Williams,
1999
 Title: Hair removal using the long-pulsed ruby
laser.
Authors: Williams RM, Christian MM, Moy RL
Journal: Dermatol Clin 1999 Apr;17(2):367-72
PMID: 10327303, UI: 99259279
This is an overview of ruby laser
treatment. It includes clinical data from her
article on an efficacy study (endnote
10).
Terminal hair follicles are not
completely lost, but are produced shorter, finer,
and with less pigment.
Discontinue aspirin or
anticoagulant if possible at least 10 days prior
to treatment, if possible.
We recommend that patients who
have a history of persistent postinflammatory
hyperpigmentation, darkly tanned skin, or skin
type greater than Fitzpatrick type III should not
be treated with the long-pulsed ruby laser.
We also suggest that patients
with white, white/blonde, or gray hair should not
be treated with the ruby laser because they do
not have enouigh melanin in their hair follicles
to gain effective hai loss. We even tried to dye
the hair on these individuals black but they
still did not have any hair loss.
Patients how elect to undergo
treatment with the ruby laser must avoid sun
exposure to the treated areas during the entire
treatment coarse [sic]. In our experience,
patients who tanned their bodies prior to laser
treatment had temporary hypopigmentation.
The pulses should not be
overlapped more than 10%
Treatment sessions of large body
regions can be lengthy.
Back: 3 to 3.5 hours
Bilateral thighs 2.5 to 3
hours
shoulder 1 to 2 hours
bikini line 30 to 45
minutes
armpits 30 minutes
cheeks 30 to 45 minutes
upper lip 15 to 20
minutes
About 25% of our patient
population requires the use of a topical
anesthetic.
Edema usually resolves within 48
hours but erythema typically lasts for 7 to 10
days.
We have observed
hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation up to a
year in a small group of patients but have never
yet observed permanent pigment changes.
We have encountered a number of
patients who did not return to our clinic for 3
to 4 months because they did not have any
regrowth but then observed 100% regrowth.
It is also important to stress
that although some studies have suggested that
lasers can produce permanent hair removal, there
are no long-term studies.
1. Anderson RR, Parrish JA.
Selective photothermolysis: precise microsurgery
by selective absorption of pulsed radiation.
Science 1983;220:524-7.
2. Connolly CS, Paolini L. Study reveals
successful removal of unwanted hair with LPIR
laser. Cosmet Dermatol 1997;10:38-40
3. Cotsarelis G, Sun TT, Lavker RM. Label-retaining cells
reside in the bulge area of pilosebaceous unit: implications for
follicular stem cells, hair cycle and skin carcinogenesis. Cell
1990;61:1329-37.
4.
Dierickx C, Grossman MC, Farinelli WA et al:
Permanent hair removal by normal-mode ruby laser.
Arch Dermatol 134:837-842, 1998
5. Goldberg DJ. Various mechanisms of
laser hair removal. Cosmet Dermatol 1997;10:36-8
6.
Grossman MC, Dierickx C, Farinelli W, Flotte T,
Anderson RR. Damage to the hair follicles by
normal-mode ruby laser pulses. J Am Acad Dermatol
1996;35:889-95
7. Kligman AM, Peters L: Histologic
changes of human hair follicles after
electrolysis: A comparison of two methods. Cutis
34:168-176, 1984
8.
Nanni CA, Alster TS. Optimizing treatment
parameters for hair removal using a topical
carbon-based solution and 1064-nm Q-switched
neodymium:YAG laser energy. Arch Dermatol
1997;133:1546-9
9. Richards RN, Maguerite U, Meharg G:
Temporary hair removal inpatients with hirsutism:
A clinical study. Cutis 45:199-202 1990
10.
Williams R, Havoonjian H, Isagholian K, et al: A
clinical study of hair removal using the
long-pulsed ruby laser. Dermatol Surg 1998
Aug;24(8):837-42
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