Permanent hair reduction with a home-use diode laser: Safety and effectiveness 1 year after eight treatments.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a home-use hair removal diode laser (TRIA Beauty, Inc., Dublin, CA) in a multiple treatment regimen. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen indicated adults with naturally brown or black hair and Fitzpatrick skin type I-IV received 8 monthly treatments with the diode laser at three fluences, with a fourth area left untreated as a control. Quantitative hair counts were made at each treatment visit and periodically for 12 months after the last treatment. RESULTS The treated sites exhibited statistically significant hair count reduction that generally increased with each treatment and remained stable during the 1 year follow-up period. The mean percent hair count reduction was 47%, 55%, and 73% at 1 month after the last treatment and 44%, 49%, and 65% at 12 months after the last treatment at fluences of 7, 12, and 20 J/cm(2) , respectively, compared to control. Eighty-six percent (86%) of subjects had greater than 30% hair reduction and 38% had >80% hair reduction at 12 months post-treatment. At the same time point, 31% of subjects reported complete (100%) hair removal and 69% reported that the hair that did regrow was less noticeable due to being finer and/or lighter. The only observed side effects were erythema and edema that were mild, transient, and self-resolving usually within a few hours. CONCLUSIONS The home-use diode laser was safe and highly effective at permanently reducing unwanted hair.