Leukotrichia Developed Following Application of Intense Pulsed Light for Hair Removal

In a study involving 821 patients undergoing intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment for hair removal, 29 patients (3.5%) developed leukotrichia, where hair turns white or gray. This condition appeared after the first or second IPL session, with 13 patients having no prior white or gray hairs and 16 experiencing an acceleration of white hair development. Nine patients' hair color returned to normal within 2-6 months, but 20 did not see any improvement or experienced a worsening of the condition. The study suggests that leukotrichia may be a temporary or permanent side effect of IPL and laser hair removal treatments, potentially due to the differing responses of melanocytes and hair follicle cells to the heat generated by melanin during the procedure.