Harte, 1970

In this unpublished report by Omicron PhotoEpilator president Richard Harte, 12 subjects were treated with the Omicron device in a 4 cm2 area. Three subjects gave biopsies from treated and untreated sites at 1 and 7 days.

Later, five additional subjects had hairs removed by Omicron. Two of these also received electrolysis for comparison, with biopsies taken at 2 and 14 days. One patient was tweezed for comparison.

Follow-up observation at 12 weeks indicated 60% regrowth with the Omicron device, which they claimed was better than tweezing or electrolysis results they observed. Despite claims that biopsies were taken at nine months, there are no regrowth results listed after 12 weeks, and no report on biopsy results.

As with other scam devices, Harte attempts to make 12 weeks sound like an adequate observation period for hair regrowth.

Harte stated these tests were performed at the Palo Alto Medical Research Foundation under the direction of William Gould of Stanford. However, when Omicron's successor Carol Block tried to make this claim in promotional materials, Stanford senior counsel Susan Hoerger issued a letter demanding Carol Block not make any references to Stanford University.

Sources: Omicron owner's manual and promotional materials; Stanford University legal department.