Hair Removal Using a New Intense Pulsed Light Source in Chinese Patients

Background: Unwanted hair is a widespread cosmetic problem. Several lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) have been utilized for this purpose. A new IPL device (Lumenis One TM ) with OPT is one of the newer modalities to be studied in Chinese patients. Objective: This study evaluates the short-term effi cacy and side effects of the new IPL device for epilation in Chinese patients. Methods: Eighteen Chinese women with Fitzpatrick skin types III–V and black hair, were treated four times at 4 to 6-week intervals using IPL (Lumenis One TM ) on the axillae (n � 13) and the upper lip (n � 5). The energy density for treatment ranged from 14 to 22 J/cm 2 . Parameters utilized were 695-/755-nm fi lters, triple pulse for patients on the axillae, and 640-/695-nm fi lters, double pulse for patients on the upper lip (3.5- to 7-ms pulse, 30- to 90-ms pulse delay, 15 � 35 mm spot size). Hair reduction was assessed at baseline, immediately before each treatment session, and at 4 weeks after the fourth treatment. Patient’s satisfaction on a 5-point scale was also evaluated. Results: The average hair reduction for all sites was 49.9% after one session, 58.6% after two sessions, 79.3% after three sessions, and 83.8% after four sessions (p � 0.001). The hair reduction of 44.1%, 52.1%, 81.1%, and 86.0% were achieved after each treatment for axillae, with 65.1%, 75.7%, 74.6%, and 78.0% for upper lip. Patients got more satisfaction after four sessions (score 3.1) than that after two sessions (2.0) (p � 0.001). In both the assessments, upper lip appeared to show a better response than axillae after two IPL treatments, which reversed after four treatments. No signifi cant complications or adverse events were reported. Conclusion: The new IPL device provides a safe and effective means of hair removal for Chinese patients. Treatment effi cacy varies with the anatomic location and number of treatments. However, further study is necessary to determine the long-term clinical effi cacy in Chinese patients.