KISSIMMEE, FLA. – A combined 800-nm diode laser and vacuum system for photoepilation resulted in high patient satisfaction and was safe and virtually painless for more than 2,000 treated patients.
Photoepilation is among the most popular aesthetic treatments worldwide, and is the second most popular aesthetic treatment in Latin America, where most patients have darker skin types that can be prone to greater risk of adverse outcomes, Dr. Rafael Nunes said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. On the basis of this study, however, the LightSheer Duet laser system appears to be a safe method for successful photoepilation even in darker-skinned patients.
Of the 2,158 study patients, 1,845 were women and 313 were men; they had a mean age of 36 years (range, 18-63 years) and skin types I-IV. Photoepilation was performed on various body and facial areas at one of four participating laser centers in Brazil over an 18-month period, with a mean of six treatments every 28-45 days. The investigators treated patients with a Lumenis 800-nm LightSheer Duet diode laser and vacuum-assist technology at a fluence of 6-12 J/cm2, a spot size of 22 x 35 mm, a pulse width of 30-100 ms, and a single pass, said Dr. Nunes, a plastic surgeon in private practice in Rio de Janeiro.
At the 3- to 6-month follow-up, after completion of 4-10 treatment sessions, 92% of patients rated their outcomes as "good" or "great."
The system requires no pretreatment ice packs, creams, or anesthesia, and the vacuum system should be used only on the low setting to prevent injury – particularly in areas where there is skin laxity.
No permanent or severe adverse effects occurred in any of the patients. The only adverse effect was transient erythema in six patients (0.3%). Treatment tolerance was also impressive, with patients experiencing only a small sensation of heat at the treatment site, and "no discomfort whatsoever" following treatment, Dr. Nunes said.
Dr. Nunes is a speaker or consultant for Allergan, Alma Lasers, Q-MED (Galderma), Lumenis, MedixSysteme, Palomar, and Solta Medical.