Abstract

There is a clinical need for an efficient and reliable method of hair removal from the body. The Ruby laser in a continuous mode has been used to achieve selective photothermolysis of hair follicles with encouraging results (1, 2). However, the efficacy of this treatment appears to vary from patient to patient with dark coloured hair. Based on the theory of selective photothermolysis, it is logical to assume that the darker one’s hair is, the more effective the laser treatment would be. It is also not known if laser depilation is more effective if hair is treated while it is in its anagen phase. A prospective clinical study was carried out to answer these questions.

© 1997 Optical Society of America