas. Recently, lasers (ruby, alexandrite, diode, Nd:YAG) and intense pulsed light sources were developed to target hair follicles, providing rapid treatment of large areas and long-lasting results. The article discussed the mechanisms of light-based hair removal, attributes of specific laser systems, and the importance of patient selection and treatment protocols for safe and effective outcomes.
